Luis Salinas Chavez
Jacksonville
Summary
Dynamic Executive Chef with a proven track record at Bartaco, leading culinary operations that generated over $6M in revenue. Expert in inventory management and staff training, achieving an 85% reduction in turnover. Passionate about enhancing guest experiences through quality assurance and innovative event coordination. Committed to culinary excellence and team development.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Executive Chef
Bartaco/Upstairs Lounge
Jacksonville
05.2023 - Current
- Oversaw culinary operations for 2 restaurant locations generating over $6M in annual revenue.
- Led a team of 50+ culinary staff, developing training programs that decreased turnover by 85%.
- #1 if food avt for 3 consecutive months company of 32 restaurants.
- Implemented standardized recipes and prep procedures to ensure consistency and reduce food cost by 4%.
- Collaborated with marketing on award-winning chef’s table events, boosting brand visibility.
- Supervised kitchen staff to ensure quality food preparation and presentation.
- Managed inventory levels for ingredients to minimize waste and maintain freshness.
- Collaborated with front-of-house teams to enhance overall dining experience.
- Implemented food safety protocols to comply with health regulations and standards.
- Coordinated special events and catering services for private parties and gatherings.
- Monitored kitchen area and staff to maintain overall safety and establish proper food handling techniques.
- Established a culture of safety in the kitchen by enforcing strict safety protocols.
- Managed ordering, inventory levels, receiving, invoice settling, and equipment maintenance.
Executive Chef
Matchbox
Sunrise
05.2022 - 05.2023
- Directed kitchen operations with full responsibility for menu rollouts and food quality.
- Trained and mentored junior chefs, 2 of whom were promoted to head chef roles.
- Reduced food waste by 8% through improved inventory practices and batch cooking systems.
- Supervised kitchen staff to ensure quality food preparation and presentation.
- Managed inventory levels for ingredients to minimize waste and maintain freshness.
- Collaborated with front-of-house teams to enhance overall dining experience.
- Monitored kitchen area and staff to maintain overall safety and establish proper food handling techniques.
- Created new menu items, managed food expenses, and supervised quality to ensure adherence to standards.
- Managed ordering, inventory levels, receiving, invoice settling, and equipment maintenance.
- Directed kitchen staff in food preparation and presentation to ensure high quality standards were met.
Sous Chef
Maggianos
Jacksonville
08.2017 - 05.2022
- Supervised kitchen staff to ensure efficient meal preparation and presentation.
- Monitored food safety procedures to maintain high sanitation standards in the kitchen.
- Coordinated inventory management to ensure availability of fresh ingredients daily.
- Trained new cooks on proper cooking techniques and kitchen operations protocols.
- Collaborated with front-of-house staff to enhance guest dining experiences through effective communication.
- Resolved kitchen issues promptly to maintain smooth operational flow during service periods.
- Created a positive work environment by encouraging teamwork among staff members.
Culinary Supervisor
Yard House
Moorestown
09.2018 - 09.2020
- Trained new employees on culinary techniques and safety procedures.
- Ensured compliance with health regulations during food preparation and storage.
- Monitored stock levels of ingredients used in the preparation of meals.
- Enforced sanitation practices such as hand washing, glove use, and safe food handling techniques.
Corporate Trainer
bravo brio restaurant group
Cherry Hill
04.2013 - 09.2019
- Collaborated with department heads to create relevant training materials.
- Provided post-training follow-up support such as answering questions or providing additional resources.
- Monitored employee progress during training sessions to ensure understanding of material presented.
- Provided individual coaching sessions for employees who needed additional support with their job duties.
- Developed and implemented training programs to improve employee performance.
- Educated team members on time and resource management to improve organizational efficiency and control costs.
- Boosted confidence of employees by providing skilled training to improve knowledge and productivity.
- Trained new technical trainers to promote consistency in customer service and quality.
Education
GED -
GED
Cherry Hill, NJSkills
- MULTI-UNIT LEADERSHIP
- Food safety compliance
- Inventory management
- Event coordination
- Quality assurance
- Staff training
- Financial oversight
- Problem solving
- Time management
- Coaching and mentoring
- Operations management
- Purchasing management
- Recruitment and onboarding
- Sanitation standards
- Budgeting and cost control
- CULINARY TEAM TRAINING & MENTORSHIP
- INVENTORY & FOOD COST MANAGEMENT
- HEALTH, SAFETY & SANITATION COMPLIANCE
- HIGH-VOLUME PRODUCTION
- VENDOR RELATIONS & SOURCING
- KITCHEN WORKFLOW OPTIMIZATION
- Food cost management
- Culinary training
- Inventory control
- Customer satisfaction
- Staff mentoring
- ServSafe certification
- Waste reduction
- Purchasing
- Staff scheduling
- Catering and events
- Hiring, training, and development
- Strong work ethic
- Food prep planning
Certification
ServSafe Manager Certified
Education and Training
other
Awards Recognition
- Chef of the Year (Runner up), Bartaco, 2024
- Employee Of The Year, Yard House (Darden), 2019
Accomplishments
- mentor Of the year 2024 bartaco
- employee of the year yard house 2019
Languages
English
Professional
Spanish
Professional
Timeline
Executive Chef
Bartaco/Upstairs Lounge
05.2023 - Current
Executive Chef
Matchbox
05.2022 - 05.2023
Culinary Supervisor
Yard House
09.2018 - 09.2020
Sous Chef
Maggianos
08.2017 - 05.2022
Corporate Trainer
bravo brio restaurant group
04.2013 - 09.2019
GED -
GED