Benjamin DeNavarra
566 Sugar Creek Road,Laurel Bloomery
Summary
Conscientious Manager well-versed in guiding operations and motivating team members by defining and communicating clear vision and strategy to convey expectations. Holds team members accountable to drive results and remove barriers and obstacles. Cultivates continuous process improvement and demonstrates flexible leadership style to foster team member engagement.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Chef/Owner/Operator
Salt of the Earth Food Truck and Catering
02.2023 - Current
- Managed kitchen operations, ensuring compliance with food safety regulations and quality standards.
- Streamlined food preparation processes, reducing waste and optimizing ingredient usage for cost efficiency.
- Conducted regular inventory assessments, ensuring adequate stock levels while minimizing excess inventory costs.
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination.
- Prepared meals from scratch using authentic, popular recipes to generate repeat business.
- Successfully met dietary requirements for diverse clientele by providing customized meal options upon request.
General Manager
Mazzaro Italian Market
02.2007 - 10.2020
- Mazzaros is a very busy, family owned gourmet Italian market and deli. I started working in the deli making sandwiches, within months I rose to become co-manager. I worked in the very high volume, fast passed deli for 3 years then was advanced to the catering kitchen. There we cooked food for a very large catering menu, as well as prepared food for the very busy deli case, and produces soups and sauces for various departments. At any givin time we would have between 70 and 90 trays/bowls. After a couple of years i began taking on more responsibility thru out the market. I officially became General Manager and worked for about 10 years. In my time we went from 40 employees, during busy season, to 118. I personally interviewed and hired most of them.
- Experience includes but is not limited to: counter associate; deli, butcher, seafood, produce, bakery, cheese, as well as stocking shelves, placing and receiving orders, hiring and firing, quick serve/line cook, batch/production cooking, prep cooking. Menu planning and developing new recipes. As a manager I was directly responsible for the day to day operations, and for both employees and customers.
- Led cross-functional projects and identified and solved complex problems in all areas of business.
- Managed performance of team members by conducting performance appraisals and recommending promotions.
- Advanced store sales position, restructuring departments and modeling customer service techniques to employees.
Executive Chef Partner
Annata Wine Bar
04.2014 - 10.2019
- Planned, organized, and supervised daily culinary operation of restaurant and catering services.
- Interviewed, trained, and hired kitchen staff and launched operational improvements to reduce turnaround times for food preparation and dining service.
- Oversaw menu changes to maintain reputation of restaurant in producing exciting dishes defining exquisite level of cuisine available in city.
- Achieved "Excellent" ratings on health department inspections by developing standardized cleaning process for each shift.
- Kept staff working efficiently and productively to achieve total guest satisfaction. Demonstrated correct cooking techniques to staff to keep all team members operating as solid unit.
- Led kitchen staff by example, keeping workstations clean and overseeing food preparation and presentation.
- Monitored the operation of the kitchen to check for proper sanitation.
- Supervised menu planning and verified prep and line cook compliance with recipes.
- Organized team activities in kitchen maintenance, stock management, and food rotation to eliminate issues with product expiration.
- Created new recipes and developed pricing structures to meet financial targets. Oversaw team members at each station to verify the consistent and accurate preparation of every dish.
- Interviewed and trained back-of-the-house employees at all levels.
Chef
St. Pizza and Omelet Party
04.2005 - 07.2006
- Provided on-site catering
- Responsible for setting up, breaking down, cooking, customer service and receiving payment
- Could feed up to 300 people single handedly or up to 1000 with a helper.
- Transported prepared foods to event location and maintained food at safe temperatures.
- Prepared accurate invoices and received payments for services provided. Organized physical setup and breakdown of venue for each event.
Line Cook/Trainer
Lee Roy Selmons
03.2004 - 07.2005
- Plated entrees and desserts during busy periods, minimizing wait times for patrons.
- Implemented food quality specifications through menu planning, plate presentation, and quality checks.
- Adhered to state and local health and safety regulations for sanitation.
Education
Certified Culinarian - Culinary Arts
Pinellas Technical Education Center
St. Petersburg, FL06.2004
High School Diploma - General
Boca Ciega High School
Gulfport, FL05.2002
Skills
- Customer service Staff hiring
- Operations management Develop policies
- Team building and leadership Product promotion
- Employee relations Human resources
- Financial planning Financial planning
- Performance evaluations Strategic planning
- Cross-functional team management Cost control and budgeting
- Staff management
- Knife skills
- Cooking techniques
- Kitchen operations
- Ingredient knowledge
Timeline
Chef/Owner/Operator
Salt of the Earth Food Truck and Catering
02.2023 - Current
Executive Chef Partner
Annata Wine Bar
04.2014 - 10.2019
General Manager
Mazzaro Italian Market
02.2007 - 10.2020
Chef
St. Pizza and Omelet Party
04.2005 - 07.2006
Line Cook/Trainer
Lee Roy Selmons
03.2004 - 07.2005
Certified Culinarian - Culinary Arts
Pinellas Technical Education Center
High School Diploma - General
Boca Ciega High School