Riverhouse Lodge in Bend, Oregon, welcomed Frederick Schumann as its executive banquet chef in early October. Schumann brings more than 13 years of culinary experience to the role, previously serving as executive sous chef at Sunriver Resort in Sunriver, Oregon. His position at Riverhouse Lodge will entail overseeing the hotel’s entire banquet and event-dining program.
“Banquet dining has the power to exceed expectations,” says Schumann in a prepared statement. “My goal is to ensure every attendee, whether at an intimate gathering or a large conference, experiences food that feels intentional, elevated, and unforgettable.”
In addition to managing the property’s banquet program, Schumann also will work with the culinary team to create menus that prioritize bold flavors and lend well to high-level restaurant service standards. Riverhouse Lodge accommodates groups as large as 1,600 people or as small as 16 in its several meeting and event spaces.
The hotel’s banquet menus feature a build-your-own breakfast buffet option from which planners can select one egg dish (variations of plates like scrambled eggs, frittatas, and enchiladas), one meat type (bacon, pork sausage, ham steak, etc.), one potato style (crispy red potatoes and potato skillet), and one side (buttermilk biscuits, oatmeal, pancakes, French toast, etc.). Planners also could opt for a prebuilt classic breakfast buffet with typical continental breakfast items like fruit, yogurt, baked goods, oatmeal, and hard-boiled eggs; or a plated breakfast with options including the Riverhouse Classic, Griddled Breakfast, and Steak and Eggs.
Several plated and buffet lunch selections are available, with menu items such as pickle-brined fried chicken thighs, wild mushroom ravioli, and Moroccan spiced salmon, among many others. For a more interactive dining experience, the property offers chef-attended action stations where attendees can watch culinary experts make horseradish-crusted prime rib, honey Dijon-roasted pork loin, garlic-studded lamb leg, and balsamic-marinated flank steak. Plated dinner entree choices include mushroom Bolognese, sausage-and-pepper baked ziti, and poblano enchiladas, among several others.
