Hector Vega
Culinary Arts/ Pastry
Machesney Park,IL
Summary
Passionate and experienced Chef with a proven track record of achieving company goals through organized and consistent practices. Adept at working under pressure and adapting to new challenges, with extensive expertise in both Front of House (FOH) and Back of House (BOH) operations. Seeking a leadership role in a dynamic culinary environment where my skills in food preparation, team mentorship, and customer service can contribute to enhancing the organizational brand and delivering exceptional dining experiences.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
year of post-secondary education
2
2
Certificate
Work History
Sous Chef I
Bon Appetit Management
Northfield, MN
08.2024 - Current
- Managed food preparation tasks during high-volume service periods, ensuring all orders were executed in a timely manner without sacrificing quality or presentation standards.
- Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
- Ensured consistent quality control of all dishes leaving the kitchen, resulting in a reputation for excellence among patrons.
- Developed strong relationships with local vendors, securing fresh ingredients at competitive prices while supporting community businesses.
- Reduced staff turnover rates through effective communication skills, creating a supportive work atmosphere for all team members.
- Provided exceptional customer service when addressing guest concerns or special dietary requests, building loyalty among returning clientele.
- Participated in menu planning meetings, offering creative input that led to new signature dishes garnering rave reviews from guests.
- Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
- Fostered positive working environment, encouraging teamwork and open communication among staff.
- Managed inventory levels effectively, resulting in reduced food waste and cost savings for the establishment.
Sous Chef
Bon Appetit Management
Terre Haute, IN
01.2023 - 07.2024
- Managed food preparation tasks during high-volume service periods, ensuring all orders were executed in a timely manner without sacrificing quality or presentation standards.
- Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
- Mentored junior kitchen staff, fostering a collaborative work environment that improved overall team performance.
- Implemented proper cleaning procedures, ensuring a safe and sanitary kitchen workspace compliant with health department regulations.
- Maintained open lines of communication with front-of-house management teams to address any potential issues before they escalated into larger problems affecting overall guest satisfaction levels.
Dining Service Manager
Peterson Meadows
Rockford, IL
01.2022 - Current
- Greeted guests, sat at tables and brought orders to assist front of house staff.
- Implemented training program for front of house staff to maintain high standards of customer service.
- Led planning, set up and takedown for special events.
- Handled escalated customer concerns with speed and knowledgeable support to achieve optimal satisfaction and maintain long-term loyalty.
- Maintained kitchen cleanliness and sanitation through correct procedures and scheduled cleaning of surfaces and equipment.
- Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
Executive Sous Chef
Irish Rose
Rockford, IL
03.2020 - 12.2021
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Oversaw business operations, inventory control and customer service for restaurant.
- Verified compliance in preparation of menu items and customer special requests.
- Established and updated staff schedules and assignments to optimize coverage.
- Plated every dish with attractive flair to meet strict restaurant standards and maintain stellar business reputation.
- Delivered excellent food quality and maximized customer satisfaction by preparing meals according to customer requests.
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination.
- Inventoried food, ingredient and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
Chef De Partie
Proof
Des Moines, Iowa
01.2020 - 03.2020
- Collaborated with vendors and suppliers to obtain quality recipe ingredients while adhering to company budgets.
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
- Produced innovative menu offerings to promote company awareness and customer satisfaction.
- Aligned seasonal promotions with ingredient availability to maximize profits.
- Operated all kitchen equipment safely to prevent injuries.
- Prepared items for roasting, sautéing, frying and baking.
- Obtained fresh, local ingredients to improve dish flavors and limit grocery costs.
- Plated meals paying special attention to garnishes and overall presentation.
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent.
- Sliced fruit and vegetables for salads, entrees and desserts and stored in crisper.
- Worked closely with head chef to create seven course menu for second Saturday
Prep Cook/ Event Staff
The Tangerine Food Company
Des Moines, Iowa
03.2018 - 01.2020
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Contributed to consistent customer satisfaction rating by producing high-quality food and providing timely service.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Trained and assisted new kitchen staff members.
- Collaborated with servers to collect information about specific customer desires and dietary needs.
- Maintained food safety and sanitation standards.
- Measured, weighed and mixed appropriate ingredients according to recipe directions.
- Operated dishwasher and manually washed dishes to clean all chinaware, silverware and cooking utensils.
DishWasher
The Cafe
Ames, IA
04.2017 - 03.2018
- Works efficiently with a team
- Performs tasks in a fast paced environment
- Communicates clearly with others
- Stepped into additional roles during busy times to boost coverage of important stations.
- Helped team meet expected demands by restocking work areas throughout restaurant such as server stations, salad bars and supply cupboards.
- Efficiently loaded and unloaded dishwashers, cleaning by hand large pots and kitchen items used often by staff.
- Gently moved glassware, crystal and other delicate items to prevent breakage.
- Assisted with kitchen prep work to help operations run smoothly and meet customer needs.
- Boosted team efficiency by keeping kitchen areas organized, clean and properly sanitized.
West Street Deli
Ames, Iowa
09.2016 - 04.2017
- Assisted customers in choosing menu items by providing food complementing information.
- Interpreted food order slips per shift to prepare food according to customer orders.
- Identified price of goods and calculated bills with optical price scanners, calculators and cash registers.
- Shared information with customers about menu items, preparation methods and ingredients.
- Met sales targets by encouraging customers to buy extra food items such as drinks, desserts and sides.
- Organized freezers, refrigerators and storage rooms by receiving, recording and moving food and beverage supplies and products.
- Observed customer purchases in line and differentiated between standard portions.
- Backed up servers by setting up trays and completing some food deliveries.
- Kept kitchen, counter and dining areas cleaned and sanitized.
- Kept drawer balanced by accurately processing cash, credit and debit payments.
- Replenished serving stations with fresh food and cleaned up spills.
- Checked on dining areas frequently to clean up spills, wipe down tables and restock stations.
- Maintained effective supply levels by monitoring and reordering food stock and dry goods.
- Prepared salads, soups and sandwiches for customers.
- Documented customer orders and conveyed special requests to kitchen staff.
- Brewed coffee and tea and changed out drink station syrups.
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Culinary Arts
Des Moines Area Community College
Ankeny, IA 05.2018 - 05.2019
Skills
Catering understanding
Certification
Food Safet and Sanitation
Languages
English
Full Professional
Spanish
Professional Working
Software
Microsoft Word
Excell
Power Point
Timeline
Sous Chef I
Bon Appetit Management
08.2024 - Current
Sous Chef
Bon Appetit Management
01.2023 - 07.2024
Dining Service Manager
Peterson Meadows
01.2022 - Current
Executive Sous Chef
Irish Rose
03.2020 - 12.2021
Chef De Partie
Proof
01.2020 - 03.2020
Associate of Applied Science - Culinary Arts
Des Moines Area Community College
05.2018 - 05.2019
Prep Cook/ Event Staff
The Tangerine Food Company
03.2018 - 01.2020
DishWasher
The Cafe
04.2017 - 03.2018
West Street Deli
09.2016 - 04.2017
Food Safet and Sanitation
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