Tacoma, Washington, United States
A consummate culinary professional and successful restaurateur with strong leadership skills and ability to build profitable revenue in Food & Wine industry. French “Chef de Cuisine” Diploma (C.A.P.) coupled with extensive experience in the finest restaurants in France and California. Trained in all types of French cuisine from traditional Gastronomique and Country through Nouvelle and California. Executive Chef and Owner of widely recognized, Zagat rated, award winning French Restaurant, 71 Palm Restaurant, successful for 20 years in an entirely renovated, historic landmark craftsman cottage. Skilled communicator and administrator, proficient in coordinating back and front of house staff for optimum, sustained performance. Proven ability to work productively in high pressure environments while maintaining peak quality of meal preparation, elegance of presentation, and appropriate pairing of fine wines. Excellent knowledge base of fine wines from such areas as Burgundy, Bordeaux, Provence, Alsace region, Loire Valley of France, Italy, Spain and Germany, as well as California Central Coast, Napa Valley, the Pacific Northwest, etc.
Owned, renovated, and successfully operated 160-seat upscale French/American restaurant located in 1910 historic landmark craftsman cottage adjacent to Mission San Buenaventura in Ventura, CA. Created fresh, locally sourced, and seasonally-inspired menu, working with staff to revamp menu quarterly. Worked closely with sous chef to order daily supplies, and assistant manager to order liquor and wine. Managed all facets of day-to-day operations including both back and front of house. Completely responsible for supervising staff of 20+, including hiring, scheduling, and overseeing performance to provide an optimal dining experience. Trained front of house staff on restaurant’s Point Of Service system (Aloha POS). Closely monitored food, operating, and labor costs, conducting monthly inventory of all liquor, wine, and food. Conducted Cooking & Wine Pairing classes where participants prepared and enjoyed a three course meal paired with specially selected wines by local winemakers.
Worked closely with Executive Chef to create and prepare daily specials for upscale clientele comprised of 4,000+ members. Supervised kitchen staff of five. Scheduled staff and independently ordered daily food supplies. Coordinated special events and prepared banquets for 50-500 guests, which included on and off site catering.
Entirely responsible for all facets of kitchen operations and back of house management, including hiring and supervising a staff of ten employees. Innovated a French & Californian-style cuisine. Accountable for daily ordering and weekly inventory. Monitored all food and labor costs with general manager. Supervised all elements of menu selection and planning with complete, quarterly menu revision. Created catering baskets for Hollywood Bowl events.