Lakepoint open despite chef’s departure

Staff issue forced the restaurant to close Labor Day weekend.

Lakepoint Restaurant and Event Center reopened a few days after a staff upheaval forced its closure the Friday before Labor Day.

The day after Labor Day, the Property Owners Association’s director of business development told the marketing committee that Lakepoint Event Center and Restaurant had reopened.

On Sept. 1 diners were disappointed to find the restaurant closed. Before Lakepoint opened in May of this year, the former Yacht Club building had been empty for five years. It took several months and about $1.3 million to reopen it as an event center and restaurant.

The facility closed when the chef and two staff members left without notice, according to information from the POA.

Despite the situation, the facility opened Sept. 3 for brunch.

There were no events scheduled for Labor Day weekend, Lee said. There was a small wedding scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 9-10, but Lee anticipated no problems because of the limited menu.

Not only was the restaurant open last week, POA General Manager Tom Judson said Lakepoint received several excellent reviews during that same time period.

“The chef isn’t the one who cooks everything that’s there,” he explained. “There are sous chefs and prep cooks and other people in the kitchen.”

The restaurant menu was adjusted, Judson said, but it was only minor tweaks. He said the next executive chef may make more changes when he is hired.

“We should be able to make an announcement soon,” he said about the hiring process.

The entire staff worked together to make sure the restaurant could reopen, Lee said.

The executive chef will also have responsibilities at the new restaurant expected to open in the Country Club later this year.

A press release published on the Property Owners Association’s Facebook page on Sept. 2 offered an explanation: “Late Thursday night Chef Doug Wodja left his employment without providing advance notice. At the same time, two staff members elected to leave without providing notice. The Lakepoint management team has been working hard at getting all necessary positions filled as quickly as possible. During this transition, it was determined that for Friday and Saturday we would not be able to provide the appropriate, high level of service for our customers.”