Karina Lara

Brought in to elevate service standards and introduce luxury hospitality principles inspired by Forbes 5-Star hotels. Lead seven distinct F&B outlets, overseeing daily operations, private events, and team performance.

Oversee seven unique dining venues, including Main Clubhouse, Legacy Dining (exclusive for legacy members), Women’s & Men’s Locker Rooms, The Wedge (breakfast shop), Parkhouse (outdoor grilling), Gun Club (shooting range restaurant), Comfort Station & Beverage Cart for golfers, and the Family & Adult Pools.

Private Events & Banquets: Plan and execute exclusive private dining experiences across outlets, catering to high-profile members.

Spearheaded the opening of the new Family Pool, overseeing menu development, staff hiring, and service execution.

Lead a team of 45+ employees, including 2 supervisors and 1 assistant F&B manager, ensuring exceptional guest experiences.

Menu Development: Collaborate with the culinary team to create seasonal and specialty menus that align with the club’s luxury dining vision.

Labor & Cost Control: Manage scheduling, labor costs, and operational budgets to maximize efficiency and profitability.

Introduced Forbes 5-Star service principles, significantly enhancing guest service and hospitality standards.

Led restaurant operations at Four Seasons Austin, managing a $4.5 million budget and a team of 31+ employees. Focused on guest experience enhancement, revenue optimization, and luxury service implementation.

Implemented Forbes 5-Star training, working closely to elevate service standards—while the hotel did not achieve official 5-Star status, it came very close under these efforts.

Created and executed monthly activations, including Día de los Muertos, Mexican Independence Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Earth Day, and Roses & Rosé, driving guest engagement and revenue.

Developed Austin’s only luxury brunch buffet, positioning the restaurant as a market leader.

Conducted competitive set analysis, ensuring Four Seasons remained a leader in pricing, service, and guest experience.

Played a key role in the GOATs (Guest Oriented Action Takers) Committee, leading guest experience improvements and increasing Medallia scores.

Used Avero analytics to increase average check and optimize menu performance.

Labor & Cost Control: Successfully reduced labor costs through strategic scheduling and team management.

Selected from a competitive pool of candidates for a prestigious management training program, overseeing all areas of F&B operations and participating in Forbes 5-Star training with a Forbes Training Director.

Gained hands-on experience across all F&B departments, including MOD responsibilities, Banquets, In-Room Dining, Restaurant, and Bar operations.

Took on multiple roles—from server, hostess, bartender, and busser—due to post-COVID staffing shortages, gaining a deep operational understanding.

Led team projects to improve the F&B department, focusing on service enhancement and operational efficiency.

Managed a team of 15+ employees, providing coaching and leadership.

Business Development & Training: Assisted in aligning team actions with company policies and industry standards.