Douglas Levy
Tucson,Arizona
Summary
Noted chef with forty-five years in foodservice, with an emphasis on seasonality of menus, food and wine pairing, staff training, mentoring and retention.
Participates in local events and fund-raisers to support the community, and has built relationships with guests and purveyors for forty-five years.
Overview
45
45
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Chef/Restaurant Owner
Feeding Frenzy Inc., DBA Feast Restaurant
05.2001 - Current
- Directed menu development, incorporating seasonal ingredients to enhance culinary offerings.
- Managed kitchen operations, ensuring consistency in food quality and presentation.
- Trained and mentored culinary staff, fostering skill development and teamwork.
- Implemented cost-control measures, optimizing ingredient usage without compromising quality.
- Changed menu monthly.
- Developed and curated award-winning wine list.
- Taught classes for amateur chefs.
- Collaborated with vendors to source high-quality ingredients at competitive prices.
- Established health and safety standards, maintaining compliance with local regulations.
- Oversaw inventory management, streamlining stock levels to reduce waste and improve efficiency.
- Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews.
- Maintained a safe and sanitary work environment, adhering to health department standards and regulations.
- Developed menus, controlled food costs and oversaw quality, sanitation, and safety processes.
- Oversaw business operations, inventory control, and customer service for restaurant.
- Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
- Inventoried food, ingredient, and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
- Worked with dietary restrictions of guests with special dietary issues to create personalized dishes.
- Oversaw mass production of food to donate to hospital workers, first responders and people in need of food assistance during and following the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Conducted regular evaluations of kitchen equipment and appliances, ensuring proper maintenance and timely replacement to maintain optimal operational efficiency.
- Developed strong relationships with vendors, negotiating competitive prices on ingredients and supplies.
- Created visually appealing plate presentations, enhancing the overall dining experience for patrons.
- Developed custom menus for clients with specific dietary restrictions or preferences, ensuring their utmost satisfaction during their dining experience.
- Streamlined kitchen operations with effective inventory management and cost controls.
- Collaborated with front-of-house staff to ensure seamless dining experiences for guests.
- Implemented staff training programs to improve culinary skills, teamwork, and overall productivity.
- Worked with local farms, wineries, brewers and distillers to create events highlighting local ingredients.
- Fostered a positive working environment among kitchen team members that encouraged collaboration, creativity, and open communication.
- Implemented special events promotions such as theme nights or cooking demonstrations to attract new clientele and boost sales revenues.
- Managed payroll, daily deposits, and cost controls.
- Supervised daily restaurant operations, ensuring smooth workflow and timely resolution of any issues that arose.
- Recruited, hired, and trained talented staff to fill vacancies.
- Streamlined back-of-house processes for improved kitchen efficiency, resulting in faster order preparation times without compromising quality standards.
Consultant Executive Chef
Lume
01.2000 - 05.2001
- Developed and implemented innovative menu concepts to enhance guest experience.
- Streamlined kitchen operations, improving efficiency and reducing waste.
- Trained and mentored culinary staff on advanced cooking techniques and safety standards.
- Collaborated with management to create cost-effective purchasing strategies for high-quality ingredients.
- Conducted regular quality control assessments to ensure compliance with health regulations.
- Established strong vendor relationships to optimize supply chain processes and ingredient sourcing.
- Implemented staff training programs to maintain consistency in dish preparation and presentation standards across the team.
- Enhanced dining experiences by designing innovative menus and incorporating seasonal ingredients.
- Optimized workflow efficiency among team members by reorganizing kitchen layout and delegation of tasks according to individual strengths.
Executive Chef
The Dish
01.1996 - 01.2000
- Directed kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality food preparation and presentation standards.
- Developed seasonal menus, incorporating local ingredients and culinary trends for diverse clientele.
- Trained and mentored culinary staff, fostering skill development and team collaboration.
- Implemented cost-control measures to optimize food waste management and enhance profitability.
Executive Chef
Ventana Grill
06.1995 - 02.1996
- Collaborated with vendors to source quality ingredients, negotiating favorable terms for the establishment.
- Maintained compliance with health and safety regulations, conducting regular inspections of kitchen facilities.
- Analyzed customer feedback to refine menu offerings and improve overall dining experience.
- Streamlined kitchen workflows, enhancing efficiency and reducing service times during peak hours.
Executive Chef
Boccata
06.1990 - 06.1995
- Increased customer satisfaction by creating innovative and diverse menus tailored to various dietary needs.
- Delivered excellent food quality and maximized customer satisfaction by preparing meals according to customer requests.
- Maximized profitability by effectively managing food costs through portion control and minimizing waste.
- Managed kitchen staff for efficient food production, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality dishes.
Education
Master of Arts - Organizational Management
12-1995
Master of Arts - Fine Arts
06-1989
Skills
- Food safety
- Menu planning
- Cost control
- Menu development
- Hospitality service expertise
- Strong work ethic
- Hiring, training, and development
- ServSafe certification
- Team leadership
- Inventory control
- Kitchen management
- Safe food handling
- Operations management
- Customer service
- Kitchen operations oversight
- Kitchen staff management
- Food prep planning
- Vendor relationship management
- Special events
- Catering and events
- Staff training
- Coaching and mentoring
- Creative thinking
- Food pairing
- Inventory management
- Banquets and catering
- Staff scheduling
- Dietary restrictions
- Food presentation
- Hygiene policy implementation
- Food plating and presentation
- Recipe creation
- Attention to detail
- Recipes and menu planning
- Fine dining
- Recruitment and onboarding
- Menu supervision
- Food service safety training
- Allergy awareness
- Forecasting and planning
- Order management
- Waste reduction
- Recipe development
- Fine-dining expertise
- Customer retention
- Sanitation standards
- Restaurant operations
- Purchasing management
- BOH operations
- Problem and complaint resolution
- Equipment maintenance
- Process improvements
- Plating and garnishing
- Food spoilage prevention
- Portion and cost control
- Food production
- Vendor sourcing
- Vendor relationships
- Quality control
- Project management
- Staff supervision and coordination
- Food preparing, plating, and presentation
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Full Professional
Italian
Professional Working
French
Limited Working
Timeline
Executive Chef/Restaurant Owner - Feeding Frenzy Inc., DBA Feast Restaurant
05.2001 - Current
Consultant Executive Chef - Lume
01.2000 - 05.2001
Executive Chef - The Dish
01.1996 - 01.2000
Executive Chef - Ventana Grill
06.1995 - 02.1996
Executive Chef - Boccata
06.1990 - 06.1995
University of Phoenix - Master of Arts, Organizational Management
University of Arizona - Master of Arts, Fine Arts