Curtis Miller

Start up of restaurant/kitchen operations and consulting for high end dining establishments. Kitchen design, menu development, implementing cost control measures, security and sanitation, recruitment and training of permanent staff of all levels including front end management and kitchen staff.

• Mitigated business risks by working closely with staff members and assessing performance.
• Developed and implemented strategies to increase customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Reviewed legal documents related to business operations.
• Analyzed client business needs and assisted in determining appropriate resources and strategies.
• Researched potential partners in order to expand services offered.
• Hosted special events to boost brand awareness and increase community engagement.
• Conducted market research activities and competitive analysis to facilitate implementation of aggressive company marketing strategy.
• Completed thorough opening, closing, and shift change functions to maintain operational standards each day.

Chef and sole manager of deli department, tortilla factory and catering manager. Supervised crew of 23 individuals. Annual departmental revenue of 2.3 million per year.

• Instructed cooks and other workers in preparation, cooking, garnishing and presentation of food
• Delegated tasks for kitchen employees and developed staff teams to streamline food preparation procedures.
• Documented employee performance reviews in order to assess progress towards goals set out in training plans.
• Negotiated contracts with suppliers to secure competitive prices for ingredients.
• Communicated effectively with wait staff regarding patron food allergies and dietary restrictions.
• Observed food safety and sanitation protocols to reduce germ spread.
• Planned menus, ordered supplies and managed kitchen staff.
• Liaised with vendors to purchase optimal recipe ingredients at cost-effective rates.
• Suggested and prepared promotional dishes according to ingredient availability and customer preferences.
• Oversaw inventory and ordered ingredients to restock freezers, fridges and pantry.

Menu development and testing for 48 restaurants company-wide throughout the continental United States. Oversaw daily operations for 130 room top performing hotel

• Delegated tasks for kitchen employees and developed staff teams to streamline food preparation procedures.
• Created new menu items, managed food expenses and supervised quality to ensure adherence to standards.
• Directed kitchen staff in food preparation and presentation to ensure high quality standards were met.
• Reviewed orders from vendors to ensure accuracy and cost effectiveness.
• Suggested and prepared promotional dishes according to ingredient availability and customer preferences.
• Determined schedules and staff requirements necessary to prepare and plate food.
• Analyzed customer feedback data to improve existing recipes or create new ones.
• Developed and implemented menus for multiple restaurants, catering events, and private parties.
• Provided effective orientation and training to each new associate and developed ongoing training programs.
• Assessed inventory levels and placed orders to replenish goods before supplies depleted.
• Improved performance of team members resulting in high-quality meals produced daily.
• Managed ordering, inventory levels, receiving, invoice settling, and equipment maintenance.

Chef at high end private country club designed by the late Arnold Palmer. Managed/supervised kitchen staff of 20 employees at exclusive private gated community county club in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada's.

• Improved performance of team members resulting in high-quality meals produced daily.
• Coordinated catering events from start to finish including menu selection, staffing needs, equipment rentals.
• Suggested and prepared promotional dishes according to ingredient availability and customer preferences.
• Supervised the preparation of meals to ensure consistency in taste, presentation, and portion size.
• Trained and supervised line cooks to develop new skills and improve team performance.
• Trained kitchen workers on culinary techniques.
• Provided effective orientation and training to each new associate and developed ongoing training programs.
• Identified areas for improvement within the kitchen team such as training requirements or workflow adjustments.

Owner/sole proprietor of a 100-seat café, supplemented with three food trailers, doing business as Chuck's Wagon. Operated two establishments simultaneously. Restaurant focusing on breakfast and lunch cuisine, and food trucks focused on traveling events throughout five western states. Annual revenue exceeding $1.5 million. Managed logistics for all entities while mobile concessions were on multi-state business engagements. Maintained product levels for mobile operations at large events throughout all locations, including the transportation of perishable foods, equipment, and personnel. Maintaining adherence to all local and federal regulations.

• Utilized advanced technical skills and expertise to troubleshoot complex problems and implement solutions.
• Promoted high customer satisfaction by resolving problems with knowledgeable and friendly service.

Consultant on the startup of kitchen operations. Development of menu and design of kitchen, physical buildout of the restaurant. Supervised recruitment and training of permanent chefs and kitchen staff. I wrote and implemented recipes, procedures, and techniques for a new gastro pub in the infancy of the concept of gastro pubs. Used never-before-seen molecular gastronomy techniques.

Executive Sous Chef/Camp Manager. Managed remote logistics for oil field operations, serving over 2,000 individuals per day. Providing only meals of the highest quality and nutritional value. Operating with an annual budget of over $13 million. Traveled to multinational countries with the corporation. Oversaw remote logistics supply ordering, from toilet paper to tea bags. Oversaw camp billeting and travel arrangements for all employees in the camps. Maintained financial records in places where technology was not always available, i.e., jungles and remote artic sites. Most locations were not accessible by vehicular traffic. Extensive logistical collaboration ensured that all products were supplied in an accurate and timely manner to inaccessible, remote locations.

Executive Chef at the University. Oversaw daily operations of four food outlets. Managed up to 120 employees. Provided up to 8,000 meals campus-wide daily. Supervised adherence to state and local regulations pertaining to educational institutional food service. I instructed advanced meat fabrication, covered for all absentee instructors at the culinary school on campus, and assisted in writing the curriculum for said programs. Supervised all catering for faculty, staff, and regents. Consulted with local chefs and restaurants for charity events involving culinary students to enrich education and public relations.