Christopher Kennedy

I start my day off by doing prep from 11AM-2PM, for the supper for the next day; consisting with all sorts of items, some with recipes but a decent amount without one. 2:30PM-4:30PM I cook supper for about 20-30 residents every night; 4:30PM-5:00PM I plate every individual order with good presentation, as some eat with their eyes too! 5:00PM-6:45PM (closing time) I clean and make sure all of my staff have their temp logs, and check-off sheets completed so the department head can check off on them the next day.

• Supervised kitchen operations, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Collaborated with staff to optimize meal service efficiency during peak hours.
• Resolved conflicts within kitchen team, fostering a positive work environment.
• Improved staff productivity by providing clear instructions, guidance, and constructive feedback on their performance.
• Collaborated with management to develop innovative menu offerings that catered to diverse customer preferences.
• Maintained a clean and hygienic kitchen environment through regular cleaning schedules and strict sanitation policies.
• Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces, and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
• Continuously evaluated staff performance levels through regular assessments, identifying areas for improvement and providing targeted coaching.
• Implemented effective time-management strategies within the kitchen team, enabling smoother meal preparation during peak hours.
• Increased customer satisfaction by addressing complaints promptly and making necessary improvements to menu items and service.

My day at fishbones started off by cleaning their patio (with a hose) and watering all their plants, and afterwards I would clean all their prep dishes accumulated in this time-span; from about 3PM-7PM the business picks up and it gets pretty chaotic, but its a tame environment and its easy when you get into the flow of things. I usually every night would wash/ dry and then put away dishes in a moderately timely fashion all while keeping my peers morale, positive . From about 8PM-10:30PM is when we would clean up all stations in the building, no man left behind here. During the dinner rushes I was assisting with prep for the cooks, which usually is a few hours of whatever they need. I was cooking for them at one point but the dishwasher (person) was no longer. (so I automatically got put back, because I was their most reliable dishwasher)

• Operated commercial dishwashing equipment efficiently to minimize turnaround time for clean dishes.
• Assisted in preparation of cooking utensils and plating materials, supporting kitchen staff during peak hours.
• Monitored inventory levels of cleaning supplies and notified management for timely replenishment.
• Cleared, washed and stacked all plates, dining utensils, and trays quickly and without breaking.
• Collaborated with kitchen team to prioritize tasks during busy service periods, ensuring smooth operations.
• Trained new staff on proper dishwashing techniques and safety protocols to enhance team efficiency.
• Assisted in reducing food waste by properly disposing of leftover scraps after each shift.

I started off at Applebees as a dishwasher in the hours of 2PM-1AM from Wed-Sun every week, and after a few months I got moved to the line as a fry cook, on speedtrack nights (oxford speedway during the weekend) it would get insanely busy but I kept up pretty well, considering I had about 3 screens full of orders. Dishwashing was pretty straightforward as I usually was their closing dishwasher since I didn't mind the long and late hours, it was a positive and fun workplace, I wash the dishes (there was A LOT) dry them, put them on the shelves, and if requested by the line cooks I would prioritize certain dishes to be stocked up in a faster pace. From when I started in August 2020 Covid-19 hit the community pretty hard, so we had a 50 person compacity, they made a new position called "Sanitation Specialist" where I was made the primary Sanitation, consisting of me cleaning all windows and surfaces; as well as bathrooms, according to state and CDC guidelines due to the outbreak. I would have the responsibility of cleaning every table off with sanitizer and water in between each person coming, and going. For about a week, I did carside specialist; my trainer was new so it wasn't exactly the best time for either of us, but we got it done. We took the orders that were placed online, we dealt with transactions on the computer and brought out their food by the order after paid; I ended up getting Employee of the month here I believe a couple months before I left for a different employer. I liked the opportunity but I ended up moving to lewiston so my employment was elsewhere.

Longhorn steakhouse was an interesting chapter to say the least, it was fast paced and positive for the most part. I would do all of the dishes, wash, dry and put away (nothing special) but the catch with their machine was every 2 hours, it shuts off and forces you to clean it (I LOVED this) it was easy after a bit when I got used to it, A month before Covid-19 hit, I was named employee of the month and highly regarded as a great team player and positive. I left because the management started adding more and more responsibility on my job with no added incentive, but the main issue for me was they were incredibly toxic to my peers, and myself; therefore I decided to leave the toxic workplace and move on.

• Ensured compliance with health and safety standards while handling kitchenware and utensils.
• Operated industrial dishwashing equipment to maintain cleanliness and efficiency in kitchen operations.
• Kept kitchen areas neat and clean by removing trash and organizing supplies.

Point Sebago hired me as a Pizza cook/Dishwasher, when we were fully staffed. I would put together the pizzas per requested on the order, and put them through the pizza oven (it was slowwww) it got pretty crazy since a few times a year; Bob Marley the comedian comes to peform and when I say it got busy.. it was next level, at least 20-30 pizzas within 10 minutes, and they didnt stop for a while. Dishwashing here was a bit tricky because I would be cooking pizzas for my first few hours and all those dishes piled up in the meantime; I was responsible for all of them anyways, which I did everyday with a smile on my face! it was crazy but I love a good challenge. When it got to about late August-early September, we went from 13 staff members to just 3 of us(most of our staff was from overseas so they all left at the same time period, so it was just;Me, Assistant chef, and the Executive Chef) this is when things got a bit insane, I would work Monday-Saturday 8am-11PM, leaving me just 1 day off a week but it went by pretty fast, it was alot of fun pushing myself daily. At times I would assist the Assistant Chef on the line, fry cooking everything from Potstickers-Mozzarella Sticks. By the end of the summer, the Director of the camp; came up to me and offered that if I return next summer, I would become the Assistant Chef; but I never went back as it was a good drive away and it was draining as well.

At Cole farms I started off primarily on Dishes, but here they had 3 meal; the first one would bus all the dishes in by buckets and scrape them off for the washer to put through the machine. Another one would put all the dishes on a tray and wash them all accordingly (almost always me) another would put away the dishes after drying, while trying to keep up with my pace. After about 3 or so months I was promoted to Prep Cook where I would bread all the food for the fry cook and prep things like Onion rings (homemade and it was usually about 40lbs) and potatoes; fast forward a few more months I was a promoted again to a Fry Cook, I would cook things my prep cook had prepared for me by order and keep up with each ticket; considering before this I never cooked, I did pretty well keeping up with a smile!

• Operated dishwashing machinery to maintain cleanliness and sanitation standards.
• Assisted kitchen staff by ensuring timely availability of clean dishes and utensils.
• Monitored cleaning supplies inventory to ensure adequate stock levels for operations.
• Collaborated with team members to streamline workflow during peak service hours.
• Implemented process improvements that reduced turnaround time for clean dishware.
• Maintained organized workspace to enhance efficiency and safety in dishwashing area.
• Scraped, washed and efficiently restacked dishware, utensils, and glassware to keep kitchen ready for customer demands.
• Bolstered team morale and productivity by maintaining positive attitude and assisting colleagues during high-pressure periods.
• Coordinated with front-of-house staff to ensure timely delivery of orders to customers.
• Supported the overall efficiency of the kitchen by assisting other cooks when needed during busy periods.
• Demonstrated versatility by assisting with other kitchen duties as needed during rush periods.
• Enhanced kitchen efficiency by streamlining fry station processes.

At Mcdonald's I learnt one of the most important things in this industry, its not about how you do; its service with a smile and in a professional manner. Cooking here was as easy as it gets, I was the Grill cook/Opener so my hours were usually 5AM-1PM or 4:30AM-12:30PM; other times 11AM-7PM I was the grill cook then too. The hours werent the most flexible here, but I fought for every shift I could and after a while I was Full-Time until my departure. I met alot of people working here, and some good workers; some that didnt push themselves enough too, but we all had the same goal! it was to provide an experience through the Costumers taste buds in a timely manner all while keep our stations cleaned (it got dirty FAST). I was told that when I was leaving, they wanted to promote me to Crew Trainer but I was moving to Maine, so this wasn't possible unfortunately.

• Assisted in training new staff on cooking techniques and operational standards.
• Operated kitchen equipment efficiently, ensuring proper use and maintenance of tools.
• Maintained cleanliness and organization of kitchen workspace to ensure food safety compliance.
• Prepared multiple orders simultaneously during peak periods with high accuracy rate, maximizing customer satisfaction, and repeat business.
• Collaborated with team members to maintain a clean and safe working environment, adhering to health and safety guidelines.
• Implemented best practices for waste reduction, contributing to overall operational efficiency.

Camp Wigwam for boys was an adventure of a lifetime! it was my first job at just 15 years old (I wasn't even legally old enough but they made exceptions because my brother was the Sous Chef) therefore making me the youngest to work for them in the kitchen! I wasn't experienced or fast enough to do Dishes so they had me scrubbing pots and pans for the cooks, I did this for 2 summers (seasonal job) we were able to have our own rooms for free above the kitchen; when we were off we could explore the camp at our own will.

• Monitored water temperatures and chemical concentrations for optimal cleaning results.