LUIS G. GOTAY
Lake Havasu City,AZ
Summary
Talented kitchen leader and team motivator successful at maintaining staff focus and productivity in high-volume, fast-paced operations. Experienced with Continental, American & Caribbean cuisines. Highly creative in recipe development and menu creations including plating and garnishing. Skilled in conversational as well as written Spanish and English. Proactive and meticulous Executive Chef with over 40 years of experience in the culinary industry. Customer-oriented team player with expertise generating optimal satisfaction levels while building profits and client generation.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
EXECUTIVE CHEF
The Nautical Beachfront Resort
02.2022 - 02.2024
- Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
- Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews.
- Developed menus, controlled food costs and oversaw quality, sanitation, and safety processes.
- Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.
- Inventoried food, ingredient, and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
- Requisitioned food, selected and developed recipes and standardized production recipes for consistent quality.
- Modified recipes to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies.
Executive Chef Manager
St. Jude Medical Center
12.2007 - 07.2018
- Placed food orders with suppliers on weekly basis, taking into account kitchen budget and expected demands.
- Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews.
- Worked with Foodservice Director with $11,000,000.00 budget and always came in under budget.
- Developed patient specific menus and catering menus, controlled food costs, oversaw quality, sanitation, and safety processes
- Coordinated with catering staff to deliver food services for special events and functions.
- Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
- Developed unique events and special promotions to drive sales.
EXECUTIVE CHEF
Trifecta – Ultra Sports Lounge
10.2006 - 11.2007
- Developed menus, controlled food costs - consistent 10%, and oversaw quality, sanitation, and safety processes
- Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability
- Requisitioned food, selected and developed recipes and standardized production recipes for consistent quality
- Developed close relationships with suppliers to source best ingredients
- Modified recipes to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies
- Worked closely with front-of-house staff to facilitate excellent customer service
CHEF D’CUISINE / PASTRY CHEF
Citizen Smith
05.2005 - 07.2006
- Hired and paid salary for 1 full year before restaurant actually opened
- Designed and developed dessert menu as well as Late Night Menu
- Catered Special Events for various movie studios, networks, tv shows, magazines and celebrities, including Oscar luncheon for Oscar nominated film, Walk The Line, for Flaunt Magazine.
EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
Mastro’s Steakhouse
02.2002 - 07.2004
- In charge of 17 person kitchen crew, and assisted w additional FOH staff
- Interviewed, hired and trained all BOH positions
- Reviewed & inventoried all products – fish, meats, produce, dairy, etc., for $6.9M fine dining restaurant that in 2003 alone did $9M+ in volume
- Designed party themes for high-end special events – Golden Globes Awards, Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, movie premieres, more.
Education
Associate of Arts - Food Nutrition And Dietetics
LBCC
Long Beach, CA06.2017
No Degree - Cake Decorating
Wilton School Of Cake Decorating
Brea, CA06.2013
MS “A” School Graduate, 1981 - A.A.
United States Navy
San Diego, CA04.1981
Skills
- Strong Work Ethic
- Recipe & Menu Planning: Fine Dining / Casual Dining / Desserts
- Quality Assurance & Inventory Control
- "Out-Of-The-Box" Signature Dish Creations - Plating and Garnishing
Accomplishments
- St. Jude Medical Center, February 2017, Café 1650 (hospital cafeteria) named “TOP Restaurant To Eat At in Fullerton, CA”, by YELP
- St. Jude Medical Center, 4 Star Award for Patient Satisfaction Scores – HCHAPS
- 3rd Place WINNER in McCormick Spice Challenge, 2009
- Garnered front-page of Los Angeles Times, Calendar Section for Trifecta Ultra Sports Lounge, 2006
- Citizen Smith, Hollywood, CA, Voted Best Place To Go in LA by Angeleno Magazine; Written up in LA Times for my desserts; Front Page of Architectural Digest Magazine for Restaurant Design
- Mastro’s Steakhouse, Beverly Hills, CA, Crab Cake sales of over $25,000.00+ per month. Granitas netted over 2000% profit. Apple Tarts w/ Jack Daniels’ Carmel Sauce netted over 1868% profit.
- Subcontracted to create a ‘VIP Tent City’ for 1993 Grammy Awards
Certification
FOOD HANDLER'S CERTIFICATION - ARIZONA
PHI BETA THETA - LBCC (3.927 GPA)
AA - NUTRITION & DIETETICS - LBCC
DIETARY SERVICES SUPERVISOR - LBCC
MS "A" SCHOOL - UNITED STATES NAVY
Hiking, writing, cooking videos, photography
AVID HIKER & PHOTOGRAPHER - NATURE; MY DOG BUDDYG; AND FOODS I CREATE OR ENJOY
PLAYWRIGHT, WRITER OF FICTION, POETRY, COMEDY
HAVE SHOT AND PRODUCED OVER 65 COOKING VIDEOS FOR YOUTUBE UNDER @OTMWCWG (ON THE MENU WITH CHEF WILL GOTAY)
Additional Information
I WAS INVOLVED IN TV, FILM & STAGE - THEATRICAL & LIVE COMEDY FOR MANY YEARS WHILE CHEFFING IN CALIFORNIA.
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Timeline
EXECUTIVE CHEF
The Nautical Beachfront Resort
02.2022 - 02.2024
Executive Chef Manager
St. Jude Medical Center
12.2007 - 07.2018
EXECUTIVE CHEF
Trifecta – Ultra Sports Lounge
10.2006 - 11.2007
CHEF D’CUISINE / PASTRY CHEF
Citizen Smith
05.2005 - 07.2006
EXECUTIVE SOUS CHEF
Mastro’s Steakhouse
02.2002 - 07.2004
Associate of Arts - Food Nutrition And Dietetics
LBCC
No Degree - Cake Decorating
Wilton School Of Cake Decorating
MS “A” School Graduate, 1981 - A.A.
United States Navy