Brayden Thompson
Baton Rouge,LA
Summary
Talented and hardworking general manager offering excellent sales and customer relations abilities developed over 17 years of experience in the restaurant industry. Proven ability to be an excellent leader and to instill loyalty in not only my employees but in my guests as well.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Dining Manager
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse
Baton Rouge, LA
05.2025 - Current
- Wrote all dining team member schedules for over 60 employees.
- Performed weekly inventory of food, alcohol, and paper goods.
- Created reports on variances in inventory as well as plans of how to minimize loss and sent to Director of Operations on a weekly basis.
- Kept bar inventory variance at 1.2% on a consistent basis through training, proper batching, and knowledge tests.
- Managed labor for kitchen and dining room while on shift by using forecasted sales, previous year sales, and recognizing outlying factors that could affect overall sales for the shift. During shift made adjustments to accommodate decreases or increases in sales.
- Kept labor at a consistent 16%-18% on a weekly basis for whole restaurant.
- Ordered all liquor, produce, and paper goods for restaurant.
- Created pars and order guides based on a 5 week trend to minimize over or under ordering.
- Led pre-shifts everyday for front and back of house to inform team of specials, menu changes, and points of focus for improvement.
- Used CITUIT to do daily on hand inventories for kitchen and bar in order to create prep lists for the next shift.
- Performed nightly inventory on high dollar items for both food and alcohol to keep track of variances or loss and sent to Director of Operations every morning as part of AM recon.
- Participated in area marketing zoom calls to discuss marketing goals and strategies for the following months. Sent marketing calendar with tasks to be completed on certain days to Director of Operations each month.
- Through proper execution and marketing grew sales by 7% from previous year.
- Coached dining team members on service execution and kitchen team members on proper recipe execution to optimize quality of service and food.
- Handled write up's and termination of team members to hold them accountable to policies and standards.
- Spent time each shift table touching to connect with guests and ensure satisfaction.
- Educated team members on food and alcohol to ensure all guest questions could be answered accurately.
- Managed private parties and catering for restaurant.
Assistant General Manager
Brasserie Byronz
Baton Rouge, LA
12.2024 - 05.2025
- Cultivated strong relationships with guests, vendors, and liquor representatives to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- Wrote schedules for employees, training materials, side work lists, inventory sheets, and daily reports.
- Maintained liquor and wine inventory with minimal waste.
- Trained staff in upscale dining standards to elevate guest dining experience.
- Worked closely with staff to assist with upselling and to interact with guests and ensure employee and restaurant success.
- Used HotSchedules and projections to maintain proper labor cost.
- Assisted guests with wine choices as a level 1 Sommelier.
- Held all preshift meetings for front of the house staff each day to motivate staff and keep them up to date on specials and areas of improvement.
- Managed private parties, events, buyouts, and catering for restaurant.
- Maintained labor, food, and liquor cost for restaurant to optimize profit margins.
- Performed monthly inventory for restaurant for both food and liquor as well as paper goods.
- Handled ordering for all paper goods as well as liquor, beer, and wine.
General Manager
Library Wine and Provisions
Gonzales, LA
12.2022 - 12.2024
- Cultivated strong relationships with guests, vendors, and liquor representatives to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- Built strong relationships with liquor and wine representatives to guarantee opportunities to purchase allocated wines and spirits.
- Built and maintained VIP guest program
- Wrote all schedules for employees, training materials, side work lists, inventory sheets, and daily reports.
- Ordered all liquor, wine, and goods needed for the front of the house operations.
- Maintained liquor and wine inventory with minimal waste.
- Helped the restaurant earn over 3 million dollars in first year and hundreds of thousands of dollars over original projection.
- Ensured employee and guest satisfaction while maintaining a healthy work environment.
- Wrote all cocktail menus and recipes
- Constructed glassed wine menu and bottle menu for restaurant.
- Changed glassed wine and cocktails seasonally to ensure excitement in the wine and spirit program.
- Assisted guests with wine choices as a level 1 Sommelier.
- Held all preshift meetings for front of the house staff each day.
- Kept at cost percentages under 20% for liquor and wine.
- Managed all private parties, events, buyouts, and catering for restaurant.
- Maintained labor, food, and liquor cost for restaurant to optimize profit margins.
Bartender / Server / Trainer
Supper Club
Baton Rouge, LA
03.2022 - 12.2022
- Cultivated strong relationships with guests, vendors, and liquor representatives to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- Built strong relationships with liquor and wine representatives to guarantee opportunities to purchase allocated wines and spirits.
- Built and maintained VIP guest program
- Wrote all schedules for employees, training materials, side work lists, inventory sheets, and daily reports.
- Ordered all liquor, wine, and goods needed for the front of the house operations.
- Maintained liquor and wine inventory with minimal waste.
- Helped the restaurant earn over 3 million dollars in first year and hundreds of thousands of dollars over original projection.
- Ensured employee and guest satisfaction while maintaining a healthy work environment.
- Wrote all cocktail menus and recipes
- Constructed glassed wine menu and bottle menu for restaurant.
- Changed glassed wine and cocktails seasonally to ensure excitement in the wine and spirit program.
- Assisted guests with wine choices as a level 1 Sommelier.
- Held all preshift meetings for front of the house staff each day.
- Kept at cost percentages under 20% for liquor and wine.
- Managed all private parties, events, buyouts, and catering for restaurant.
- Maintained labor, food, and liquor cost for restaurant to optimize profit margins
Server / Bartender / Trainer
Beausoliel Costal
Baton Rouge, LA
11.2020 - 03.2022
- Handled up to 6 tables at once with high service quality
- Upselling using knowledge of wine, spirits, and elevated cuisine
- Trained both servers and bartenders to restaurant standards
- Used POS system to accurately input orders and process payments
- Maintained a friendly but professional attitude while working to help promote a positive environment
- Make craft cocktails to standard in under 7 minutes per ticket
- Helped with maintaining liquor inventory and holding weekly wine tastings for the public.
Server / Bartender / Trainer
Eliza Restaurant and Bar
Baton Rouge, LA
08.2017 - 11.2020
- Trained new servers and bartenders in restaurant procedures and customer service standards
- Used knowledge about gourmet food, fine wine, and spirits to upsell as well as create a special experience for every guest that is catered to their individual taste preferences
- Used POS system to accurately input orders and process payments
- Managed alcohol and dry good ordering for front of house
- Produced the highest recorded sales of all previous and current staff for 2+ years of employment
- Maintained for 3+ years positive customer reviews for 100% of tables served
- Handled as many as 8 tables at once with high service quality.
- Made craft cocktails consistently and in a timely manner.
- Helped create and impliment 4 cocktail menus with manager for the restaurant.
Server / Bartender
Copelands Restaurant and Bar
New Orleans, LA
08.2016 - 07.2017
- Made cocktails to proper specifications and in under 7 minutes per ticket.
- Satisfied all bar guests, and maintained bar cleanliness.
- Assisted guests with making menu choices as well as upselling food and alcohol.
- Handled large volumes of tables and people while maintaining customer satisfaction.
- Communicated customers' menu choices and special requests to kitchen staff without error.
- Upheld high sanitation and safety standards while delivering and serving food.
- Able to serve up to 45 people parties without assistance.
Head Server
Taste of Tokyo
03.2011 - 08.2016
- Progressed from busser to serving manager within 3 years
- Trained all serving staff and assisted in training for all other front of house positions
- Created weekly schedules for serving staff in a orderly and routine manner
- Handled all front of house employee issues and concerns to maintain positive communication and a healthy work environment
- Managed all dry good and alcohol orders
- Served up to 10 tables at the same time while maintaining customer satisfaction and excellent service
- Used slow periods to stay on top of side work such as restocking serving stations, wrapping silverware, and maintaining restaurant cleanliness.
Personal Assistant
Blue Flash Sewer Service Inc
Harahan, LA
10.2014 - 05.2016
- Cultivated strong relationships with guests, vendors, and liquor representatives to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- Built strong relationships with liquor and wine representatives to guarantee opportunities to purchase allocated wines and spirits.
- Built and maintained VIP guest program
- Wrote all schedules for employees, training materials, side work lists, inventory sheets, and daily reports.
- Ordered all liquor, wine, and goods needed for the front of the house operations.
- Maintained liquor and wine inventory with minimal waste.
- Helped the restaurant earn over 3 million dollars in first year and hundreds of thousands of dollars over original projection.
- Ensured employee and guest satisfaction while maintaining a healthy work environment.
- Wrote all cocktail menus and recipes
- Constructed glassed wine menu and bottle menu for restaurant.
- Changed glassed wine and cocktails seasonally to ensure excitement in the wine and spirit program.
- Assisted guests with wine choices as a level 1 Sommelier.
- Held all preshift meetings for front of the house staff each day.
- Kept at cost percentages under 20% for liquor and wine.
- Managed all private parties, events, buyouts, and catering for restaurant.
- Maintained labor, food, and liquor cost for restaurant to optimize profit margins.
Education
High School Diploma -
Jesuit High School
New Orleans, LASkills
- Proficient in time management
- Detail oriented
- Expert in customer relations and satisfaction
- Punctual and hard working
- 9 years craft bartending experience
- 10 years of serving experience
- Trained servers and bartenders for 4 different restaurants
- 17 years of experience in the service industry
- Level 1 Sommelier
- An effective leader who prioritizes employees and guests above all else
Skills
- Knowledge on thousands of wines and spirits
- Two plus years of general managing experience
- Trained in using Restaurant 365, HotSchedules, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Outlook, Major Menus, America Togo, EZ Cater, and Toast systems.
- Proficient in managing and maintaining proper food and alcohol costs as well as cost of labor.
Certification
Level 1 Sommelier Certification
ServSafe Certification
Timeline
Senior Dining Manager
BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse
05.2025 - Current
Assistant General Manager
Brasserie Byronz
12.2024 - 05.2025
General Manager
Library Wine and Provisions
12.2022 - 12.2024
Bartender / Server / Trainer
Supper Club
03.2022 - 12.2022
Server / Bartender / Trainer
Beausoliel Costal
11.2020 - 03.2022
Server / Bartender / Trainer
Eliza Restaurant and Bar
08.2017 - 11.2020
Server / Bartender
Copelands Restaurant and Bar
08.2016 - 07.2017
Personal Assistant
Blue Flash Sewer Service Inc
10.2014 - 05.2016
Head Server
Taste of Tokyo
03.2011 - 08.2016
High School Diploma -
Jesuit High School