FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I offer free food samples for new customers and discounts for any customer if they decide to pick up the food they purchased. Sometimes depending on the length of an event or type of event I will charge double portions because a long event is basically a buffet event. Any buffet event will require preparation of more food and more labor.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
I try to figure out what works best for them. Do people at their event have food allergies? Do they have a limited budget or open budget? What type of event are they hosting?What kind of food would they want at their event? I aim to to make the customer comfortable as possible so they know what they are purchasing. I will even offer free food samples to help them get a sense of what they are getting and if they would be satisfied with my food services.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Self Starter, Team Player, Customer oriented professional.Experience in catering for special occasions, banquets, private parties. Conducted culinary workshops and presentations. Highlights ServSafe Certified As the local chef, catered various banquets, christenings, weddings, dinner parties, and numerous special events using various ethnic cuisines, including: Jamaican, Latin American, Southern, and Italian styles of cooking. Ability to adapt and learn hands on. Experience: Sheltercare Program (Department of Juvenile Justice) Food Service Manager/Chef (Full Time) September 2015- Present Plan menus and oversee all food preparation for a Department of Justice program at a at risk center. Prepare all meals in accordance to the USDA breakfast and school lunch guidelines. Ensure accurate delivery, stock control,safety and sanitation standards.Maintained accurate production records, temperature logs, standardized recipes and updated school lunch and breakfast tool charts.Manage monthly budgeting for food and non food supplies. Train case managers,counselors and non food service support staff on food safety,sanitation, civil rights and Child And Adult Care Food Program. Chef Manager/Steward/Traveling Chef (Full Time/Part Time) Sage Dining Inc(October 2013- October 2015) Collectively as a team, provided creative , scratch cooked meals everyday for 300 campus students and 50 faculty members. These meals consist of 2 soups, 1 dessert, deli bar, salad bar, and five entrees. Managed 3 staff employees every day and provided training in a hands on style. Provided fine dining catering services to faculty on a weekly basis such as receptions, banquets and meetings. Fulfilled production records and temperature logs.Assisted in production for other nearby campuses contracted with the company.Assisted other accounts with lunch production and catering.All menu items were approved by the company's nutritionists and dietitians.Reason for Leaving: Need Year round employment for consistent earnings. Kitchen Manager Nobel Learning Communities Inc. June 2011- September 2013 As the school cook, taught, created and developed cooking classes for kids and their parents. Served various capacities independently such as dishwasher, kitchen technician, and cook. Contributed to menu development on a monthly basis from scratch recipes for lunch and handmade snacks. Utilized leftover foods for lunch variety. Contributed to the decoration, designing of classrooms and functionality of the school’s kitchen. Contributed to budget plans for that work site. Reason for Leaving: No Opportunity for growth. Senior Cook Potomac Job Corps December 2010-May 2011 Overseen all food preparation and kitchen staff to ensure excellent customer service. Ensured all refrigeration, storage, and working areas are sanitary, in working condition and meet regulated safety standards. Contributed to the production of breakfast,lunch, and dinner for a total of 400 students and staff at this 24 hour facility on a Sunday to Saturday basis. The meals included a full salad bar, fruit bar,dessert bar, vegetarian entrees, over 4 entrees and 3 snacks on a daily basis. Reason for Living: Pursued a better working schedule Prep Cook, Line Cook, Pantry Cook,Host Crossroads Restaurant and Nightclub July 2009 - December 2010 In an authentic Jamaican Restaurant and Nightclub, prepared and cooked several scratch foods such as appetizers,soups, salads, and desserts. Worked in many capacities in variable shifts from open to close or afternoon to close in an extremely fast paced environment. Consistently followed recipe specs for different dishes and desserts to ensure accurate portion control and to maintain food supply for line cooking. On a daily basis, strived to keep cooking stations clean, organized and all restaurant tickets accurately fulfilled and collected. Reason for Leaving: Not enough hours at a minimum wage rate to meet earning requirements. Food Service Worker Shabach Ministries October 2008- July 2009 Served various capacities as sous chef, chef, server, dishwasher, caterer and prep cook during daily operations for the church’s school and their special events. Contributed to kitchen equipment maintenance and food cost control. Followed the school nutritionists’ recipes and portion control for the 400 academy students on a daily basis. Contributed to the requisition, storage, utilization, and inventory of food and non-food products. Performed according to HACCP, OSHA and sanitation guidelines. Contributed to the execution of the departments’ goals by committing to follow a $10,000 a month budget for food and supplies. These students we provided meals for were between the ages 1 to 18. Reason for Leaving: Pursued new experiences to develop culinary skills, learn new culinary techniques and learn to prepare new dishes. Sous Chef/ Assistant Manager Fatzo’s Catering (Camtin Catering) May 2007-January 2008 Worked directly with the owner of this company and his staff in preparing meals for special events, while successfully handling a full schedule in college. In recognition for high performance, I was assigned as the food service manager in a large commercial kitchen, preparing various meals for church members and 300 academy students on a daily basis. These students were between the ages of 4 -18.Assisted in the remodeling of the business from menus, to consultation. Trained employees in food production and equipment usage, managed cash for deliveries and lunches.. Assisted in off-site catering for the food service program and events for the FBI, And Social Security Administration employees. Inspected and endorsed food service deliveries and transactions . Maintained high safety and sanitation standards. Coordinated and organized the kitchen in the absence of the chef/owner. Ensure that kitchen staff performs according to HAACP, OSHA and sanitation guidelines. Reason for Leaving: School was a top priority. Food Extern Mount Vernon Hotel December 2006- May 2007 As a Extern , I prepared several scratch dishes daily for a 100 dorm students and 100 hotel guests. Continental breakfast and breakfast buffets would be served often in the small restaurant of the hotel. On a daily basis, the lunch/ dinner meals would be scratch batched based and consist of a half salad bar. 4 entrees, two desserts and two starches. Also as an extern, you worked various capacities as a grill cook, dishwasher, prep cook, and Chef all in one shift at times as a team or independently. Reason for Leaving: Contract had ended and pursued new and different culinary experiences. Food Demo Assistant, Mail Clerk September 2004- May 2007 Stratford University Served as a Tour Guide, mail clerk, student ambassador and food demo assistant for this college. Addressed prospective students and parents on the curriculum and educational opportunities. Consistently worked toward efficiently handling, distributing and packaging of mail to students and faculty. Reason for Leaving: Only available hours were daytime 4 hour shifts Cook, and Cash Clerk April 2001- September 2004 Six Flags America As a team member or independently, various American style dishes were served or cooked to thousands of daily customers. Specifically assigned to manage cash through Point Of Sale Systems. Served as a busboy, food runner, cashier, cook within the park’s restaurants and catering events. Adapted to fast paced environments and various hands on training. Reason for Leaving: School was a top priority. Education: Stratford University, Baltimore Maryland 2004 to 2008 Professional Cooking, AAS Completed May 2006 Bachelor of Science, Culinary Management Completed May 2008 Course work includes: Culinary Arts 101, Culinary Supervision, Garde Manger, Human Resources Management, Food Service Facility Planning, Hotel Operations Management, ServSafe Certification, Ala Carte