Alicia Pozos
Villa Park,IL
Summary
Diligent Cook possessing excellent cooking skills and strong knowledge of food safety. Proficient in maintaining well-stocked, organized and clean kitchen areas to maximize productivity. Dedicated team player with punctual nature and open communication style dedicated to working hard.
Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
2
2
Languages
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Cook/Prep/Hosstes/Cashier Helper
Honey Jam Cafe
Naperville, IL
09.2022 - 05.2026
- Prepared and executed diverse menu items in fast-paced kitchen environment.
- Trained new staff on cooking techniques and operational procedures.
- Maintained high standards of food safety and sanitation protocols.
- Collaborated with team to streamline kitchen operations and improve efficiency.
- Maintained a clean and sanitary workspace, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
- Prepared food items in compliance with recipes and portioning control guidelines.
- Prepared ingredients by washing, chopping, and measuring for daily menu items.
- Greeted and seated guests, ensuring a welcoming atmosphere and efficient workflow.
- Assisted in training new staff on customer service protocols and operational procedures.
- Coordinated with kitchen and waitstaff to ensure timely food delivery and service flow.
- Handled guest inquiries and feedback, resolving issues to enhance dining experience.
- Monitored dining area to maintain cleanliness and readiness for incoming guests.
- Implemented process improvements that streamlined seating arrangements during peak hours.
- Enhanced customer satisfaction by greeting and seating guests promptly upon arrival.
- Took reservations and to-go orders by phone, answered customer questions, and informed of accurate wait times.
- Supported servers, food runners, and bussers with keeping dining area ready for every guest.
- Checked in with servers to confirm preparedness before seating customers.
- Resolved guest complaints professionally, taking appropriate action to address issues and improve future experiences.
- Trained new hostess staff members on company policies, procedures, and best practices ensuring consistency across all shifts.
- Processed customer transactions efficiently, ensuring accuracy in cash handling and payment methods.
- Collaborated with kitchen staff to streamline order processing and minimize wait times for customers.
Cooking Assistant
Egg House
Lombard, IL
04.2022 - 06.2022
- Followed standardized recipes to prepare appetizing and timely breakfast.
- Executed sanitation methods to ensure safe and clean kitchen environment.
- Washed, peeled cut vegetables in advance to save time on food preparation
- Prepared vegetables by washing and peeling in advance to expedite food preparation.
- Implemented measures to prevent cross-contamination for safe meal preparation for food allergy sufferers.
- Collaborated with team to ensure timely service during peak hours.
- Enhanced food presentation by skillfully arranging dishes and garnishes.
Cook Leader
Montecasino
Villa Park, IL
07.2012 - 12.2021
- Prepared multiple orders simultaneously during peak periods with high accuracy rate, maximizing customer satisfaction and repeat business.
- Produced high volume covers per day and maintained near-perfect customer satisfaction scores.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Took food orders from cashiers and cooked items efficiently to ensure timely service of hot meals.
- Mentored staff in expectations and parameters of kitchen goals and daily work.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
- Took food orders from cashiers and cooked items quickly to complete order items together and serve hot.
- Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, storage, use of kitchen equipment and sanitation.
- Transitioned between breakfast and lunch service.
- Inspected appliances, commercial fryers, and ovens to verify proper working order.
- Ordered and received products and supplies to stock kitchen areas.
- Changed and sanitized cutting boards, benches and surfaces between tasks to avoid cross-contamination.
- Inspected freezer and refrigerator daily to check and maintain proper temperatures.
- Inspected kitchens to ensure high standards of food preparation, service quality, and cleanliness in production areas.
- Collaborated with vendors and suppliers to obtain quality recipe ingredients while adhering to company budgets
- Supervised kitchen staff to ensure adherence to food safety and sanitation standards.
- Trained new cooks on preparation techniques, fostering skill development and teamwork.
- Provided exceptional customer service by addressing diner concerns promptly and professionally.
Cook Shift Leader
Pretty Presentations Catering
Newton, MS
08.2001 - 04.2010
- Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
- Inspected freezer and refrigerator daily to check and maintain proper temperatures.
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Mentored kitchen staff to prepare each for demanding roles.
- Collaborated with staff members to create meals for large banquets.
- Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.
- Developed recipes, portion specifications, and standard preparation procedures for all dishes.
- Obtained fresh, local ingredients to lower grocery costs.
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent
Education
Yes - Turism Administration
Cetis52
Mexico City06-1993
Skills
- Cooking and Baking
- Food safety
- Kitchen Sanitization
- Proper Food Storage
- Food Spoilage Prevention
- Chopping Vegetables
- Proper Food Temperatures
- Grill Techniques
- Station Preparation
- Inventory inspections
- Cost control
- Food Handlers Certification
- POS Transactions
- Cash handling
- Team collaboration
- Guest Satisfaction
- Customer engagement
- Handling complaints
- Guest seating rotation
- Professional Appearance
Languages
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
English
Full Professional
Timeline
Cook/Prep/Hosstes/Cashier Helper
Honey Jam Cafe
09.2022 - 05.2026
Cooking Assistant
Egg House
04.2022 - 06.2022
Cook Leader
Montecasino
07.2012 - 12.2021
Cook Shift Leader
Pretty Presentations Catering
08.2001 - 04.2010
Yes - Turism Administration
Cetis52