Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Affiliations
Certification
Languages
Timeline
Generic

Donald B. Coleman

Porterville,CA

Summary

Ambitious Executive Chef with over 30 years of hands-on experience working in the food and hospitality industry. Excellent leadership and communication talents with the ability to manage a team of 175+ kitchen staff. Adept at menu creation and execution. Pre-opening experience.

Overview

14
14
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Senior Chef

Eagle Mountain Casino
02.2023 - Current
  • Enhanced customer satisfaction by creating innovative and delicious menu items tailored to diverse clientele.
  • Streamlined kitchen operations for increased efficiency through effective delegation and clear communication.
  • Developed a comprehensive inventory management system, reducing food waste and lowering overall costs.
  • Implemented high-quality standards in food preparation, presentation, and safety, resulting in consistently exceptional dining experiences.
  • Mentored junior chefs and provided constructive feedback, fostering talent development within the culinary team.
  • Collaborated with restaurant management to design successful promotions and special events that increased customer traffic.
  • Optimized kitchen workflow by implementing time-saving techniques and equipment upgrades that improved productivity.
  • Established strong relationships with vendors, negotiating favorable pricing on ingredients without sacrificing quality.
  • Maximized profitability by optimizing portion sizes based on cost analysis without jeopardizing taste or presentation.
  • Adapted menus regularly to accommodate dietary restrictions and preferences, ensuring a memorable dining experience for all guests.
  • Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance, and cleanliness of production and service areas.
  • Arranged for kitchen equipment maintenance and repair when needed.
  • Oversaw scheduling, inventory management, and supply ordering to maintain fully stocked kitchen.
  • Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
  • Obtained fresh, local ingredients to lower grocery costs.
  • Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews.
  • Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
  • Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.
  • Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability.
  • Monitored food production to verify quality and consistency.
  • Participated in food tastings and taste tests.
  • Developed close relationships with suppliers to source best ingredients.
  • Implemented successful cross-marketing strategies such as food and wine pairings.
  • Successfully prepared and opened 7 distinct kitchens for operations of 6 distinct venues, in addition to successfully operating multiple banquets both on and off site.

Chef De Cuisine

Westgate River Ranch
01.2022 - 11.2022
  • Created menus and designed corresponding recipes for River Ranch Cattle Company.
  • Scheduled and supervised all kitchen employees such as dishwashers and cooks.
  • Oversaw preparation of creatively-designed recipes for River Ranch Cattle Company.
  • Implemented successful cross-marketing strategies such as food and wine pairings.
  • Monitored line processes to maintain consistency in quality, quantity and presentation.
  • Hired, managed and trained kitchen staff.
  • Collaborated with vendors to source desired recipe ingredients while maintaining tight cost controls.
  • Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
  • Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
  • Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.
  • Verified compliance in preparation of menu items and customer special requests.
  • Mentored kitchen staff to prepare each for demanding roles.
  • Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action and performance reviews.
  • Arranged for kitchen equipment maintenance and repair when needed.
  • Enhanced guest satisfaction by creating innovative and visually appealing dishes using fresh, local ingredients.
  • Collaborated with front-of-house staff to ensure seamless service and exceptional dining experiences for all customers.

Chef De Cuisine

COPA Steakhouse, Sands Macao
09.2017 - 03.2020
  • Collaborated with purchasing department to arrange for vendors to source desired recipe ingredients including all main proteins such as A4 Kagoshima Wagyu, Snow aged Wagyu, Meat by Linz Dry aged beef, USDA Prime Beef, Heritage Berkshire Kurobuta Pork, White Stripe Australian lamb and many others.
  • Created menus and designed corresponding recipes for COPA Steakhouse.
  • Enhanced and maintained central standardized recipe and ingredient repository, including cost information
  • Obtained fresh ingredients from local farms, including organic vegetables and plate garnish produce, effectively slashing grocery costs by 3%.
  • Successfully wrote annual, bi-monthly promotions featuring specialty ingredients to include Alaskan Seafood, Wagyu Beef, Australian/Tasmanian Lamb, Organic Vegetables, French Duck & Quail
  • Enhanced guest satisfaction by creating innovative and visually appealing dishes using fresh, local ingredients.

Corporate Executive Chef & Director of Culinary

Big Stone F&B Management Co. Ltd.
10.2010 - 05.2017
  • Developed menus, controlled food costs and oversaw quality, sanitation and safety processes.
  • Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability.
  • Trained and managed Chinese kitchen personnel and supervised all related culinary activity to ensure authentic flavor profiles
  • Grew business from ground up, eventually increasing menu items by over 75%, reducing costs by 4%, and increasing profitability by 12%

Chef De Cuisine

RIVA Mediterranean Steakhouse, InterContinental Su
06.2015 - 03.2017
  • Collaborated with vendors to source desired products such as air flown live Norwegian scallops, Australian Beef, Mayura Station Full Blood Wagyu with M9 score, Grain Fed and Grass fed Beef, Live Air Flown Belon, Gillardeau, Fine de Claire, Kumamoto, and Marlborough Oysters, and Normandy Blue Lobsters, while maintaining tight cost controls.
  • Implemented successful cross-marketing strategies such as food and wine pairings.
  • Mentored more than 17 kitchen staff at all levels to prepare each for demanding roles.
  • Planned and implemented promotional menu additions based on specialty ingredients and product availability.
  • Supervised and enhanced work of 17-person team producing more than 400 plates per day.

Head Chef

Bubba Mac's Smokehouse BBQ
03.2014 - 06.2015
  • Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
  • Implemented successful cross-marketing strategies such as food and beverage pairings.
  • Successfully arranged outside catering systems and bulk food pickup menu for expat concentrated areas / businesses, seeing revenue increase of 25%.
  • Followed detailed smoking recipes for specific products and flavors.
  • Supervised machine functionality and evaluated product samples to validate machine settings, including temperature, flow and humidity.
  • Coordinated with Factory Manager (Butchery) to continually monitor quality of locally sourced and imported meats for use in restaurant including American pork ribs, Chinese pork rib eyes, Brazilian Chicken wings and breasts, and Australian Beef Brisket.

Executive Western Chef

Toscana Café
10.2010 - 03.2014
  • Trained and managed Chinese kitchen personnel and supervised all related culinary activity.
  • Redeveloped over 75% of menu and related recipes to provide more authentic experience at request of owner.
  • Mentored more than 12 kitchen staff at all levels to prepare each for demanding roles.
  • Evaluated and reworked food cost analysis and menu engineering to obtain accurate cost figures and eliminate unnecessary and unpopular menu items to streamline menu and reduce food cost by 6%

Education

Associate Specialized Technology - Culinary Arts

Pennsylvania Culinary
Pittsburgh, PA
07.1999

Skills

  • Ingredient selection
  • Seasonal, Holiday, Themed and à la carte menu planning
  • Grilling
  • Steakhouse cuisine
  • Cost reduction
  • Vendor relations
  • Food safety
  • Written & Verbal Communication Skills
  • Signature dish creation
  • Knowledge of specialty kitchen equipment

Accomplishments

  • Awarded That's PRD Magazine Best Of... in 2014 for Best BBQ.
  • Used Microsoft Excel to develop inventory and sales tracking spreadsheets, then used to monitor ordering quantities.
  • Named Sands China Ltd. "Golden Chef" in 2018, 2019, 2020
  • Resolved product issue through consumer testing.

Affiliations

Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism National Advisory Board

Macau University of Science & Technology

American Culinary Federation

Certification

Food Handler
Issuing authority: 360training

Issued date Jun 2020 Expires Jun 2023

Credential ID TX-FH-242767

Seller Training

Issuing authority: Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission

Issued date Jul 2020

Expires Jul 2022

Credential ID 8208396

NRAEI ServSafe Sanitation

Needs Renewed

Languages

English
Native or Bilingual
Chinese (Mandarin)
Limited Working

Timeline

Senior Chef

Eagle Mountain Casino
02.2023 - Current

Chef De Cuisine

Westgate River Ranch
01.2022 - 11.2022

Chef De Cuisine

COPA Steakhouse, Sands Macao
09.2017 - 03.2020

Chef De Cuisine

RIVA Mediterranean Steakhouse, InterContinental Su
06.2015 - 03.2017

Head Chef

Bubba Mac's Smokehouse BBQ
03.2014 - 06.2015

Corporate Executive Chef & Director of Culinary

Big Stone F&B Management Co. Ltd.
10.2010 - 05.2017

Executive Western Chef

Toscana Café
10.2010 - 03.2014

Associate Specialized Technology - Culinary Arts

Pennsylvania Culinary

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