Benjamin Nequist
warwick
Summary
Experienced culinary professional specializing in food preparation and kitchen management. Led development of innovative daily specials and trained staff to enhance team collaboration. Ensured compliance with food safety regulations while delivering high-quality standards in fast-paced settings.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Sous Chef
Eclipse Bistro (Platinum Dining Group)
Wilmington
03.2022 - Current
- Contributed to development of two menu rotations over one year, enhancing culinary offerings.
- Developed daily specials featuring new and unique dishes, attracting customer interest.
- Managed back expo area during service, coordinating with team on Sauté, grill, and pantry stations.
- Coordinated food preparation tasks, ensuring coverage for all shifts and maintaining adequate inventory levels.
- Prepared daily soups that adapted to seasonal ingredients and customer preferences.
- I became very knowledgeable about different kinds of food and the different techniques to make them
- Started off just a line cook and worked my way to leading the line
- Closed the restaurant during the head chef's absence and opened the kitchen.
Kitchen Manager
Fuego eats
West Grove
08.2020 - 02.2022
- Ensured the facility complied with health codes, sanitation requirements, and license regulations.
- Performed regular line checks to ensure the highest level of quality.
- Trained new employees on food preparation, storage, kitchen equipment operation, sanitation, and safety protocols to foster a knowledgeable team.
- Inspected delivery contents to uphold high food quality standards and ensure compliance with product specifications.
- Coordinated meal preparation and delivery to ensure timely service and customer satisfaction.
- Adapted meals based on FOH tickets while maintaining accuracy and efficiency in the kitchen.
- Ensured that proper portion sizes were followed and that high food quality standards were consistently met.
- Communicated daily expectations to kitchen staff to ensure clarity in roles and responsibilities.
Customer Associate
PetSmart
Newark
05.2019 - 07.2020
- Organized racks and shelves to enhance store presentation.
- Used a ladder and a pallet jack to load and unload merchandise.
- Handled returns and refunds in accordance with company policies.
- Managed payment collection from customers for goods and services provided.
- Communicated with customers to identify and address their needs effectively.
- Handled all customer complaints professionally, putting customer satisfaction first.
Pizza Delivery Driver
Pizza Hut
Bear
05.2018 - 09.2018
- Selected optimal routes based on delivery instructions to consistently meet tight deadlines.
- Double-checked daily deliveries against shipping instructions to ensure accuracy before delivery.
- Monitored customer orders for accuracy and timely processing.
- Engaged with customers to identify needs and explore sales opportunities.
- Spoke with customers on the phone as well as in person.
Laborer
Countryside
Bear
05.2017 - 09.2017
- Collaborated with team members to complete tasks safely and on schedule.
- Gathered and disposed of work site debris to eliminate safety hazards and increase team productivity.
- Organized materials, tools, and equipment to enhance workflow for team members.
- Calculated material requirements for each shift and loaded vehicles with necessary supplies and equipment.
- Used radios and hand signals to coordinate communication between [Type] operators and ground workers.
Education
High school diploma -
Red Lion Academy
Bear, DESkills
- Cooking expertise
- Food preparation and production
- Food safety compliance
- Culinary experience
- Menu development
- Quality control
- Meal catering
- Produce handling
- Kitchen management
- Inventory management
- Time management
- System implementation strategies
- Leadership skills
- Staff training
- Decision-making abilities
- Team collaboration and support
- Culinary innovation
- Adaptability to change
- Punctuality and reliability
Timeline
Sous Chef
Eclipse Bistro (Platinum Dining Group)
03.2022 - Current
Kitchen Manager
Fuego eats
08.2020 - 02.2022
Customer Associate
PetSmart
05.2019 - 07.2020
Pizza Delivery Driver
Pizza Hut
05.2018 - 09.2018
Laborer
Countryside
05.2017 - 09.2017
High school diploma -
Red Lion Academy