Calanne Van Laeken
Glens Falls,NY
Summary
Self-starting and service focused General Manager dedicated to delivering an all around superior experience for guests and staff, promoting customer loyalty and staff retention. Creative and focused sales leader with sound judgment, good planning, multi-tasking abilities and interpersonal communication strengths. Aptitude and passion for the service industry, with focus on food, wine and spirits.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager/Human Resources Manager
Flight On South, Inc
Glens Falls, New York
10.2020 - Current
- Conceptualized, designed and built Flight Wine Bar & Restaurant, Flight Cafe on South.
- Personally crafted company handbook, codes of conduct and training manuals for both wine bar and cafe.
- Cultivated strong relationships with vendors and guests to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- Analyzed market trends/data and oversaw all marketing to identify and capitalize on opportunities for restaurant growth.
- Managed budget for all facets of restaurant operation, consistently hitting our labor, food and liquor costs of 18%, 28% and 25% respectively.
- Crafted all menus - wine lists, craft cocktail, beer lists, special events menu, happy hour, promotional events.
- Championed special and promotional events, such as wine, spirit and beer pairing dinners.
- Established comprehensive monthly employee "continuing education" programs to enhance staff knowledge including wine/beer/spirits classes and improvement of sales techniques.
- Implemented robust inventory management systems to optimize stock levels and minimize waste/costs associated with excess product storage.
- Oversaw all daily operations, including hiring, training, scheduling, reservations, restaurant set up, break down, payroll, daily financial reports.
- Enhanced employee retention by implementing effective talent management strategies and fostering positive work environments in both front and back of house.
Assistant General Manager/Wine and Beverage Director
The Olde Bryan Inn
Saratoga Springs, New York
04.2003 - 12.2019
- Mentored staff members, fostering a supportive work environment that enhanced employee performance and retention.
- Collaborated with other department managers on cross-functional projects, fostering a cooperative atmosphere that drove overall organizational success.
- Analyzed bar sales data to identify trends and opportunities for menu expansion or modification based on customer preferences - built up our craft beer program with expansion of draught beer system and implementing a "rotating tap" program.
- Assisted in recruitment, hiring and onboarding process for new employees to build a skilled workforce committed to excellence in service delivery.
- Consistently surpassed monthly objectives concerning wine/liquor/beer costs of 24% and labor costs of 17%.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Biology/Biological Sciences
Ithaca College
Ithaca, NY05.2002
Skills
- Account Management
- Business Development
- Branding
- Advertising and marketing
- Customer Relationship Management
- Operations Oversight
- Employee Development
- Product Development
- Vendor relationships
- Leadership and team building
- Efficient multi-tasker
- New Business Development
Timeline
General Manager/Human Resources Manager
Flight On South, Inc
10.2020 - Current
Assistant General Manager/Wine and Beverage Director
The Olde Bryan Inn
04.2003 - 12.2019
Bachelor of Science - Biology/Biological Sciences
Ithaca College