100,000 bees find a new home at Oak Brook Hills Resort

April 08--Chef Sean Patrick Curry has a passion for bees. He has been a beekeeper for more than five years, and bees are a key component of his modern farm cuisine.

Now, as executive chef at Hilton Chicago/Oak Brook Hills Resort Conference Center, he's making them part of his staff.

Earlier this week, Curry set up nine hives as part of a new bee program at the Hilton. That's between 100,000 and 110,000 bees that will be buzzing around the 150 acres of Audubon-certified grounds, which also includes a monarch butterfly way station, native species restoration and more.

Curry joined the Oak Brook Hills Resort in July, a couple of months after Westmont-based Portfolio Hospitality took over its management. He said that when he interviewed for the job, general manager Stefan Muhle asked about bringing bees in.

"The last two hotels I had worked at we had bees but it took some convincing on my part," Curry said in a statement. "This time they were welcoming my having bees almost as if it was part of the job description."

The hives are located on the Hilton's Willow Crest golf course, in wild grass areas away from golfers. Until the weather warms and pollen becomes naturally available, the bees will get pollen patties and sugar syrup. By September, Curry expects the bee population to be at more than 1 million, and plans to collect between 80 and 100 pounds of honey per hive, about two-thirds of the bees' production.

The honey will be available to guests and to visitors to the gift shop and restaurant, where it will be used in several recipes. It will also be used in a signature beer and small bottles of mead. Wax will be made into candles, an exhibition hive is planned for educational purposes, and the resort hopes to present seminars on beekeeping and gardening at local schools.

"I wanted to utilize the honey, wax, pollen and the bees themselves in our food and beverage program to create sustainability and also sell the idea that they can help market themselves and prove the value above what they already do for the world's food supply," Curry said.

To follow the progress of the bee project over the course of the year, go to the resort's website and click on Bee Brigade.

bhageman@tribpub.com