Jim Richter
Springfield,MA
Summary
#readytowork
Knowledgeable [Desired Position] bringing leadership and culinary expertise to elevate kitchen operations. Successfully managed high-volume service, ensuring quality and consistency in every dish. Demonstrated proficiency in menu planning and team training.
Professional culinary leader prepared for this role with solid background in high-pressure kitchen environments. Known for exceptional skills in meal preparation, menu planning, and maintaining kitchen efficiency. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results, adapting seamlessly to changing needs. Renowned for reliability, culinary creativity, and rigorous adherence to food safety standards.
Motivated kitchen leader offering dedicated experience in food preparation. High standards for taste and quality with expertise maintaining profitable margins. Superior communication and leadership skills.
Accomplished Meat Cook knowledgeable about modern techniques and bringing up-to-date knowledge of grilling, roasting and broiling meat. Experienced in the preparation of diverse foods.
Flexible Cook willing to work weekends, holidays and evenings. Comfortable working in fast-paced environments in team setting. Background in maintaining kitchen sanitation, preparing basic components of dishes and working within team of cooks.
Overview
31
31
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Lead Line Cook / Sous Chef
The Local Table N Tap
2039 Boston RD. Wilbraham MA 01095
09.2023 - 08.2024
- Supervised kitchen staff to ensure compliance with food safety standards
- Developed and executed seasonal menu items, enhancing customer satisfaction
- Managed inventory levels, reducing waste through effective stock rotation
- Followed restaurant stock management schedule to monitor product freshness and rotate out old products.
- Trained junior cooks on proper cooking techniques, safety protocols, and kitchen etiquette, promoting a positive work environment.
- Prepared ingredients ahead of time to promote efficiency in dish garnishing.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail, and quality.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Assisted with catering events, showcasing the restaurant''s culinary expertise and dedication to customer satisfaction.
- Grilled meats and seafood to customer specifications.
- Prepared multiple orders simultaneously during peak periods with high accuracy rate, maximizing customer satisfaction, and repeat business.
- Prepared food items such as meats, poultry, and fish for frying purposes.
- Unloaded food supplies from distributor trucks to efficiently organize inventory.
Kitchen Manager
Christopher's Tavern
360 Cooley St. Springfield MA 01128
04.2021 - 09.2023
- Collaborated with suppliers to maintain quality ingredients and negotiate pricing.
- Analyzed kitchen operations, identifying areas for cost reduction and efficiency improvement.
- Checked and tested foods to verify quality and temperature.
- Collaborated with front-of-house staff to ensure seamless communication between the kitchen team and service areas for optimal guest experiences.
- Achieved rapid ticket times during peak service hours by effectively managing workflow distribution across various stations.
- Designed and maintained menus to offer variety of high quality and consistency of dishes.
- Fostered a collaborative working environment among diverse teams of chefs, line cooks, prep cooks, dishwashers, and other support staff.
- Developed creative daily specials using seasonal ingredients, incorporating fresh flavors into the menu rotation while minimizing costs associated with excess inventory stockpiling.
- Reduced food waste significantly, carefully managing inventory and implementing sustainability practices.
- Resolved conflicts within kitchen team promptly, maintaining positive and productive work environment.
- Trained staff on proper cooking procedures as well as safety regulations and productivity strategies.
- Managed staff schedules and maintained adequate coverage for all shifts.
Kitchen Manager
Krazy Jakes
2537 Boston Rd Wilbraham Ma 01095
02.2020 - 11.2020
- Supervised kitchen staff, ensuring adherence to food safety and sanitation standards.
- Developed and implemented efficient kitchen workflows to enhance productivity.
- Trained new employees on culinary techniques and operational procedures.
- Conducted regular training sessions to improve team performance and service delivery.
- Streamlined menu offerings based on customer feedback and seasonal availability.
- Managed inventory levels, reducing waste through effective stock rotation practices.
- Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
- Maintained a clean and safe work environment, adhering to all health department regulations and guidelines.
- Conducted daily checks of refrigerators and freezers to verify proper food storage, container labeling, and surface cleaning.
- Mentored and trained new team members, fostering a positive culture of teamwork and collaboration within the kitchen staff.
- Delegated food preparation duties down to cooks and followed up with cooks to verify proper preparation and production of meals.
Chef
Russos Lakeside Seafood & 702 EiverSteakhouse
702 River St Palmer MA. 01069
09.2018 - 02.2020
- Prepared diverse menu items while adhering to food safety and sanitation guidelines.
- Collaborated with kitchen staff to ensure efficient meal service during peak hours.
- Developed new recipes that enhanced menu variety and guest satisfaction.
- Assisted in inventory management, tracking stock levels to minimize waste.
Sous Chef
Come E Cala-Te
Ludlow, MA
05.2018 - 09.2018
- Communicated efficiently with other restaurant staff to ensure a smooth and quality experience for all patrons.
- Created dishes to meet the needs of guests with particular tastes or unique allergies.
- Cooking Portuguese food
- Worked oven and char grill stations
- Assisted head chef in proper waste and portioning control
- Run the kitchen when head chef was not there
Line Cook
Bentley's Bistro
East Longmeadow, MA
05.2015 - 05.2018
- Directed food deliveries.
- Created cleaning rotation schedule to keep kitchen and dining areas healthy.
- Interacted with customers on a daily basis with excellent communication skills.
- Worked all 4 stations (salad, fry, flat and char grill, and saute)
- Put away food orders
- Made house made soup and pan sauces
- Waste and portioning control
Line Cook
Uno Pizzeria & Grill
Springfield, MA
11.2014 - 05.2015
- Worked sauté and char grill
- Prepare food items consistently and in compliance with company recipes, portioning, waste control
- Prepared dough and mixes ahead of time to make the following day more productive.
Cook
Applebee's Grill + Bar
Chicopee, MA
10.2012 - 11.2014
- Directed food deliveries.
- Met with upper management 4 times per month to discuss changes in processes.
- Worked on char grill and fry stations
- Put away food orders
- Prepared food items consistently and in compliance with company recipes, portioning, waste control
Line Cook
99 Restaurants
Chicopee, MA
08.2007 - 08.2012
- Worked all 3 stations char grill, oven, and fry stations
- Prepared food items consistently and in compliance with recipes, portioning, cooking, and waste control guidelines
- Provided courteous and informative customer service in a open kitchen format
- Ran kitchen when kitchen manager was not there
Line Cook
Ruby Tuesday
Springfield, MA
03.2004 - 08.2007
- Worked both stations flat top grill and pantry (fry and cold side )
- Prepared food items consistently and in compliance with recipes portioning, cooking and waste control guidelines
- Met with upper management 4 times per month to discuss changes in processes.
- Verified proper portion size and consistently attainting a high food quality standards
Driver / Insider
Domino's Pizza
Springfield, MA
07.2002 - 03.2004
- Accepted and processed customer payments in cash, and credit cards checking for validity.
- Acknowledged customer issues and resolved their problems quickly and efficiently.
- Greeted customers and offered them assistance where possible.
- Informed customers about current promotions and sales, encouraging them to take advantage.
- Made pizza orders, also made pizza deliveries team trainer, shift runner
- Had the keys to the restaurant for open and closing procures and also made night deposit to the bank
- Was in manager in training program
Chef
Orchards Golf Club
South Hadley, MA
05.2001 - 11.2002
- Collaborated with food and beverage manager to create delicious and inviting seasonal menus.
- Communicated efficiently with other restaurant staff to ensure a smooth and quality experience for all patrons.
- Created dishes to meet the needs of guests with particular tastes or unique allergies.
- Maintained the correct level of daily inventory for the needs of the menu and reservation expectations.
- Managed kitchen staff by recruiting, selecting, hiring, orienting, training.
- Assigning, scheduling, and enforcing discipline when necessary also did banquet work for the members of the golf club
- Called in food order and check in and put away food order
Line Cook
Ruby Tuesday
Springfield, MA
10.2001 - 06.2002
- Worked the char grill and pantry (fry and cold ) station
- Became a Char grill trainer
- Follower proper food handling methods and maintained correct temperatures of all food product
Line Chef
Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
Springfield, MA
06.1997 - 08.2001
- Cut steaks needed foe the week (NY sirloin and tenderloin )
- Made soups (onion and clam chowder )
- Made nightly specials
- Communicated efficiently with other restaurant staff to ensure a smooth and quality experience for all patrons.
- Created dishes to meet the needs of guests with particular tastes or unique allergies.
- Maintained the correct level of daily inventory for the needs of the menu and reservation expectations.
- Took inventory and ordered produce for fresh meals each day.
Line Chef
Springfield Marriott
Springfield, MA
12.1994 - 06.1997
- Communicated efficiently with other restaurant staff to ensure a smooth and quality experience for all patrons.
- Created dishes to meet the needs of guests with particular tastes or unique allergies.
- Maintained the correct level of daily inventory for the needs of the menu and reservation expectations.
- Created cleaning rotation schedule to keep kitchen and dining areas healthy.
- Established a program to help kitchen staff and counter attendants work more cooperatively.
- Took inventory and ordered produce for fresh meals each day
- Hand cut steaks (NY Sirloin and Tenderloin)
- Made soups (onion and Clam Chowder)
- Opened oysters
Cook
Breakfast Shift
Daytona Beach, FL
01.1994 - 11.1994
- Acknowledged customer issues and resolved their problems quickly and efficiently.
- Evaluated the customers' needs and provided service options to meet their requirements.
- Established a program to help kitchen staff and counter attendants work more cooperatively.
- Improved food service by evaluating processes and implementing new ideas.
- Interacted with customers on a daily basis with excellent communication skills.
Line Cook
Grave Yard Shift
Daytona Beach, FL
09.1993 - 07.1994
- Effectively communicated with other employees and upper management to ensure complete care of customers.
- Greeted customers and offered them assistance where possible.
- Created cleaning rotation schedule to keep kitchen and dining areas healthy.
- Established a program to help kitchen staff and counter attendants work more cooperatively.
- Interacted with customers on a daily basis with excellent communication skills.
- Communicated efficiently with other restaurant staff to ensure a smooth and quality experience for all patrons.
- Maintained the correct level of daily inventory for the needs of the menu
Education
High school or equivalent -
Skills
- Line cook
- Management Experience
- Restaurant Experience
- Management
- Cooking
- Food handling
- Menu planning
- Supervising Experience
- Chef
- Team Player
- Leadership
- Customer service
- Food Production
- Banquet Experience
- Food industry
- Kitchen Experience
- Cooking Experience
- Shift management
- Food safety
- Kitchen Management Experience
- Food Preparation
- English
- Pricing
- Knife skills
- Training
- Catering
- Restaurant Management
- SEM
- POS
- Kitchen
- Food service management
- Culinary Experience
- Food preparation
- Inventory (10 years)
- Food safety knowledge
- Food assembly
- Grilling techniques
- Cooking techniques
- Quality control
- Training management
- Kitchen organization
- Menu development
- Food presentation
- Safe food handling
- Inventory control
- Food cost analysis
- Cost reduction
- Ingredient preparation
- Portion control
- Work delegation
- Sauce preparation
- Allergen awareness
- Staff coordination
- Ordering and stocking
- Highly motivated
- Food safety standards
- Reliable and trustworthy
- Problem-solving
- Professional attitude
- Attention to detail
- Stock rotation
- Crew training
- Meat cutting
- Inventory management
- Food allergen safety
- Deep fryer operation
- Portion management
- Order accuracy
Certification
- Food handler
- February 2021 to February 2024
- Massachusetts version food handler safety course
- Driver's license
- Food Handler Certification
Timeline
Lead Line Cook / Sous Chef
The Local Table N Tap
09.2023 - 08.2024
Kitchen Manager
Christopher's Tavern
04.2021 - 09.2023
Kitchen Manager
Krazy Jakes
02.2020 - 11.2020
Chef
Russos Lakeside Seafood & 702 EiverSteakhouse
09.2018 - 02.2020
Sous Chef
Come E Cala-Te
05.2018 - 09.2018
Line Cook
Bentley's Bistro
05.2015 - 05.2018
Line Cook
Uno Pizzeria & Grill
11.2014 - 05.2015
Cook
Applebee's Grill + Bar
10.2012 - 11.2014
Line Cook
99 Restaurants
08.2007 - 08.2012
Line Cook
Ruby Tuesday
03.2004 - 08.2007
Driver / Insider
Domino's Pizza
07.2002 - 03.2004
Line Cook
Ruby Tuesday
10.2001 - 06.2002
Chef
Orchards Golf Club
05.2001 - 11.2002
Line Chef
Sheraton Springfield Monarch Place Hotel
06.1997 - 08.2001
Line Chef
Springfield Marriott
12.1994 - 06.1997
Cook
Breakfast Shift
01.1994 - 11.1994
Line Cook
Grave Yard Shift
09.1993 - 07.1994