Hakan Hendekli
Buford,GA
Summary
An innovative and energetic leader, skilled communicator/ team builder. Recognized for ability to identify problem areas and growth opportunities.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
4
4
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Director of Rooms
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
1 2022 - Current
- Provided training and oversight for large temporary workforce, implementing standardized professional development opportunities and thoughtful leadership protocol to maximize productivity and employee satisfaction.
- Developed strong relationships with vendors to ensure timely delivery of supplies and services at the best possible rates.
- Enhanced team productivity through regular training, performance evaluations, and targeted coaching.
- Managed budgets effectively, optimizing resource allocation and cost control measures.
- Inspected rooms for damages and sufficient housekeeping practices.
- Oversaw day-to-day operations of 300room hotel with staff of 55 employees.
Director of Front Office
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
01.2016 - 01.2022
- Monitored and assessed service and satisfaction trends, evaluated and addressed issues and made improvements accordingly.
- Enhanced guest experience through exceptional communication and problem-solving skills.
- Participated in strategic planning sessions to align front office goals with overall hotel objectives.
- Developed front-office programs that boosted morale and encouraged team to deliver exceptional service and cost control.
- Coordinated closely with housekeeping teams to ensure timely room turnover upon guest departure or arrival.
- Oversaw financial management for the front office, including budgeting, forecasting, and expense tracking.
- Updated reports, managed accounts, and generated reports for company database.
- Streamlined front office operations by implementing efficient systems and processes.
- Oversaw 22 employees
Front Office Manager
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
01.2011 - 01.2016
- Responsible for the operation of the front office departments to include Guest services, Concierge, Bellman and Shuttle Service
- Coached and counseled employees to ensure adherences to hotel policies, standards and procedures
- Prepared the weekly schedule, handled all customer concerns in a pleasant and professional manner
- Consistently achieved budgeted financial goals while maintaining consistent service standards
- Initiated an upgrade incentive program for front desk associates to increase revenue
- Planned and coordinated hotel housing activities by working closely with Sales, Catering, Housekeeping and other departments.
Housekeeping Manager
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
01.2012 - 01.2014
- Directed housekeeping program to ensure clean, orderly, and attractive conditions of 276 room establishment while guarantying that work was done in a productive manner
- Inspected and evaluated physical situation of establishment, and organized details for property maintenance including but not limited to painting, furnishings, repairs, and space reallocation
- Organized and directed departmental teaching programs, resolved staff problems, and evaluated employee performance and work relationship
- Liaised with relevant department heads to ensure that the guests expectations were consistently met and where possible exceeded
- Coordinated, scheduled, and supervised the activities of 30+ staff.
- Managed team productivity and workflow to exceed quality standards.
- Trained and mentored all new personnel to maximize quality of service and performance.
Banquet Chef
01.2010 - 01.2011
- Design and price menus while watching the cost, preparing requisitions, execute hot items for groups ranging from 20 – 1000 people both in plated and buffet functions
- Assist executive chef overseeing breakfast lunch and dinner venues
- Hiring, training and positioning of employees in different food outlets
- Directly managing garde mange
- Responsible from training and managing of 15 cooks and 2 sous chefs
- Creating menus and executing cooking demos for guests, vip site visits and 5 course chef and wine maker dinners
- Ordering maintaining inventory and labor
- Meeting with the guest and the sales managers to create custom menus.
Versailles Sous Chef
01.2008 - 01.2010
- Creating a la carte and buffet menus for the restaurant with covers of 150 to 180 on weekends
- Expediting in the restaurant
- Creating specials to increase guest satisfaction and driving revenue
- Ordering, maintaining inventory and labor.
Winery Supervisor
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Assisting Winery Chef on daily duties
- Organizing both restaurants and the pub for daily service
- Help prep and work on the line as well as helping the banquets at the winery
- Help ordering for the 3 outlets and plus banquet events.
Le clos Chef
01.2007 - 01.2007
- Creating 5 course French fine dining menus every weekend
- 30ppl seating capacity restaurant working the line alone making everything from the 1st to the 5th course per guest
- Ordering for the restaurant
- Making stocks, sauces, desserts for the service.
Versailles Intern Cook
01.2006 - 01.2007
Banquet Intern / Captain
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Setting up the room for the event
- Timing the event in coordination with the kitchen
- Assigning the servers on the floor
- Coordinating the service
- Making sure the event is flawless
- Billing.
Asst. F&B Manager
Gunes Hotel
01.2003 - 01.2004
- Budgeting, Inventory, scheduling
- Assisting the F&B manager on daily duties
- Managing 2 restaurant managers and 12 servers.
Kitchen intern
Gunes Hotel
01.2003 - 01.2003
- Received an extensive training of all the departments within the kitchen.
Purchasing Asst. Manager
Gunes Hotel
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Finding the best prices through detailed research of purveyors
- Going to the farmers market for daily fresh ingredients for the kitchen
- Calculating and reporting the monthly inventory of F&B.
PR Intern
Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
01.1998 - 01.1998
- Help write press releases
- Learn to arrange photo shoots
- Establish connection with local media sources
- Learn to create and maintain the hotels image.
Education
B.S. in Hospitality Management -
Johnson & Wales University
Providence, RI 03.2001 - 05.2002
Swiss Higher Diploma in Hotel Management -
University Center Ritz
Brig, Switzerland 01.1999 - 12.2000
IT Technology in Tourism Major -
Bilkent University
Ankara, Turkey 08.1997 - 05.1998
Skills
Guest satisfaction
Housekeeping
Performance Analysis
Staff Development
Guest satisfaction
Languages
English
Turkish
Timeline
Director of Front Office
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
01.2016 - 01.2022
Housekeeping Manager
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
01.2012 - 01.2014
Front Office Manager
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
01.2011 - 01.2016
Banquet Chef
01.2010 - 01.2011
Versailles Sous Chef
01.2008 - 01.2010
Winery Supervisor
01.2007 - 01.2008
Le clos Chef
01.2007 - 01.2007
Versailles Intern Cook
01.2006 - 01.2007
Banquet Intern / Captain
01.2004 - 01.2006
Asst. F&B Manager
Gunes Hotel
01.2003 - 01.2004
Kitchen intern
Gunes Hotel
01.2003 - 01.2003
Purchasing Asst. Manager
Gunes Hotel
01.2002 - 01.2003
B.S. in Hospitality Management -
Johnson & Wales University
03.2001 - 05.2002
Swiss Higher Diploma in Hotel Management -
University Center Ritz
01.1999 - 12.2000
PR Intern
Ciragan Palace Kempinski Istanbul
01.1998 - 01.1998
IT Technology in Tourism Major -
Bilkent University
08.1997 - 05.1998
Director of Rooms
Chateau Elan Winery and Resort
1 2022 - Current
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