b'LINCOLN BY THE SEA the energy of whats happening in every Back in the steak capital of the world, he worked at a sports bar forarea of the Club and (hear again the call nine months before circuitously joining the team at Firethorn Golfinside his head with these next words) Club. I applied for a sous-chef position at Firethorn. There was apush the envelope. Chefs quote of miscommunication while the general manager was out of town andthe day: It takes the entire F&B team they hired someone else. The GM returned and asked if Id still bebeing cohesive and collaborative to willing to come aboard: Id love to bring you in and see what youveaccomplish greatness over 101 acres. got. I fit in and I was a team player.With a consistent team, he works in Firethorn at the time was really golf centric. Food was secondamiably, were able to take old and new nature. I dug in and got noticed right away. It was exciting. Theconcepts to the next level.executive chef left and I got promoted. Had I earned it? Not yet. ItChef says there is daily opportunity was situational. I was in the right place at the right time. I took fullto create a menu that works for a lot of advantage, pushed the envelope and that worked. We turned it intodemos. His goal is to limit complexities. full-bore semi-fine dining and fun foods, packing the dining room onWe have a large menu. There are the weekends and during the week. fun dishestrends like the ahi tuna Influential members talked. There was very good buzz. And then,and salmon bowls or blackened fish taco after six years, in November 2004, Chef Lorin was approached by and and the stapleschicken piccata, a joined investor partners to open a restaurant they named Venue.good filet, soups, salads weve offered six Lincoln didnt have American-type upscale cuisine. We felt weor seven years now.had a leg up to make a splash. It was the most stressful two yearsHe cant resist adding: Theres always the menu, then theres of my life. It was well worth it. We hit a home run. It was awesome.the other menu! This is to say that the member, even the youngest A modern ambience with a seafood, fish and Nebraska beef-drivenin pigtails, has an elephant memory that requires the kitchen to menu. Woodfire oven pizza, pasta. We created a restaurant Lincolngraciously present the favorite something that left the menu several had never experienced. printings ago when asked for. The memory, if not the dish or dessert, he recognizes, has an heirloom quality.PINK SKY AT NIGHT Chef is passionate about the product he brings to the CCL While Chef Lorin didnt let go of his ownership in Venue until 2013,table and says he loves those moments when he can get in front of he began to anticipate another sea change. I got a phone call frommembers to talk about where things are sourced and how theyre Tom McKitterick at Lincoln Country Club, who said he heard I mightcreated. The tableau changes, from private dinners in the wine be interested in doing something different. I celebrated 13 years withcellar to a food station outdoors featuring the cuisine of a team the Club on Sunday, March 10.members culture to setting a five-course menu for a members While Chef peppers this conversation with the word consistency,special occasion. He says the idea that the sky is the limit of your and dont make the mistake of hearing same-same. His goal, he saysmy F&B imagination is catching a lot of energy around the Club. He firmly, is to bring excitement and intensity year after year, to matchwants that challenge.It takes the entire F&B team being cohesive and collaborativeto accomplish greatness over 101 acres.Executive Chef Lorin Dagel13'