CELESTE JOHNSON
Las Vegas
Summary
Hospitality and operations executive with extensive experience leading high-volume, high-profile catering and multi-venue food & beverage operations. Known for hands-on leadership, strong HR oversight, financial accountability, and close client partnership to deliver flawless events for professional sports organizations, executives, and VIP clientele. Excels at building teams, managing people and performance, and executing complex events while maintaining operational, financial, and regulatory discipline.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Catering Director & Operations Manager
Elite Sports Catering
01.2021 - 01.2025
- Provided leadership for complex, high-profile catering operations serving professional sports teams, executives, and VIP clients across multiple venues including stadiums, arenas, studio lots, and private facilities.
- Directed end-to-end catering operations, event booking, and operational strategy across multiple locations, ensuring seamless execution under strict timelines.
- Served as primary client liaison, working closely with clients from booking through execution to ensure each event exceeded expectations.
- Built, mentored, and retained elite front- and back-of-house teams through clear expectations, hands-on leadership, and consistent communication.
- Oversaw all HR functions including hiring, onboarding, training, coaching, corrective action, and termination while ensuring full HR compliance.
- Maintained a highly visible presence during service to support staff, troubleshoot in real time, and uphold elevated service standards.
- Developed and empowered core leadership teams capable of operating independently while maintaining consistency and accountability.
- Led daily operational briefings aligning service teams, culinary leadership, and logistics partners.
- Collaborated closely with executive chefs, nutritionists, and performance staff to execute customized, performance-driven menus.
- Oversaw VIP events, celebrity dinners, executive activations, and specialized catering requiring discretion and precision.
- Managed accounting functions including labor forecasting, scheduling, payroll, budgeting, invoicing, and financial reporting.
- Implemented cost-control initiatives while protecting service quality and guest experience.
- Ensured full compliance with health, safety, labor, and operational regulations.
Catering & Events General Manager
Olive and Spice
01.2017 - 01.2021
- Oversaw private and corporate catering operations with a strong emphasis on HR leadership, client relations, and flawless event execution.
- Built, hired, trained, evaluated, and managed front- and back-of-house teams with a focus on accountability and retention.
- Managed HR responsibilities including hiring, employee relations, coaching, corrective action, and termination in compliance with labor regulations.
- Led full-cycle hiring, onboarding, scheduling, and performance management processes.
- Served as primary point of contact for employee relations, conflict resolution, and HR-related matters.
- Worked directly with clients to plan, book, and execute events, ensuring service expectations were exceeded.
- Conducted pre-event briefings to align teams on service flow, timing, and guest expectations.
- Created and implemented training systems enabling teams to execute events independently.
- Partnered with executive chefs on menu development, customization, and execution.
- Maintained hands-on leadership during events to support staff and resolve issues in real time.
- Managed staffing, scheduling, logistics, and on-site execution for events of varying scale.
- Implemented operational systems that improved efficiency, accountability, and service consistency.
Restaurant General Manager
Sushi on the Rock
01.2012 - 01.2017
- Led daily restaurant operations with an emphasis on culture, staff retention, HR leadership, and elevated guest experience.
- Served as a highly visible, hands-on General Manager supporting teams on the floor during all service periods.
- Conducted daily pre-shift meetings to ensure smooth, consistent lunch and dinner service.
- Recruited, hired, trained, coached, and retained staff while maintaining HR compliance.
- Wrote and implemented employee manuals outlining service standards, policies, and expectations.
- Designed and led hands-on training workshops to reinforce service excellence.
- Developed supervisors and shift leaders to strengthen operational stability.
- Managed labor planning, scheduling, payroll, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance.
- Maintained full P&L responsibility and financial reporting.
- Collaborated with chefs on menu development, pricing, and food cost control.
- Oversaw inventory, vendor relationships, facility maintenance, and VIP guest relations.
Skills
- Catering Operations
- Multi-Venue Management
- Executive Event Production
- VIP Event Production
- Client Relations
- Event Booking
- HR Leadership
- Hiring
- Termination
- Employee Relations
- Staff Leadership
- Coaching
- Retention
- Operations Oversight
- Logistics Oversight
- Front-of-House Excellence
- Back-of-House Excellence
- Executive Chef Collaboration
- Culinary Team Collaboration
- SOP Development
- Training Programs
- Labor Planning
- Scheduling
- Payroll
- Budgeting
- Accounting
- Cost Control
- Financial Reporting
- Health Compliance
- Safety Compliance
- Regulatory Compliance
- Vendor Relations
- Purchasing
- Inventory Management
- Employee Evaluations
- Performance Management
- HR Compliance
- Team Relations
References
References upon request
Personal Information
Title: Catering Director | Operations Manager | General Manager
Timeline
Catering Director & Operations Manager
Elite Sports Catering
01.2021 - 01.2025
Catering & Events General Manager
Olive and Spice
01.2017 - 01.2021
Restaurant General Manager
Sushi on the Rock
01.2012 - 01.2017