KATHLEEN PEZZANO
Portsmouth,VA
Summary
Attentive and dedicated Dining Supervisor with 40 years of experience in the food service industry. Expert in decreasing spending while increasing overall customer satisfaction and closely monitoring employees for best-in-class service. Knowledgeable about food service management with training in ServSafe, Cybersecurity and Food Allergy and Celiac Certified. Organized, dependable and successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals.
Overview
37
37
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Supervisor
Thompson Hospitality Services LLC Norfolk State University
Norfolk, VA
08.2025 - Current
- Prepare and serve meals while following food safety and sanitation standards
- Work grill, prep, cashier, and dishwashing stations as assigned
- Monitor time and temperature logs to ensure safe food handling
- Maintain clean kitchen, service, and dining areas
- Restock food and supplies to support uninterrupted meal service
- Provide courteous, respectful service to all guests
- Implemented process improvements that streamlined operations and reduced delays.
- Trained new employees on operational procedures and safety protocols.
- Improved customer satisfaction with timely response to inquiries, addressing concerns, and finding effective solutions.
- Implemented safety protocols to minimize workplace accidents and maintain compliance with industry standards.
- Opened and closed location and monitored shift changes to uphold successful operations strategies and maximize business success.
Dining Services Senior Supervisor
GOURMET DINING LLC.
Montclair, NJ
08.2016 - Current
- Communicated effectively with dining staff and guests alike to promote adherence to dining room policies and standard operating procedures.
- Coordinated high-quality dining services to meet or exceed guest expectations, enforcing quality standards and facilitating smooth operations.
- Leveraged feedback gathered from guests to develop new initiatives, policies and strategies to improve satisfaction with services and menu.
- Maintained responsibility for food, beverage and kitchen equipment ordering, regularly assessing departmental needs and verifying sufficient stock levels.
- Trained, managed and scheduled dining staff, distributing hours and assignments to leverage strengths of individual team members.
- Took reservations and to-go orders by phone, answered customer questions and informed of accurate wait times.
- Used cash registers and credit card machines to cash out customers.
- Circulated throughout the dining room to assess general satisfaction of guests and identify appropriate opportunities to ask guests about dining experiences.
- Accomplished multiple tasks within established timeframes.
- Boosted employee morale through regular recognition programs that acknowledged outstanding individual contributions.
- Trained new hires and provided positive reinforcement and helpful feedback that boosted morale and efficiency within the department.
- Reduced employee turnover rates by fostering a positive work environment and addressing staff concerns promptly.
- Used my leadership qualities to successfully conduct all employees in numerous dining locations across the Montclair State University campus.
- Managed the concession for every sports event throughout the school year while maintaining inventory, handling cash and serving customers with a smile.
- Resolved conflicts proactively by facilitating open communication among team members and actively addressing underlying issues.
- Streamlined operations for improved efficiency, delegating tasks and setting clear performance expectations.
- Also titled as a shop steward of the union for all of the food service workers under my wing.
- Assumed responsibility and oversight for hiring, onboarding and mentoring new staff members.
- Opened and closed location and monitored shift changes to uphold successful operations strategies and maximize business success.
- Identified and communicated customer needs to supply chain capacity and quality teams.
- Reduced waste and pursued revenue development strategies to keep the department aligned with sales and profit targets.
Assistant Food Service Manager
Quick Check
Bloomfield, New Jersey
08.2013 - 11.2016
- Boosted customer satisfaction and service delivery to strengthen customer loyalty.
- Coordinated with kitchen employees and front of house personnel to consistently drive smooth operations.
- Streamlined food preparation processes for increased efficiency and reduced waste.
- Observed staff confirm safety and quality standards.
- Collaborated with the executive chef to develop new menu items, resulting in increased sales and positive feedback from customers.
- Practiced safe work habits and encouraged staff to do the same.
- Managed staff schedules, ensuring adequate coverage during peak times and reducing labor costs.
- Trained new hires on company policies, procedures, and best practices for exceptional service delivery.
- Created and deployed successful strategies to boost restaurant performance, streamline food prep processes and reduce waste.
- Coordinated promotion of special menu items, motivating wait staff to increase sale of new specials and bundles.
- Monitored staff performance, enforcing adherence to policies, procedures, regulations, health codes, license requirements and top service standards.
- Monitored adherence to corporate policies, procedures, and standards as well as industry health and safety regulations.
- Greeted and interacted positively with customers, promoting specials and providing information on key product offerings.
- Effectively scheduled and distributed work assignments in alignment with operational and customer needs.
- Adapted meals based on FOH (Front of House) tickets while maintaining accuracy and speed of preparation.
- Oversaw scheduling, inventory management and supply ordering to maintain a fully stocked kitchen.
- Recruit, hire, and train deli staff, ensuring they are knowledgeable about food products, safety procedures, and customer service.
- Ensure the store is clean, well-organized, and that food displays are appealing and stocked with fresh items.
- Manage inventory levels, order supplies, and coordinate with suppliers to ensure a consistent supply of fresh, high-quality products.
- Ensured compliance with health codes, leading to consistently high scores on inspections and maintaining a clean work environment.
- Displayed proper food handling and equipment technique when assisting in the kitchen.
Store Manager/Head Bookkeeper
Handy Dandy Dari Deli
Montclair, NJ
10.1988 - 08.2013
- Cultivated warm relationships with regular customers.
- Worked with a POS system to place orders, manage bills and handle complimentary items.
- Explained menu items and suggested appropriate options for food allergy concerns.
- Managed inventory control, cash control, and store opening and closing procedures.
- Managed daily operations to ensure smooth functioning of the store, maintaining a clean, safe environment for customers and employees.
- Oversaw loss prevention efforts, minimizing shrinkage by implementing effective security measures and training staff on proper procedures.
- Completed point of sale opening and closing procedures.
- Keeps the register accurate through correct billing, payment processing and cash management practices.
- Used slow periods to restock supplies, ice, trays and delivery bags.
- Increased sales significantly by upselling higher-end products to customers.
- Resolved guest and employee complaints to maintain complete customer satisfaction and workforce effectiveness.
- Maintained thorough menu knowledge to sufficiently answer questions regarding menu item sourcing, ingredients and cooking methods.
- Collected payment for food and drinks served, balanced cash receipts.
- Quickly and clearly communicated dining orders to kitchen staff, directing attention to special requests or dietary restrictions.
- Managed a family owned business for over 25 years and took pride in carrying on my family’s success any way I could.
- Took charge of the bookkeeping and Payroll for every employee and kept track of all finances.
- Overseen all aspects of the deli’s daily operations, from opening to closing, including staff scheduling, task delegation, and ensuring smooth workflow.
Education
High School Diploma -
Bloomfield Senior High School
Bloomfield, NJ06.1979
Skills
- Kitchen Staff Supervision
- Production and Time Sequencing
- Dining Area Cleaning Supervision
- Dining Crew Workflow Optimization
- Billing and Payment Processing
- Safe Work Practices
- Work Schedule Creation
- Special Dietary Requirements
- Safe food handling
- Transaction processing expertise
- Microsoft Word
- Food safety protocols
- Staff training
- Customer service
- Quality control
- Inventory management
- Team leadership
- Event organization
- Cash handling
- Supply ordering
Certification
- ServSafe Certified
- Technology Certified
- Loss Prevention Certified
- Cybersecurity Certified
- Alcohol and Tips Certified
- Food Allergy and Celiac Certified
- Amazon Go certified
- APEX locker system certified
- GRUB HUB certified
Timeline
Supervisor
Thompson Hospitality Services LLC Norfolk State University
08.2025 - Current
Dining Services Senior Supervisor
GOURMET DINING LLC.
08.2016 - Current
Assistant Food Service Manager
Quick Check
08.2013 - 11.2016
Store Manager/Head Bookkeeper
Handy Dandy Dari Deli
10.1988 - 08.2013
High School Diploma -
Bloomfield Senior High School