Lawrence McFadden, CMC, ECM

Search & Consulting Executive

Lawrence McFadden has over thirty years of luxury hotel and club experience. His impressive career includes leadership roles with iconic brands such as The Ritz-Carlton, MGM Resorts and Casinos, The Greenbrier Hotel and Spa, The Waldorf Astoria, and Shangri La Hotels and Resorts of Hong Kong.

He held key corporate level positions that required keen partnership with various ownership groups, Boards of Trustee’s as well as celebrity chef brands. In these roles he was instrumental in the growth of both The Ritz-Carlton and Shangri-la Hotel groups’ global expansions. His division was responsible for over two hundred restaurant concepts opening over various continents.

Starting as an Executive Chef he was promoted to and assumed key food and beverage roles, eventually ascending to General Manager/COO of luxury club and resort properties. These roles position him as a strong partner for key stakeholders of ownership, guests/members, or operators.

Lawrence developed a great understanding of global hospitality habits when living in Hong Kong, Singapore, and various cities in the United States. His restaurant concepts stretch the globe touching on various cuisines, service styles, and business atmospheres.

An accomplished Certified Master Chef, as well an Honoree Doctorate from Johnson and Wales, allowed for culinary understanding and influence as a General Manager/COO.  While in the role he was honored with the Excellence in Club Management Mel Rex Award as top General Manager Nationally in the non-country club category.

Email: lawrence@kkandw.com

Phone: 239-963-6888

LinkedIn

Resources & Insights From Lawrence…

Accomplishing the goal of great food is a long and complicated journey.

Most members believe it rests in the hands of their chef, but General Managers understand it is more complex than just one person.

Mr. Bill Marriott knew this, so he entered through the loading docks during his hotel visits. He famously stepped behind cook lines and into coolers while engaging with the culinary staff. His parents grew up in the restaurant business, which explained these actions…

Read More

There are endless opportunities to celebrate food and wine relationships at your club. However, it’s less about culinary compatibility and more about the overall member experience. Every club has wine-loving members or committees that represent the voice of the club. Religion, politics, and wine are the big three topics on which every member has their own view.

I have always promoted wine as a perfect complement to food. Wine elevates our perception of elegance, much like fine chinaware, crystal, and silver accoutrements. With more education, I delved into the intricate relationship between alcohol and our minds, often pondering the age-old question: “Does wine make food taste better?” Is this a theory passed down for generations or just an old wives’ tale?…

Read More

Selecting an Executive Chef involves more than assessing culinary skills; it also requires confronting the stark gender imbalance in the pool of applicants and the broader implications of diversity within the industry. Panel interviews are complex. The search committees who run them generally represent a cross-section of the membership. Each is vested in selecting their next culinary leader and they must navigate complex issues including gender dynamics within traditionally male-dominated spaces.

The focus on “diversity” prompts a deeper dialogue: Is the interest in diversity genuine or superficial?…

Read More

The term “culinary confusion” emerged from the fusion cuisine era, coined by an editor to describe dishes that mix conflicting flavors or techniques. This came to mind when a waiter described a “special deconstructed chicken pot pie,” which seemed neither traditional nor deconstructed in the expected sense. The concept underscores how classic dishes create expectations through established rules, and deviation can lead to disappointment. For example, a beloved French onion soup can enchant with its layered cheese and caramelized onion broth, or disappoint if served as a thin, flavorless version.

Today’s culinary landscape often sees such confusion, with kitchens adopting philosophies that prioritize personal expression over traditional favorites, potentially frustrating customers. The removal of classic dishes, like a club’s Caesar salad, from menus by chefs without the stature of culinary icons such as Daniel, Thomas, or Grant—who have earned customer trust to innovate—illustrates a disregard for customer expectations and the relational aspect of a menu…

Read More

One constant factor contributing to the disconnect between members wanting their club to be a favorite place for dining and actually considering it as such is how food and beverage professionals are always challenged to be more creative while keeping club traditions. Popular trends for club members are usually fads or movements that they see or hear about first from outside influencers and that then prompt their interest in new dining-related habits.

To help close the gap and help clubs gain more culinary favor with their members, here are some emerging popular global movements that should be watched to see if they find their way to club menus…

Read More

What makes for a good culture among the employees at a club, and how do clubs maintain it in the face of a continually changing environment? The COVID-19 pandemic changed many things about society, including the culture of the service and hospitality industries.

Technology and employee benefits certainly play a part in culture, but other elements such as communication, acceptance of employees regardless of appearance, and adapting schedules have become even more important…

Read More

Interviewing is more than just answering questions; it’s about presenting yourself, talking, and listening. When you interview well, the committee doesn’t just hear you; they feel your personality and patience. Good interviewees tailor their messages based on their audience’s reactions.

People often form opinions within the first five minutes of meeting you. Your body language and how you speak significantly affect their judgment…

Read More

If your club hasn’t renovated and/or updated the kitchen lately, it may be time to invest in a kitchen renovation or remodel. Outdated kitchens are common in the club industry as money is often spent in areas of the club that are visible to members. However, culinary equipment and kitchen layouts have evolved dramatically over the years and significantly impact efficiency and production.

Certified Master Chef and hospitality consultant Lawrence McFadden often asks club executives to compare kitchens to cars. “Think about the car you drove 40 years ago compared to the car you drive today. From technology to design to cup holder placement, they are very different vehicles. The same is true with kitchens and kitchen equipment.”

Read More

The greatest conundrum is that while food is a very powerful emotion, what a member wants isn’t always reality. The good news, though, is that most of what club members want and enjoy as they dine really hasn’t changed in years. Much of what’s expected and seen as individual preferences can be defined and anticipated through a proper combination of traditional norms and emerging cultural realities.

Here are five tried-and-true traits that will serve every club well if they are properly embedded in their food-and-beverage programs, to consistently meet and satisfy the range of preferences and expectations that exists within their memberships…

Read More

Most successful culinary cultures share similar norms. These elite clubs are aligned with strong visionary general managers, a membership base that understands their role in the club’s food and beverage success, and both possess transparent trust in the executive chef.

The general manager is often the most important partner for the executive chef, followed closely by culinary resources, a supportive board, and often written strategic plans around the importance of culinary value propositions…

Read More

During interviews, I always ask chef candidates who taught them to cook. Make no mistake: this is not a simple question. Books could be written about how to answer and what the answer could potentially mean.

When I ask this question, I am frequently met with a pause or simply a sigh as they say, “My mother/aunt/father.” You can usually sense their smile and nostalgia through the phone as they describe this special and personal mentorship. I listen, then ask, “Who taught you to apply these cooking skills to a commercial kitchen?”…

Read More

A sincere welcome gives a sense of caring and makes others feel appreciated, as well as making them feel that they have made a good choice in being where they are.

I recently met with a new client who strolled into our breakfast meeting and, without a “hello,” announced, “I carry my own cold pressed juice because I don’t trust our local water.”

She was a client I had just flown in for, so I was already in the board room. This struck me as an odd way to greet a person you’ve never met. I approached for a greeting, but it was obvious her hands were full. She glided to an empty seat and then continued, “Where are the berries and the fruit for today’s meeting?” She was not speaking to me yet but then she asked, “Have you seen anyone who is supposed to set up?”

I had not, and as a chef, this gave me an uneasy feeling…

Read More

Recording dishes, experiences, ingredients and interactions can not only help chefs recall their travels, but also inspire them and those they mentor.

For a Christmas present years ago, I asked the Chef at the club where I was working for his pastry crème recipe. After some back and forth, he gifted me a framed recipe titled “Unforgettable Pastry Crème.” I planned to make fruit tarts that Saturday using his famous recipe.

When I looked closer at the recipe, I realized it was entirely in French with metric measurements and no procedure. (Merry Christmas to you as well, Chef.)

This got me thinking about all my handwritten recipes with drawn pictures…

Read More

Culinary excellence is a lonely road that can only be improved with sound strategies. A great chef knows this and finds clever ways to influence those around them. That chef frequently preaches to department heads about the importance of culinary perfection for the member or guest and is willing to go to great lengths to improve the offering.

In 1999, I arrived in Naples, Fla. to serve as the Executive Chef of the Ritz Carlton. I was the third chef to assume the role in the property’s fifteen-year history. The hotel was a luxury property with five restaurants, a spa, and multiple catering venues inside and outside the walls. It was a daunting job placing my mark on such a high-profile organization’s Eastern flagship property. Yet, here I was ready to begin…

Read More