James Baker
Allen Place
Atlantic,IA
12
years of professional experience
Dynamic Culinary Director with a proven track record in menu development, food safety management, and team leadership. Expertise in streamlining operations to enhance dining experiences and reduce waste.
Results-oriented Food Service Director with extensive experience in culinary operations. Skilled in menu innovation, vendor management, and maintaining high food safety standards. Committed to delivering exceptional dining experiences while optimizing operational efficiency.
Work History
Director of Culinary Services
1 Year 6 Months- Developed and implemented innovative menu options reflecting seasonal ingredients and dietary preferences.
- Streamlined kitchen operations, improving workflow efficiency and reducing food waste.
- Collaborated with staff to enhance culinary techniques and ensure consistent quality in food preparation.
- Managed vendor relationships to optimize supply chain processes for fresh produce and materials.
- Evaluated customer feedback to refine menu items and improve overall dining experience.
- Streamlined kitchen operations for increased efficiency and productivity through process improvements and strategic planning.
- Maintained rigorous food safety standards across all aspects of kitchen operations, ensuring regulatory compliance and reducing risk exposure.
- Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
Market Grill Food Service Worker
1 Year 1 Month- Prepared and served food items in compliance with health and safety regulations.
- Operated kitchen equipment efficiently to streamline food preparation processes.
- Assisted in inventory management, ensuring stock levels met operational needs.
- Maintained cleanliness of work areas, adhering to sanitation standards consistently.
- Maintained safety standards by properly handling food and adhering to sanitation guidelines.
- Greeted customers at counter to fulfill requests and answer questions.
- Operated cash register accurately, managing transactions efficiently while providing excellent customer service.
- Prepared and served various food and drink items to customer specifications in fast-paced environments.
- Made food according to standard recipes with requested changes for customer satisfaction.
- Developed and maintained positive relationships with customers to enhance service.
- Prevented food spoilage by monitoring dates, rotating stock, and following proper storage procedures.
- Developed rapport with customers, fostering loyalty, repeat business, and positive word-of-mouth referrals.
- Maintained accurate records of food temperatures to ensure safety standards were met.
Short Order Cook
1 Year 1 Month- Prepared and cooked menu items efficiently, ensuring high-quality food standards.
- Operated kitchen equipment and maintained cleanliness according to health regulations.
- Collaborated with team members to optimize workflow during peak service hours.
- Demonstrated flexibility in handling multiple orders simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail for each dish prepared.
- Handled high-pressure situations with grace, keeping up with fast-paced demand during peak hours while maintaining focus on accurate food preparation.
- Checked temperature of foods to guarantee doneness and prevent food-borne illnesses.
- Understood cooking techniques and fundamentals to maximize safe food handling.
- Worked in fast-paced environment with sense of urgency to serve guests quickly.
Food Service Director
8 Years 7 Months- Oversee daily operations of food services, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations.
- Develop and implement menus that meet nutritional standards and dietary needs of patients.
- Train and mentor staff on best practices for food preparation and service delivery.
- Collaborate with healthcare teams to enhance patient satisfaction through quality dining experiences.
- Managed budgets effectively, controlling costs through efficient inventory management and supplier negotiations.
- Foster a positive work environment, promoting teamwork and communication among staff members.
- Maintained high standards of cleanliness and sanitation, ensuring compliance with all health department regulations.
- Monitored food quality and freshness during all stages of preparation, storage, and service to ensure consistently excellent dining experiences for guests.
- Conducted regular performance evaluations for food service employees, promoting professional growth and development opportunities.
- Maintained sound financial footing by overseeing department profit, loss and budgeting.
- Collaborated with other departments to develop cross-functional partnerships that improved overall facility operations and efficiency.
- Oversaw food preparation and monitored safety protocols.
- Purchased food and cultivated strong vendor relationships.
- Maintained effective supply levels by monitoring and reordering food stock and dry goods.
- Analyzed sales data to identify trends and adjust purchasing decisions accordingly.
- Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
Education
Associate of Science - Commercial And Advertising Art
Skills
Sanitation standards
Food presentation
Culinary expertise
Allergen awareness
Menu development
Recipe creation
Cost control
Menu planning
Food trend awareness
Nutritional advice
Food safety management
Leadership trained
ServSafe manager
Foodservice management professional
Customer service
Problem-solving
Reliable and responsible
Attention to detail
Problem-solving abilities
Critical thinking
Customer satisfaction
Team leadership
Money handling
Calm and pleasant demeanor
Employee supervision
Team building
Supply ordering and management
Nutritional knowledge
Infection control
Health and safety regulations
Goal setting
Professionalism
Quality control
Employee performance evaluations
Continuous improvement
Quality assurance
Adaptability
Timeline
Director of Culinary Services
Allen Place
12.2024 - 06.2026Read More
Market Grill Food Service Worker
Hy Vee
11.2023 - 12.2024Read More
Short Order Cook
Westside Diner
11.2023 - 12.2024Read More
Food Service Director
Cass Health
08.2014 - 03.2023Read More
Iowa Lakes Community College
Associate of Science from Commercial And Advertising Art
Read More