Larry Lester
Chicago,IL
Summary
Dynamic food service professional with excellent teamwork and skill in learning new tasks quickly. Highly knowledgeable in ingredient preparation, including slicing and cutting techniques, illustrated through 8 years of related experience.
Dedicated teamplayer with 8 years of experience preparing ingredients for fast dish assembly. Expert at making correct quantities of ingredients for expected number of customers. Work well independently with minimal supervision and with teammates.
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Manager
The Cheesecake Factory
04.2018 - Current
• Supervise and manage all kitchen staff, including chefs, cooks, and dishwashers.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow.
• Ensure food quality and consistency meet the restaurant’s standards.
• Monitor food preparation, plating, and presentation for quality and accuracy.
• Manage inventory by ordering supplies, controlling stock levels, and minimizing waste.
• Control food costs and kitchen budgets to maintain profitability.
• Collaborate on menu planning, pricing, and development with chefs and restaurant management.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and sanitation regulations.
• Train, mentor, and develop kitchen staff to maintain performance and skill levels.
• Schedule kitchen staff shifts to meet operational needs.
• Handle problem-solving and resolve kitchen issues promptly.
• Maintain inventory and product storage with adherence to safety practices.
• Generate reports on kitchen costs, labor, and inventory usage regularly.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, and employee performance reviews.
• Assist in food order coordination, including handling online and in-house orders.
• Enforce kitchen policies and procedures consistently.
General Manager of Operations
Lane College
01.2007 - 01.2018
• Supervise and manage all kitchen staff, including chefs, cooks, and dishwashers.
• Oversee daily kitchen operations ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow.
• Ensure food quality and consistency meet the restaurant’s standards.
• Monitor food preparation, plating, and presentation for quality and accuracy.
• Manage inventory by ordering supplies, controlling stock levels, and minimizing waste.
• Control food costs and kitchen budgets to maintain profitability.
• Collaborate on menu planning, pricing, and development with chefs and restaurant management.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety, and sanitation regulations.
• Train, mentor, and develop kitchen staff to maintain performance and skill levels.
• Schedule kitchen staff shifts to meet operational needs.
• Handle problem-solving and resolve kitchen issues promptly.
• Maintain inventory and product storage with adherence to safety practices.
• Generate reports on kitchen costs, labor, and inventory usage regularly.
• Participate in hiring, onboarding, and employee performance reviews.
• Assist in food order coordination, including handling online and in-house orders.
• Enforce kitchen policies and procedures consistently.
Education
Some College (No Degree) - Food Service
Skills
- created and carry out haccp programs
- Dish preparation
- Foodservice sanitation
- Recipe preparation
- Active listener
- Cleaning and organization
- Team-oriented
- Effective prioritization
- Results-oriented
- Highly motivated
- Punctual and honest
- Food preparation
- Multitasking and prioritization
- Strong team member
- Safety standards training
- Flexibility
- Health codes compliance
Certification
food safety managerial license
Timeline
Manager - The Cheesecake Factory
04.2018 - Current
General Manager of Operations - Lane College
01.2007 - 01.2018
Lincoln Traile College - Some College (No Degree), Food Service