Lauren Gras
Pittsburgh,PA
Summary
Forward-thinking professional offering more than 6 years of experience working in fast-paced environment . Skilled at staying focused and productive in high-stress situations and maintaining calmness in busy times. Excellent and proven leadership skills. Talented kitchen leader and team motivator successful at maintaining staff focus and productivity in high-volume, fast-paced operations. Experienced with sourcing production needs, controlling budgets and boosting restaurant profiles. Conversational language skills.
Overview
6
6
years of professional experience
Work History
Chef
Atrias Bar And Tavern
06.2023 - Current
- Preparing salads and assisting other coworkers with their needs and duties.
- Working with grills, fryers, stoves, and cleaned equipment after every shift.
- Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination.
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces, and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
- Responded to dietary concerns and food allergies, creating dishes to meet customer needs and palates.
- Utilized proper cleaning techniques to sanitize counters and utensils used in preparation of raw meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
- Worked closely with front-of-house staff to facilitate excellent customer service.
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Coordinated with team members to prepare orders on time.
- Disciplined and dedicated to meeting high-quality standards.
- Evaluated food products to verify freshness and quality.
- Set up and broke down kitchen for service.
- Utilized culinary techniques to create visually appealing dishes.
- Modified recipes to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies.
- Developed and remained accountable for safety, quality, consistency and adherence to standards.
- Prepared meals from scratch using authentic, popular recipes to generate repeat business.
Bakery Worker
Baked With Love
11.2021 - 06.2023
- Mixed dough, scaled breads, and cakes, fried doughnuts and performed baking duties.
- Packaged customer purchases with care and strong organizational skills to facilitate easy carrying and prevent product shifting.
- Arranged bakery displays to showcase baked goods, cakes, and pies to drive product sales.
- Monitored counter and display inventory by replacing stock and requesting new products from kitchen to keep areas well-stocked for maximum sales.
- Decorated and merchandised quality bakery goods to build business reputation and revenue base.
- Checked expiration dates and rotated products to verify freshness and avoid spoilage.
- Maintained tidy and organized work area to comply with cleanliness standards.
- Used utensils and equipment to portion, wrap and display bakery items.
- Measured and mixed ingredients accurately to assist in baking process.
- Trained new bakery staff on company policies and POS system use to maximize job satisfaction, expertise, and team performance.
- Answered customer questions about products and services, helped locate merchandise, and promoted key items.
- Inspected goods to establish accurate pricing and labeling.
- Recommended new bakery items to customers based on taste preferences, building rapport and boosting sales.
- Collected payments accurately with cash, debit and credit card, using Point of Sale system to process transactions.
- Wrapped, boxed and weighed bakery department products.
- Engaged in friendly conversation with customer to better uncover individual needs.
- Volunteered for extra shifts during holidays and other busy periods to alleviate staffing shortages.
- Managed efficient cash register operations.
- Monitored customers for signs of security concerns and escalated issues to management.
- Recommended complementary purchases to customers, increasing revenue.
Cook
Chick-fil-A
02.2020 - 05.2023
- Maintained clean and organized work areas at all times to bring safety and quality to food preparation process.
- Prepared multiple orders simultaneously during peak periods with high accuracy rate, maximizing customer satisfaction, and repeat business.
- Prepared food items in compliance with recipes and portioning control guidelines.
- Checked for quality, kept track of old and new items and rotated stock to confirm freshness of food and ingredients.
- Managed time by organizing and prioritizing kitchen duties to prepare and serve food quickly.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Changed and sanitized cutting boards, benches, and surfaces between tasks to avoid cross-contamination.
- Took food orders from cashiers and cooked items quickly to complete order items together and serve hot.
- Communicated closely with servers to fully understand special orders for customers.
- Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
- Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, storage, use of kitchen equipment and sanitation.
- Tasted, smelled, and pierced food with fork to verify sufficient cooking.
- Followed strict standards for food handling and safety, minimizing risks to customers.
- Prepared and served various food items in fast-paced environment.
- Adjusted recipes based on ingredient availability or customer request.
- Prioritized and re-prioritized kitchen tasks based on fluctuating demands.
- Trained and supervised cooking staff to expertly meet daily needs.
Cashier Trainer
Chick-fil-A
07.2018 - 05.2022
- Trained new employees by providing knowledge of specific store tasks, policies and goals.
- Helped customers complete purchases, locate items, and join reward programs.
- Counted money in cash drawers at beginning of shifts to verify correct amounts and sufficient available change.
- Created positive shopping atmosphere by greeting customers, answering questions and directing customers to products.
- Operated POS system to complete cash, credit and check transactions.
- Supervised new and existing cashiers by verifying accuracy of prices and customers charges.
- Preserved orderly checkout areas by carrying out general cleaning and organizational duties such as emptying trash cans, sanitizing conveyor belts and removing empty shopping baskets.
- Maintained knowledge of current promotions, policies and security practices regarding payment and exchanges.
- Managed break board to keep track of breaks for cashiers and front-end employees.
- Established or identified prices of goods and tabulated bills with cash registers or optical price scanners.
- Completed opening and closing procedures by disarming alarms, turning electronic systems on or off and straightening out check-out shelves.
- Trained, mentored, and developed new cashiers with positive and encouraging techniques to maximize performance and team contributions.
- Educated employees on register use, merchandising, and customer service.
- Worked extra shifts during busy periods and covered for call-in employees to maintain service levels.
- Mentored new team members on POS system operation, customer service strategies, and sales goals.
- Led cashiers and associates in providing thoughtful customer service.
- Alleviated customer service needs with policy-appropriate solutions.
- Mentored new team members on sales software system operation.
- Helped management develop employee improvement plans and motivate team members to continually improve.
- Managed staffing levels to provide optimal support for cash register operations.
Receptionist
Great Clips Hair Salon
10.2017 - 01.2021
- Greeted incoming visitors and customers professionally and provided friendly, knowledgeable assistance.
- Confirmed check-ins, communicated with clients, and updated client records.
- Kept reception area clean and neat to give visitors positive first impression.
- Answered phone promptly and directed incoming calls to correct offices.
- Responded to inquiries from callers seeking information.
- Restocked supplies and submitted purchase orders to maintain stock levels.
- Organized, maintained and updated information in computer databases.
- Maintained clean work spaces for all other employees, running laundry, sweeping, and sanitation of equipment
Education
Associates Degree - Radiology
Community College of Allegheny County
595 Beatty RoadHigh School Diploma - General Studies
Plum Senior High School
900 Eliker Road06.2021
Skills
- Fine Dining Expertise
- Menu Planning
- Portion and Cost Control
- Order Delivery Practices
- Food Preparation and Safety
- Baking and Broiling Skills
- Food Plating and Presentation
- Food Inventories
- Verbal and Written Communication
- Waste Control
- Utensils and Equipment
- Company Safety Standards
- New Hire Training
- Cleaning and Sanitizing Methods
- Food Preparation Techniques
- Kitchen Equipment Operation
- Recipe Development
- Performance Improvement
Languages
American Sign Language
Limited Working
Timeline
Chef
Atrias Bar And Tavern
06.2023 - Current
Bakery Worker
Baked With Love
11.2021 - 06.2023
Cook
Chick-fil-A
02.2020 - 05.2023
Cashier Trainer
Chick-fil-A
07.2018 - 05.2022
Receptionist
Great Clips Hair Salon
10.2017 - 01.2021
Associates Degree - Radiology
Community College of Allegheny County
High School Diploma - General Studies
Plum Senior High School
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