Enrique Acuña
Las Vegas
Summary
Dynamic Executive Chef with a proven track record at TAP Restaurant & Bar, excelling in team leadership and food safety compliance. Successfully reduced food costs from 45% to 22% while enhancing menu offerings. Fluent in Spanish, I leverage advanced computer skills to streamline operations and drive culinary innovation.
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Chef
TAP Restaurant & Bar at Excalibur Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas
02.2025 - Current
- Responsible for day-to-day operations
- Promotion via social media to maximize brand identity
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain restaurant social media pages with up-to-date product specifications and availability.
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
- Train, mentor, and coach
- Food Cost, control, ordering, forecasting
- Labour control and demands
Executive Chef
The Signature at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas
12.2023 - 02.2025
- Responsible for day-to-day operations
- Promotion via social media to maximize brand identity
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain restaurant social media pages with up-to-date product specifications and availability.
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
- Train, mentor, and coach
- Food Cost, control, ordering, forecasting
- Labour control and demands
- Menu engineering
Executive Chef Tournant
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas
05.2023 - 12.2023
- Company Overview: Classical Italian restaurant with American/Italian inspired cuisine
- Assist outlets in the absence of their Executive Chef/work closely with Executive Chef and Assistant Executive Chef to maximize BOH productivity.
- Responsible for day-to-day operations
- Promotion via social media to maximize brand identity
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain restaurant social media pages with up-to-date product specifications and availability.
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
- Train, mentor, and coach
Executive Chef
Ambra Italian Restaurant, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas
12.2022 - 05.2023
- Company Overview: Classical Italian restaurant with American/Italian inspired cuisine
- Tasked with growing the business and entrusted with the day-to-day operations in the BOH. Duties: working side by side with General Manager to train and educate to execute menu properly. Meet with vendors to discuss availability of seasonal products as well as maintain and improve cost of goods. Maintain and develop relationships with Large Party Team to improve business by booking buy outs. Administer and execute Serv Safe food safety protocols to ensure the safety of our customers. Maintain all vendor accounts and develop relationships with, to provide the best available quality to our guests.
- Responsible for day-to-day operations
- Promotion via social media to maximize brand identity
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain restaurant social media pages with up-to-date product specifications and availability.
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
- Train, mentor, and coach
Executive Chef
Nine Fine Irishmen, NYNY Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas
11.2021 - 12.2022
- Company Overview: Irish Pub themed restaurant showcasing traditional Irish cuisine along with European and American inspired cuisine
- Tasked with growing the business and entrusted with the day-to-day operations in the BOH. Duties: working side by side with General Manager to train and educate to execute menu properly. Meet with vendors to discuss availability of seasonal products as well as maintain and improve cost of goods. Maintain and develop relationships with Large Party Team to improve business by booking buy outs. Administer and execute Serv Safe food safety protocols to ensure the safety of our customers. Maintain all vendor accounts and develop relationships with, to provide the best available quality to our guests.
- Responsible for day-to-day operations
- Promotion via social media to maximize brand identity
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain restaurant social media pages with up-to-date product specifications and availability.
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
- Train, mentor, and coach
Executive Chef
Hecho En Vegas, MGM Grand
Las Vegas
08.2019 - 11.2021
- Company Overview: Mexican restaurant & cantina located inside the MGM Grand Casino. Specializing the eclectic cuisine of the 31 states of Mexico
- Tasked with growing the business and entrusted with the day-to-day operations in the BOH. Duties: working side by side with General Manager to train and educate to execute menu properly. Meet with vendors to discuss availability of seasonal products as well as maintain and improve cost of goods. Maintain and develop relationships with Large Party Team to improve business by booking buy outs. Administer and execute Serv Safe food safety protocols to ensure the safety of our customers. Maintain all vendor accounts and develop relationships with, to provide the best available quality to our guests.
- Responsible for day-to-day operations
- Promotion via social media to maximize brand identity
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Maintain restaurant social media pages with up-to-date product specifications and availability.
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
Executive Chef
Cabana Grill, MGM Grand Pool Complex
Las Vegas
03.2019 - 08.2019
- Company Overview: Cabana Grill is a 7-acre pool complex. Food options include an 80-seat al fresco restaurant, walk-up window, cabanas, day beds and lounge chairs.
- Tasked with growing the business and entrusted with the day-to-day operations in the BOH. Duties include working side by side with General Manager and assistant managers to train and educate to execute menu properly. Provide food products to 7 acres through various outlets around the property. Meet with vendors to discuss availability of seasonal products as well as maintain and improve cost of goods. Maintain and develop relationships with receiving team, vendors, and higher management to secure food products for a high scale operation. Administer and execute Serv Safe food safety protocols to ensure the safety of our customers. Maintain all vendor accounts and develop relationships with, to provide the best available quality to our guests.
- Partnering with Ideal Foods to provide RTE foods.
- Maintain files and detailed administrative records.
- Manage monthly COGS, labor, and training.
- Provide support for Spanish speaking employees.
- Spearheaded seafood program which included shrimp and fish.
- Analyze beef pricing for tacos, nachos, and other applications.
- Stay up to date on current menu trends and culinary innovations.
Executive-Sous Chef
FiAMMA Italian Kitchen, MGM Grand
Las Vegas
02.2018 - 03.2019
- Company Overview: 300-seat restaurant located inside the MGM Grand serving regional Italian cuisine with a focus on Northern Italy.
- Tasked with developing Assistant Chefs and hourly BOH. Aid Chefs with ordering, training, and administering discipline. Meet with vendors to discuss availability of seasonal products as well as maintain and improve cost of goods. Maintain and develop relationships with vendors to secure products for outlet. Administer and execute Serv Safe food safety protocols to ensure the safety of our customers. Maintain all vendor accounts and develop relationships with, to provide the best available quality to our guests.
- Maintain files and detailed administrative records.
- Manage monthly COGS, labor, and training.
- Provide support for Spanish speaking employees.
- Spearheaded annual training program for BOH.
- Analyze and cross train employees according to union bargaining agreement.
- Stay up to date on current menu trends and culinary innovations.
Assistant Chef
FiAMMA Italian Kitchen, MGM Grand
Las Vegas
04.2015 - 03.2018
- Company Overview: 300-seat restaurant located inside the MGM Grand serving regional Italian cuisine with a focus on Northern Italy.
- Conduct research to test new recipes (i.e., shelf-life studies, taste panels, microbial testing). Develop creative food concepts and daily specials that are marketed to in-house groups. Collaborate with marketing/large group reservations team to develop new signage for flyers and updates to our website and book buy-out events.
- Successfully implemented cross training of hourly BOH staff.
- Worked closely and monitored AM prep crew and guided them to be more efficient.
- Translated and updated recipes in Spanish to adjudicate Am Crew.
- Trained staff on evacuation plan, serv-safe protocols, and companies annual training
Executive Chef
South Coast Winery
Santa Ana
02.2007 - 12.2010
- Company Overview: Sister Winery themed restaurant to SCW in Temecula, CA
- Tasked with growing the business and entrusted with the day-to-day operations in the BOH. Duties include working side by side with General Manager and Assistant Managers to train, educate and execute menu properly. Meet with vendors to discuss availability of seasonal products as well as maintain and improve cost of goods. Maintain and develop relationships with vendors. Administer and execute Serv Safe food safety protocols to ensure the safety of our customers. Maintain all vendor accounts and develop relationships with, to provide the best available quality to our guests.
- Maintain files and administrative records.
- Manage maintenance of building.
- Resolve customer complaints.
- Engineer menu to match demographic.
- Resolved COGS/FC issue from 45% →22%
- Research and procure unique ingredients.
- Received 17/20 on Gayot.
- Publications in OC Register, LA Times
Education
Associates of Arts - Culinary Management
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
Pasadena, CA06.2003
Skills
- Fluent in Spanish
- Advanced computer skills
- Spreadsheet management
- Bookkeeping and payroll
- Records management
- Event planning
- Inventory control
- Expense reduction
- Team leadership
- Staff training and development
- Food safety compliance
- Problem solving
- Verbal and written communication
OTHER RELEVANT EXPERIENCE
- CULINARY INSTRUCTOR| ART INSTITUTES OF CA-IE, SAN BERNARDINO CA | APRIL 2010-APRIL 2015
- CHEF DE CUISINE | ALINEA, CHICAGO, ILL | NOVEMBER 2011-NOVEMBER 2012
- CHEF DE CUISINE | LEONESS CELLARS | JUNE 2011-AUGUST 2012
- SOUS CHEF | SCOTTS RESTAURANT AND BAR | OCTOBER 2006-FEBRUARY 2007
- CHEF DE PARTIE | STRAIGHT WHARF RESTAURANT | APRIL 2006-OCTOBER 2006 (SEASONAL)
- CHEF DE CUISINE|SOBOBA SPRINGS CC | FEBRUARY 2004-APRIL 2006
Certification
- Manager Serv Safe Certified
Languages
English
Professional
Spanish
Professional
Italian
Elementary
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Executive Chef
TAP Restaurant & Bar at Excalibur Hotel & Casino
02.2025 - Current
Executive Chef
The Signature at MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
12.2023 - 02.2025
Executive Chef Tournant
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
05.2023 - 12.2023
Executive Chef
Ambra Italian Restaurant, MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
12.2022 - 05.2023
Executive Chef
Nine Fine Irishmen, NYNY Hotel & Casino
11.2021 - 12.2022
Executive Chef
Hecho En Vegas, MGM Grand
08.2019 - 11.2021
Executive Chef
Cabana Grill, MGM Grand Pool Complex
03.2019 - 08.2019
Executive-Sous Chef
FiAMMA Italian Kitchen, MGM Grand
02.2018 - 03.2019
Assistant Chef
FiAMMA Italian Kitchen, MGM Grand
04.2015 - 03.2018
Executive Chef
South Coast Winery
02.2007 - 12.2010
Associates of Arts - Culinary Management
Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts
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