LINDSAY LEOPOLD
Seattle,WA
Summary
Experience Chef Instructor and culinary leader with proven managerial skills. Well versed in running kitchens, teaching future professionals and designing recipes. Knowledgeable about building relationships, effectively managing day to day service operations and have a single minded focus on delivering high quality culinary experience. Prepared to offer 8 years' experience in the field to a new role.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Chef Instructor
Homemade, Online
Seattle, WA
09.2020 - Current
- Lead fun virtual live cooking classes for as many as 500+ people
- Extensive knowledge of global cuisines and baking allows to confidently educate attendees while helping them create delicious meals all in real time
- Partner with brands to meet and deliver results for large national and international brands such as Breville, ScanPan, Earthbound Farm Organic, Harry & David, Cabot, Relish, Dawn and Emeril Lagasse Forever Pans
- Work with Homemade production team to provide culinary tip videos, photoshoots, and social media production to promote Homemade
- Setting up virtual live classes, moderating Zoom chat messaging and answering cooking questions in real time for other Chef Instructors.
- Maintained clean, neat and well-sanitized kitchen.
- Encouraged students to enhance recipes with personal style.
- Taught basic cooking skills during both one-on-one and group classes.
- Planned and delivered courses for industry professionals and general public
Director of Dining Services
Brightview Senior Living
North Bethesda, MD
05.2019 - 10.2021
- Generated measurable revenue from lunch & dinner guest meals in-house. Managed and lead member/guest experiences by hiring, training, coaching, retaining and supervising a distinctive dining team of 20 cooks, servers, dishwasher and dining managers who provide exceptional food and superlative service.
- Oversees, utilize, manage, and monitor all Dining Services budgets from food & beverage to linens; utilize and managed monthly declining balances; receipt invoice and GL coding in Concur and Yardi. Maintaining yearly overall budget under by an average of 5% - 10%.
- Lead monthly Food Council meetings with residents. Participate in monthly best practice calls with fellow Director of Dining Services of our district.
- Manage, maintain and sign off on all Residents Dietary order while working with Health Services Director.
- Adapt to everchanging COVID-19 protocols while creating new and innovative ways to safely engage residents by implementing daily social hours, food demos, virtual and in person vendor presentations, family themed dinner nights.
- Monitored food production and corrected issues in preparation, portioning or other areas.
- Trained staff on proper cooking procedures as well as safety regulations and productivity strategies.
- Maintained kitchen cleanliness and sanitation through correct procedures and scheduled cleaning of surfaces and equipment.
Resident Chef
Sur La Table, Pike & Rose
North Bethesda
02.2015 - 04.2019
- Responsible for building class enrollment, encouraging retail sales, and growing private event revenues
- Manage team of Chef Instructors and Kitchen Assistants while maintaining and teaching schedule of 5-7 classes per week
Oversee payroll, food budgets, and employee performance and professional growth
Bringing payroll expenditures down to 45% of forecasted goals by increasing number of classes taught to 5-7 per week - Generating leading sales of ScanPan equipment during six-month promotional competition in Mid-Atlantic District, winning and week-long trip to Denmark to tour ScanPan facilities
- Operating below forecasted food cost goals by 21.4% due to daily review of budget and weekly purchases of food
- Leading Mid-Atlantic district in retail sales, exceeding forecasted goals by $96,000 and 2017 revenues by $56,000
- Consistently named in top 10 programs for culinary retail sales and fill rates and private event revenue
- Leading all Mid-Atlantic district culinary programs in private event and rental revenues
- Increasing class enrollment by 4.8% in first year as Resident Chef, which translated into more foot traffic in the store and visibility for the program
Present culinary experiences on behalf of Sur La Table on local television news networks, radio networks, cable/internet networks and at food shows and philanthropic events.
Private Chef
Private Family Client
Potomac, MD
11.2013 - 08.2014
Line Cook
RIS
Washington D.C.
12.2012 - 11.2013
Executive Assistant of Finance
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
Silver Spring, Maryland
03.2007 - 07.2012
Education
Certificate in Culinary Arts -
L'Academie de Cuisine
2013
Bachelors of Science Degree - Mass Communications, Electronic Media & Film
Towson University
2005
Skills
- Employee Performance Evaluation
- Customer Rapport
- Vendor Relationships
- Inventory Accuracy
- Motivational Leadership
- Customer Service Process Improvement
- Maintaining Clean Work Areas
- Collaborative Relationships
Certification
ServSafe: Food Safety Manager’s Certification, VA, DC & MD April 2017 - April 2021
Timeline
Chef Instructor
Homemade, Online
09.2020 - Current
Director of Dining Services
Brightview Senior Living
05.2019 - 10.2021
Resident Chef
Sur La Table, Pike & Rose
02.2015 - 04.2019
Private Chef
Private Family Client
11.2013 - 08.2014
Line Cook
RIS
12.2012 - 11.2013
Executive Assistant of Finance
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS, LLC
03.2007 - 07.2012
Certificate in Culinary Arts -
L'Academie de Cuisine
Bachelors of Science Degree - Mass Communications, Electronic Media & Film
Towson University
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