JOHN M. TOPPI
Westville
Summary
Dynamic Store Manager with a proven track record at Lidl Grocery Market, driving a 15% increase in same-store sales. Expert in inventory control and staff management, leveraging leadership development to cultivate high-performing teams. Skilled in utilizing Micros and Open Table to enhance operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. Strong focus on team collaboration and achieving results, ensuring reliability and adaptability to changing needs. Expertise in inventory management, customer service, and staff training, coupled with excellent problem-solving and communication skills. Enthusiastic about creating positive shopping experience and optimizing store performance.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Store Manager
Lidl Grocery Market
05.2021 - Current
- Responsible for all aspects of store operations
- Responsibilities include all talent-acquisition efforts; hiring, training, and developing staff
- Responsible for yearly budget with consideration to trends and areas with opportunity for improvement
- Increased same store sales vs prior over 15%
- Increased customer counts vs prior year over 10%
- Manage, train and schedule approximately 35, 3 assistant managers and up to 8 supervisors
- Held employees accountable to company policies, procedures and service standards
- Managed inventory audits, financial reconciliations and sales reporting
- Oversaw daily store operations, maintaining high standards of cleanliness and organization
- Ensured compliance with company policies, procedures, and safety guidelines
- Collaborated with team members to set sales goals and develop strategies for achieving them
- Managed daily operations to ensure smooth functioning of the store, maintaining a clean, safe environment for customers and employees.
- Managed inventory control, cash control, and store opening and closing procedures.
- Managed store employees successfully in fast-paced environment through proactive communication and positive feedback.
General Manager
Bertuccis Italian Restaurant
03.2014 - 04.2021
- Responsible for all aspects of food and beverage operations for casual dining concept Including six ghost kitchen concepts
- Manage business operation initiatives, including payroll, invoicing, inventory, and human resource related matters
- Responsibilities include all talent-acquisition efforts; hiring, training, and developing staff
- Guest satisfaction scores exceed company average of 80% with a focus on speed of service, attentiveness of staff and manager visibility
- Responsible for yearly budget with consideration to trends and areas with opportunity for improvement
- Consistently met LH/100 labor standards while adhering to food quality, service and sanitation standards
- Increased profits by 25% which included increase in catering and delivery sales to 358% over prior year with effective marketing and restaurant initiatives
- Manage, train and schedule approximately 35 employees for 420 seat restaurant, including wait staff, host/hostess, and bar staff
Assistant General Manager
California Pizza Kitchen
04.2010 - 03.2014
- Responsible for all aspects of food and beverage operations for casual dining concept
- Manage business operation initiatives, including payroll, invoicing, inventory, and human resource related matters
- Responsibilities include all talent-acquisition efforts; hiring, training, and developing staff
- Brand Ambassador and Marketing
- In charge of maintaining the beverage program, and manage ordering systems
- Manage, train and schedule approximately 35 employees for 420 seat restaurant, including wait staff, host/hostess, and bar staff
- Manage all aspects of customer service
Expeditor/Shift Leader
Houston's Restaurant
03.2009 - 04.2010
- Management support, floor supervision, reducing labor, assisting w/ table visits
- Hourly duties included, line cook, server, bartender, and food expo
Assistant General Manager
Chili's Grill and Bar
02.2006 - 02.2009
- Progressive career development from Line cook, Key Trainer, Kitchen Manager, Asst Mgr., A.G.M
- Sales volume of $6 million with 50 employees
- Reduced Liquor Costs from 25.4% to 22.5% consistently
- Mandatory jigger pouring, set up par ordering system, ordered to minimize partial case 'breakage' fees
- Spot checked (pulled drawer and reconciled with reading and open checks) for 'cash not rung'
- Enforced standards of integrity, secret shopper system, selected bartenders from guest focused servers
- Developed and executed action plans to reach and exceed P&L projections and budgeting
- Reduced overall labor from 17.5% to 15.3% through cross training and the elimination of overtime
- Reduced Overall Comps from 3.9% to 2% through proper wait staff training and consistent table touches
- Sales Building - LSM, career day at schools, Chef talk about Chili's / Golden Pepper kids meal passes
Kitchen Manager
Chili's Grill and Bar
01.2003 - 02.2006
- Reduced avg Ticket times to produce 93% of tickets under 15 min (from 78% at start of program) on 500 to 600 tickets per night
- Public praise, personalized chef coats, special hats for teams who repeatedly exceeded goal
- Reduced food cost consistently to hit below 30% budget, broke down category over run into realistic units
- Team challenge to reduce actual use variance to menu mix from 2.8% to 2%, John cooked dinner for winning team
- Nightly protein counts, assured mgt
- Following back door security, waste tracking
- Kept BOH turnover to 20% annually, personally trained and oversaw all training by supervisors, regular performance reviews
Education
High School Diploma -
Triton High School
Runnemede, NJ06-1997
Skills
- Store merchandising
- Store operations
- Performance evaluation and monitoring
- Inventory control
- Management team building
- Leadership development
- Staff training/development
- Profit and loss accountability
- Inventory management
- Customer service
- Problem-solving
- Customer relations
- Multitasking and organization
Certification
ServSafe Food Handlers Certification
Timeline
Store Manager
Lidl Grocery Market
05.2021 - Current
General Manager
Bertuccis Italian Restaurant
03.2014 - 04.2021
Assistant General Manager
California Pizza Kitchen
04.2010 - 03.2014
Expeditor/Shift Leader
Houston's Restaurant
03.2009 - 04.2010
Assistant General Manager
Chili's Grill and Bar
02.2006 - 02.2009
Kitchen Manager
Chili's Grill and Bar
01.2003 - 02.2006
High School Diploma -
Triton High School
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