Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Lokeshwar Reddy

Buffalo Grove,IL

Summary

Professional with outstanding skills as both Chef and Manager. Superior leadership and interpersonal skills; ability to build rapport with customers and colleagues; innate ability to interact effectively with people of various cultures and backgrounds and succeed in high-pressure challenging and deadline-driven environments. Seeking to bring strong supervisory food prep and organizational skills to the table with a respected organization that values hard work commitment and vision.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work History

Operational Director

Blackpepper Inc
10.2018 - 11.2023
  • Applied excellent problem-solving, process development, and strategic implementation skills to lead and support all areas of operations.
  • Collaborated on operational support tasks to achieve common goal.
  • Set clear goals to monitor targets and offered real-time input on performance and motivation.
  • Strategically coordinated operations according to objectives and capabilities, effectively allocating resources to meet demands
  • Evaluated suppliers to maintain cost controls and improve operations.
  • Efficiently and effectively identified and solved all problems that impacted direction of business.
  • Established and maintained productive staff relationships to Improve workplace morale, increase productivity and enhance personal growth.
  • Introduced new methods, practices, and systems to reduce turnaround time.
  • Improved employee satisfaction rating by realigning and enforcing policies.
  • Implemented process improvement to shape organizational culture, optimize procedures for higher efficiency and help company evolve and grow.
  • Oversaw projects to help goals, tasks and milestones align with organizational strategy.
  • Assigned delegates to manage high volume of e-mails and call transfers.
  • Drove team engagement to achieve aggressive company targets.
  • Developed operational processes to help organization adapt to market change.
  • Integrated marketing plans to reach wider audience and push business prospects closer to conversion.
  • Prepared annual budgets with controls to prevent overages.
  • Tended to urgent correspondence to facilitate communication or resolution.
  • Assisted with proactive client outreach initiatives and documented client correspondence in CRM system.
  • Performed statistical analyses to gather data for operational and forecast team needs.
  • Built and strengthened relationships across functional leadership areas to keep revenue development and operational plans interconnected and effective.
  • Negotiated supplier discounts to improve bottom line.
  • Created and managed knowledge base to address frequently asked questions and offer how-to guides and troubleshooting instruction.
  • Defined strategic goals to drive resource allocation, capability requirements and budgeting activities.
  • Conducted emergency preparedness training to reduce fear, anxiety and losses that accompany disasters.
  • Implemented visitor management system to foster positive visitor experience and minimal disruption for employees.
  • Monitored digital access, used shredders and locked filing cabinets to protect confidential information.
  • Leveraged meeting minutes to measure progress and accountability.
  • Interacted well with customers to build connections and nurture relationships.
  • Trained new employees on proper protocols and customer service standards.
  • Trained and guided team members to maintain high productivity and performance metrics.
  • Handled problematic customers and clients to assist lower-level employees and maintain excellent customer service.
  • Assisted in recruiting, hiring and training of team members.
  • Scheduled employees for shifts, taking into account customer traffic and employee strengths.
  • Tracked employee attendance and punctuality, addressing repeat problems quickly to prevent long-term habits.
  • Managed purchasing, sales, marketing and customer account operations efficiently.
  • Monitored daily cash discrepancies, inventory shrinkage and drive-off.
  • Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.
  • Recruited, hired, and trained initial personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for new organization.
  • Reported issues to higher management with great detail.
  • Cultivated and strengthened lasting client relationships using strong issue resolution and dynamic communication skills.
  • Implemented business strategies, increasing revenue and effectively targeting new markets.
  • Supervised creation of exciting merchandise displays to catch attention of store customers.
  • Mitigated business risks by working closely with staff members and assessing performance.
  • Negotiated price and service with customers and vendors to decrease expenses and increase profit.
  • Identified and qualified customer needs and negotiated and closed profitable projects with high success rate.
  • Reduced financial inconsistencies while assessing and verifying billing invoices and expense reports.
  • Updated and resolved incidents and managed accessorial charges objectively while maximizing profit.
  • Implemented innovative programs to increase employee loyalty and reduce turnover.
  • Tracked trends and suggested enhancements to both challenge and refine company's product offerings.
  • Reduced operational risks while organizing data to forecast performance trends.
  • Reduced budgetary expenditures by effectively negotiating contracts for more advantageous terms.
  • Launched staff engagement, gender diversity and cultural programs in addition to robust reporting tool that increased operational quality.
  • Raised property accuracy and accountability by creating new automated tracking method.

Manager / chef

Tamarind Indian Restaurant & Bar
12.2011 - 10.2018
  • Provided assistance to Senior Chef to attain budgeted food prices allocated by restaurants
  • Participated actively in planning and developing menu for restaurant and special event’s catering
  • Cooked different varieties of curries and dished from tandoor as listed in restaurant’s menu
  • Ensured all dishes were cooked and plated keeping up with highest quality standards
  • Complied with food specifications with respect to portion control
  • Responded to food related complaints effectually
  • Participated actively and provided useful input in menu design and food costing
  • Reported Kitchen Manger about stern disciplinary concerns if any
  • Ensured to handle minor issue occurring in kitchen immediately
  • Supervised and directed performance standards of kitchen staff
  • Performed at work keeping professionalism always and displayed desired professional attitude for other personnel in Kitchen
  • Ensured to supervise food wastage and portion control
  • Administered plating and quality check of all dishes prepared in kitchen
  • Provided assistance for preparing stock purchase list as needed
  • Substantial background in working with tandoor and preparing delicious curries
  • Experience with various Indian food recipes plating styles ambience and presentation
  • Familiar with Indian culinary cooking methods products and techniques
  • Strong background in sustained and Indian influenced practices utilized in the culture and cuisine
  • Organized planner of menu development focused on Indian food items
  • Knowledge of Indian spices and cooking tools
  • Comfortable adjusting food to taste diet etc
  • Certified and licensed in the handling of food.

Commis - II

Carnival Cruises line
11.2009 - 11.2011
  • Managed daily kitchen operations
  • Re-developed entire menu in 2012, increasing sales revenue by 150%
  • Oversaw food preparation and production, ensuring 100% food safety procedures were followed
  • Developed process that reduced waste by 40% and improved supply turnover by 70%.

Commis - II

Taj Residency
10.2005 - 10.2009
  • Mentored and trained four junior staff, improving performance by 20%
  • Prepared meals for lunch and dining services with an average of 100 tables per day
  • Managed relationships with vendors, negotiating prices of ingredients and equipment that resulted in 10% savings on budget
  • Collaborated with Head Chef in menu design and innovative recipes
  • It was also awarded as the “Best European Restaurant“ by Times food guide
  • Three Year in Coffee Shop at Taj Residency, Bangalore
  • Responsible for the Operation in the European Restaurant at Taj Residency-Grace
  • Maintenance of HACCP records of the Restaurant
  • Responsible for the Maintenance of daily and Month end Report for the Restaurant.

Internship Training

Taj Residency
06.2004 - 10.2005
  • Responsible for the Operation in the European Restaurant at Taj Residency-Grace
  • Maintenance of HACCP records of the Restaurant
  • Responsible for the Maintenance of daily and Month end Report for the Restaurant.

Education

Diploma in Hotel management & Catering Technology -

Madras Institute of hotel Management and Catering Technology
Chennai, Tamilnadu
05.2004

Skills

  • Food safety & sanitation
  • Department of Health requirements
  • Regulatory compliance & documentation
  • Staff development / training
  • Labor & food cost control
  • Scheduling
  • Productivity metrics
  • Batch cooking
  • Strong butchery skills
  • Ability to work productively with team spirit
  • Customer service / Guest relations
  • Up selling techniques

Accomplishments

  • Awarded the “Best food up Seller “of the month, Couple of time at Grace European Specialty restaurant.
  • Received Many Work appreciation letters from Executive chef and the GM of Taj Residency, Bangalore.
  • Played an Important part in Organizing food tasting for the H.O.D’s at Taj Residency, Bangalore.

Timeline

Operational Director

Blackpepper Inc
10.2018 - 11.2023

Manager / chef

Tamarind Indian Restaurant & Bar
12.2011 - 10.2018

Commis - II

Carnival Cruises line
11.2009 - 11.2011

Commis - II

Taj Residency
10.2005 - 10.2009

Internship Training

Taj Residency
06.2004 - 10.2005

Diploma in Hotel management & Catering Technology -

Madras Institute of hotel Management and Catering Technology

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Lokeshwar Reddy