Education
Timeline
Work History
Summary
Overview
Hi, I’m

David O. Utley

Little Rock,Arkansas
David O. Utley

Education

American Culinary Federation/ Hyatt Regency Hotel Houston Texas,
Hyatt Regency Houston

3 Year 6400 Hours Certified Cook US Department of Labor Registry # 900-93 from Culinary Apprentiship

University Overview

Three-Year Formal European Apprenticeship Program (6400 Hours) United States Department of Labor, 900-93

  • Professional development completed in 3 year European Style Apprenticeship 6400 hours Educational Institute of the American Culinary Federation.

Conrad N. Hilton School of Hospitality Management
Houston, TX

Bachelor of Science from Restaurant Hospitality

University Overview

University of Houston Conrad Hilton School of Hospitality management.

Timeline

Executive Chef

Refined Hospitality, The Riverhouse at Odette's
02.2021 - 04.2023

Executive Chef

THE LITTLE ROCK MARRIOTT HOTEL STATEHOUSE PLAZA, Davidson Hotels and RESORTS
05.2017 - 03.2021

GRILL Executive Chef - General MANAGER

THE ARROW HOTEL AND BONEFIRE
04.2016 - 04.2017

Director of Food and Beverage

TROPICANA ENTERTAINMENT, INC, OF BATON ROUGE CASINO & HOTEL
01.2014 - 04.2017

Opening Executive Chef

THE REEDS AT SHELTER HAVEN BOUTIQUE HOTEL
02.2013 - 02.2014

Executive Chef

Harrah’s St. Louis Casino Hotel
02.2010 - 02.2013

Senior Director of Menu Innovation / Corporate Chef

COSI, INC
10.2004 - 02.2010

Executive Chef / Executive Sous Chef, Executive Sous chef

Westin Galleria/ Hotel/ Westin Oaks Hotels
02.1998 - 08.2004

Banquet Chef

Biloxi Grand Casino Hotel Caesars Entertainment
03.1994 - 04.1998

American Culinary Federation/ Hyatt Regency Hotel Houston Texas,

3 Year 6400 Hours Certified Cook US Department of Labor Registry # 900-93 from Culinary Apprentiship

Conrad N. Hilton School of Hospitality Management

Master of Science from Restaurant Hospitality

Work History

THE ARROW HOTEL AND BONEFIRE

GRILL Executive Chef - General MANAGER
04.2016 - 04.2017

Job overview

  • Two Dining Rooms/ bar Operation 42 Boutique Style Hotel National Registry Property 2.5 million Food and beverage Revenue
  • 1-year Contract Director of Operations Mr
  • Shannon Jones/ Awarded 4 Spoons Omaha world news

TROPICANA ENTERTAINMENT, INC, OF BATON ROUGE CASINO & HOTEL

Director of Food and Beverage
01.2014 - 04.2017

Job overview

  • Leads food and beverage operations of 300-room hotel $18M in food and beverage sales across six beverage and five food outlets and 42,000 sq
  • Ft of catering space
  • Boosts effective performance by leading, training, and delegating 160 union employees
  • Key Accomplishments: Decreased overall turnover by 75% Increased cash to comp ratio by 16% across multiple venues
  • Improved customer satisfaction and bolstered sales by instituting new catering, restaurant, wine, and alcohol menus in two beverage operations.

Refined Hospitality, The Riverhouse at Odette's
New Hope, PA

Executive Chef
02.2021 - 04.2023

Job overview

39 Room Boutique property Wine Spectator awards, Ranked #3 Resort by Travel and Leisure magazine in the Northeast. Two restaurants. High End Weddings $14 M Food and Beverage sales annually. Sister property of the Reeds at Shelter Haven Ranked #1 Resort in Northeast. Opened The Reeds at Shelter Haven in Stone Harbor NJ.

  • Identified issues, analyzed information and provided solutions to problems.
  • Demonstrated strong organizational and time management skills while managing multiple projects.
  • Demonstrated a high level of initiative and creativity while tackling difficult tasks.

THE LITTLE ROCK MARRIOTT HOTEL STATEHOUSE PLAZA, Davidson Hotels and RESORTS

Executive Chef
05.2017 - 03.2021

Job overview

  • 411 Room Hotel 300,000 Square feet of meeting Space Arkansas Convention Center attached to hotel property
  • Restaurant Heritage Steak and Finn, Room Service, M club and outside catering facilities $ 12 Million in Annual Food and beverage
  • Formerly the Peabody Hotel Little ROCK # 2 in Overall Annual Food cost for 60+ Hotels
  • Diamond Chef cooking competition finalists 2020
  • Hotel of Year 2020 Davidson Hotel

THE REEDS AT SHELTER HAVEN BOUTIQUE HOTEL
Stone Harbor, NJ

Opening Executive Chef
02.2013 - 02.2014

Job overview

  • High-end, 37-room property that featured two restaurants, 24-hour room service, late-night lounge, daily breakfast garden buffet, and wedding catering service
  • Ranked in small boutique Hotels in the world Voted Best Hotel in New Jersey Accomplishments: Ensured effective operations within 425-seat casual fusion American & 64-seat upscale casual eclectic restaurants
  • Achieved weekly sales of $350,000 by managing a culinary team of 34
  • Bally’s Park Place Casino Hotel and SPA ATLANTIC City New JERSEY EXECUTIVE Chef Propelled culinary operations at 1380-room hotel casino with 8 outlets, six restaurants 85,000 sq
  • Ft of banquet space, and two casino dining rooms Ensured that the award-winning property lived up to reputation as one of Atlantic City’s premiere venues
  • Key Accomplishments: Saved properties $1.5M by implementing innovative menu engineering strategies, kaizen events, improvement initiatives as culinary team leader
  • Maintained $40M in annual sales with a staff of 120 cooks and 55 stewards

Harrah’s St. Louis Casino Hotel
Maryland Heights, MO

Executive Chef
02.2010 - 02.2013

Job overview

  • Caesars Entertainment, Heights, MO, Led 125 staff members in the operation of a popular hotel that featured five restaurants, eight food outlets, 125,000 square feet of gaming space, and a 502-room hotel, earning $18M in annual food and beverage sales
  • Key Accomplishments: Assisted in the development and opening of Kelly English Steakhouse, which was voted top steakhouse by the River Front Times Promoted to Bally’s Atlantic City based on superior performance in St
  • Louis.

COSI, INC
Deerfield, IL

Senior Director of Menu Innovation / Corporate Chef
10.2004 - 02.2010

Job overview

  • Ensured the success of 151-unit, eclectic fast casual urban restaurant chain with $180MM in food and beverage sales by directing all food and beverage operations
  • Key Accomplishments: Improved quality by leading all menu development/ideation efforts and implanting an aggressive food and beverage calendar that included weekly tastings and the rollout of 42 new menu items each year
  • Improved catering menu’s breakfast platform by 6% by implementing new menu ideas that included dinners from The Hearth and Menu Light
  • Named 2005 Menu Innovator of the Year (Chain Operations) by Stagnitos magazine.

Westin Galleria/ Hotel/ Westin Oaks Hotels

Executive Chef / Executive Sous Chef, Executive Sous chef
02.1998 - 08.2004

Job overview

  • T he Westin Galleria Houston is a Four-Diamond AAA Hotel 850 room Hotel, four restaurants, 90,000 square feet of banquet space
  • Food and Beverage sales $12 million annually Ranked in top 5% of all Westin Hotels North America quest service scores
  • Westin Oaks Galleria Hotel 1998- 2001 Executive sous chef Houston Oaks Galleria. 400 room property AAA Mobil Guide Hotel Starwood Hotels and Resort property
  • Promoted to Executive Chef 04- 2001 to other Property at Galleria The Westin Galleria Hotel Starwood Hotels and Resorts Property
  • Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability.
  • Modernized work processes to reduce guest wait times and boost daily output.
  • Implemented successful cross-marketing strategies such as food and wine pairings.

Biloxi Grand Casino Hotel Caesars Entertainment

Banquet Chef
03.1994 - 04.1998

Job overview

  • Las Vegas NV Responsible for all Catered events 3 hotel towers Grand Biloxi & Grand Casino Gulfport, Grand Theatre and Central Commissary for outlet Restaurants at The Grand Casino Biloxi Hotel.

Summary

Corporate Level Menu Innovation | Multi Unit Product Development | Hospitality Management Creative Chef and Corporate Level Food and Beverage Operations
Director with 35 years of diverse experience at some of the nation's most popular destinations.

A seasoned innovator who consistently boosts operations bymplementing creative menus and culinary concepts and purchasing and procurement of food and beverage products.

Extensive experience leading multiple food and beverage operations in hotels that feature thousands of rooms,
casinos, spas, and entertainment venues

Possesses exceptional corporate menu planning and catering management skills with a varied American fusion
style of cooking. Cooking Style: Southern contemporary, American Regional that includes Carolina low country,Cajun and creole, Arkansas Mississippi Delta,
Classic French, Classic Mexican

Very well versed currently in ala carte and wedding operations in Highly ranked travel and Leisure properties.

A Hands on chef de cuisine duties directs and performs the daily execution of all assigned kitchen food production and service execution .

Overview

29
years of professional experience
David O. Utley