Lakepoint gets new leader
The new food and beverage operations manager at Lakepoint has enjoyed living and working all over the west coast, but he was ready for something new. He moved to Bella Vista from Seattle two weeks ago and is ready to learn all he can about this area.
“First I want to get a feel of the clientele and see what they like,” Chef Scott Redington said. “Just because I like something doesn’t mean the general public will. You have to cater to your clientele.”
Even chain restaurants have different menus for different regions, he said, even if they all look alike.
He doesn’t expect either menu or staff changes at Lakepoint right away.
“The staff now is fantastic. They’re willing to learn new things. They’re excited about new challenges. They all work hard,” he said.
Redington grew up in Salt Lake City and always enjoyed cooking. Although he cooked for his family, he didn’t consider a career in restaurants until his grandmother suggested it. Then he started investigating culinary schools, but he received some good advice. He was told to get a job in a kitchen and make sure he still wanted to work in one. It turned out he did and he started moving up through the ranks to sous chef and beyond. He never got around to culinary school.
He’s been in the business for 25 years and has worked in San Francisco, Honolulu, Dallas and many smaller cities.
A POA press newsletter lists his signature menu items: beer cheese soup, featuring Tillamook cheese and local craft brew; black cod, lightly breaded and pan fried, served with a white wine garlic sauce; garlic mash; asparagus; and for dessert — green tea tiramisu.”
His last job was as assistant general manager of a restaurant group located in Seattle, POA business director Tommy Lee said. The new job, Lee said, is more than an executive chef. As food and beverage operations manager, Redington will have responsibilities in the front of the house as well as in the kitchen — which is something he is qualified to do.
“It’s a position that brings the team closer,” Lee explained, “He can work with both sides of the line and be responsive to our customers.”
While he has the skills to cook anything on the menu, he will probably spend more time managing and developing new menu items, Lee said.
What’s fun about a place like Lakepoint, Redington said, is that the menu can change often.
On Wednesday, Oct. 26, Redington had the chance to meet some of his new clientele when the POA hosted a “Meet the Chef” event at Lakeside. He spoke with about three-dozen people, he said, and asked them what they liked.
“It was fun,” he said. Redington will have responsibilities at both the
Country Club restaurant and the Highlands Pub. While the Highlands Pub opened recently, the Country Club is still under construction and doesn’t yet have a date for completion. It will be after the first of the year, Redington said, and it will open as an upscale sports bar.
“I have opened up two restaurants,” he said, when asked about an opening date, “There’s always something that throws a wrench in your plan.”
The Highlands Pub will have a limited menu, with
sandwiches, hot dogs and maybe soup available. He sees it as a place for the golfers to stop in for a quick meal and a drink.
“I don’t have a big ego,” he said. “For the restaurant to be successful, it takes a team,” he explained, speaking of Lakepoint. “We have to work together and rely on guest feedback, and that will take time. It will be a slow evolution.”
As the restaurant evolves, Redington will be living close by in Bella Vista. He’s single and his family is still in Salt Lake City.