John Karangis
Westwood,NJ
Summary
Self motivated hospitality and culinary professional excelling in savory and confectionary menu development and execution. Creates unique, approachable and best in class products, actioning feedback into efficient processes and scalable programming.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Chef, Vice President Culinary Innovation
Shake Shack
10.2018 - Current
- Oversee global menu development of all food and beverage items for over 550 restaurants in growth.
- Lead Culinary Team and manage Innovation Kitchen space, including product research and development, training, item testing, team tastings, equipment testing, and client events.
- Provide culinary oversight in cross-functional department product development to ensure alignment of scalable, approved products.
- Culinary face of the brand at special events including press/media outreach, content creation and social campaigns to drive brand exposure.
- Monitor core menu for improvement opportunities to maximize operational, product and/or cost efficiencies.
- Lead culinary operation for large scale special events, including collaborations with world renowned chefs and restaurateurs.
- Educate, mentor and inspire team members
Executive Chef
Union Square Events
10.2011 - 10.2018
- Lead the culinary development and execution of multifaceted catering and events growth business for Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group.
- Businesses including premier off site catering, Bloomberg HQ office dining and catering operations, five professional stadium and arena fast casual food concepts, one michelin star restaurant (Green River, Chicago), Conrad NY Hotel banquets and events, museum cafes, Delta Airline business class meals, and nationwide consulting.
- Sales growth from $9m (2011) to $24m (2018) under my leadership
- Oversee a culinary team of 6 Executive Chefs, 150 cooks in a 15,000 square foot commissary kitchen/Home office.
Executive Chef
Aramark Corporation at Goldman Sachs
10.2003 - 10.2011
- Developed a comprehensive food and beverage menu program serving over 2000 daily guests, generating $20m annually in business.
- Supervised a team of five chefs and in full support and collaboration with clients curated concepts and managed the day to day culinary operations for an expansive, state of the art employee cafeteria, high end catering client center, executive dining and board rooms, coffee bars, cafes and off premise catering.
- Executed quarterly board of director breakfast, lunch and dinners. Catered high profile events for industry leading clients, dignitaries and world leaders.
Executive Chef, Sous Chef
Restaurant Associates, Compas
06.1997 - 10.2003
- Culinary leader for industry leading provider of Business dining and event catering: Bertelsmann Music Group, Donaldson Lufkin Jenrette, Bear Stearns, Random House, Rockefeller University.
- Hire, train and supervise kitchen staff to execute broadly appealing and forward thinking global menu offerings for breakfast, lunch, dinner and intimate and large scale catering events.
Restaurant Chef
Butterfield 81
05.1996 - 05.1997
- Opening chef for high profile upper east side restaurant owned by Ken Aretsky, formerly of "21 Club"
- Created and executed a fine dining menu to a diverse and savvy clientele.
- Awarded a One Star Review from Ruth Reichl, NY Times restaurant Critic.
Restaurant Cook, Line Cook
Gramercy Tavern
04.1995 - 05.1996
- Responsible for executing recipes and plating fine dining sweet and savory dishes for Danny Meyer and Chef Tom Colicchio's celebrated three star restaurant.
- Worked all savory hot and cold line stations, excelling with speed, accuracy and efficiency.
- responsible for making and effective inventorying all sauces and stocks used in the restaurant.
Line Cook
Stars Restaurant
04.1994 - 04.1995
- Executed sweet and savory menu items, recipes and demonstrating versatility and eagerness to learn from colleagues at Chef Jeremiah Tower's award winning four star restaurant.
- Purchased many fresh, seasonal ingredients from farmers selling at neighboring farmers market.
Prep Cook, Line Cook, Roundsman
Union Square Cafe
09.1991 - 04.1994
- Worked all back of house food stations, learning and collaborating with colleagues, supervisors and chefs for Danny Meyer's acclaimed three star restaurant.
- Demonstrated strong multitasking abilities, managing multiple food stations simultaneously without compromising quality or speed.
- Expedited food preparation for timely service by closely following chef''s instructions and prioritizing tasks.
Apprenticeship
Restaurant Le Grande Louvre
06.1991 - 09.1991
- Gained valuable experience learning cooking and pastry techniques, supporting a team that was a valuable extension of my culinary and pastry studies under two michelin star Chef Andre Daguin.
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Hotel And Restaurant Management
New York City College of Technology
Brooklyn, NY06-1992
Skills
- Extensive culinary and pastry knowledge
- Respectful leader, teacher and student
- Collaborator and communicator
- Organization and time management
Timeline
Executive Chef, Vice President Culinary Innovation
Shake Shack
10.2018 - Current
Executive Chef
Union Square Events
10.2011 - 10.2018
Executive Chef
Aramark Corporation at Goldman Sachs
10.2003 - 10.2011
Executive Chef, Sous Chef
Restaurant Associates, Compas
06.1997 - 10.2003
Restaurant Chef
Butterfield 81
05.1996 - 05.1997
Restaurant Cook, Line Cook
Gramercy Tavern
04.1995 - 05.1996
Line Cook
Stars Restaurant
04.1994 - 04.1995
Prep Cook, Line Cook, Roundsman
Union Square Cafe
09.1991 - 04.1994
Apprenticeship
Restaurant Le Grande Louvre
06.1991 - 09.1991
Associate of Applied Science - Hotel And Restaurant Management
New York City College of Technology
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