Reflections on the 2026 CMAA Chef Summit in New Orleans
"If you're hungry, you better eat what you know. If you're from New Orleans and you get really hungry, you better have New Orleans food."-Leah Chase
What chef would pass up an opportunity to spend a few days in the living culinary classroom of New Orleans, gathering with colleagues to share in a perfect blend of inspiration, camaraderie, and culinary discovery? Days and evenings filled with insightful exchange and immersion about rich and deeply rooted foodways suggested a sally into a uniquely rewarding experience, and for this participant a return to old family traditions and neighborhoods.
The 2026 Club Managers Association of America (CMAA) Chef Summit held September 22–24 in New Orleans provided just such an opportunity, bringing together club chefs from across the country at the venerable New Orleans Country Club. The gathering offered a mindfully curated program for those who have spent much of their professional lives in pursuit of serving others, making memories for those in their care and providing training and mentorship to up-and-coming cooks and chefs.
Professional club chefs occupy a particularly interesting corner of the culinary world. Club chefs are expected to have mastery and expertise in myriad cooking traditions, a depth of business acumen, the ability to keep pace with and surpass ever-evolving member expectations, and to create an environment where teams want to stay and thrive.
As rewarding a profession as club culinary can be, responsibilities sometimes become isolating, making events such as the CMAA Chef Summit a great space to come together and exchange experiences, ideas, pain points, and remedies.
Holistic-sounding perhaps, but there is tremendous reassurance, and sometimes validation, in discovering that the challenges keeping one awake at night are the same being experienced by a chef many miles away.
That is why gatherings like the CMAA Chef Summit offer such value. The 2026 Summit gave thoughtful discourse to the evolution of the executive chef's role, club governance, capital planning, communication and conflict management, hiring and retention, and emerging food and beverage trends. The discussion of artificial intelligence and its potential applications in menu engineering, inventory management, labor forecasting, and financial analysis was particularly relevant and timely. Conversations surrounding workplace culture, communication, and employee well-being also included tools and strategies to deploy when interactions with peers come under pressure.
Returning to home kitchens with new ideas, renewed enthusiasm, and a few boxes of pralines, chefs have also been gifted a little something extra: the ever-blooming network of colleagues we develop in a shared professional community.
After all, and not least, having been in the fold of the entire team at New Orleans Country Club was among the greatest gift. Each provided comfort, genuine tastes of NOLA, yes that was a whole smoked skinless alligator, an inviting atmosphere and heartfelt hospitality (from this participant’s perspective not having experienced such constant care, attention and nourishment since a newborn). How grateful we are to have experienced the gracious embrace of all at New Orleans Country Club, from the warmest welcome to the fondest farewell. Merci.
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About the Author: Chef Mary Howley
Chef Mary Howley is a former Executive Chef of her own catering company, several privately owned country clubs, and fine dining restaurants. She has studied throughout Europe and honed her skills working with a myriad of culinary styles and foods. At RCS, she is the resident culinary consultant providing guidance on menu engineering, overall food & beverage management, back of house operations, and training. She had the honor to serve as research and development chef for Food Unlimited, and held the position of Pastry Chef in two James Beard Dinner Events. Mary has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the Maryland Institute, is a Certified Professional Food Service Manager, a certified TIPS trainer, and a member of the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Association. Mary is passionate about cross-utilization, seasonality, sustainability, and the precious connection between people and food.
