Open To Work
Mary Jo Haralson
Grumpy's Diner
Crossville,AL
15
years of professional experience
Dynamic culinary professional with extensive experience at Grumpy's Diner, recognized for enhancing customer satisfaction through high-quality food presentation and exceptional service. Skilled in food safety oversight and multitasking, I consistently deliver prompt, visually appealing dishes while training new staff to uphold restaurant standards. Committed to maintaining a clean and efficient kitchen environment.
Work History
Poultry Processor
2 Years 1 Month- Trimmed and deboned poultry products while maintaining line speed and product quality standards.
- Inspected carcasses for defects, contamination, and foreign material before packaging.
- Packaged finished poultry items according to weight, labeling, and sanitation requirements.
- Followed HACCP, GMP, and food safety procedures throughout production shifts.
- Operated knives, cutters, and processing equipment safely in high-volume environments.
- Cleaned workstations, tools, and processing areas to support sanitation compliance.
- Assisted teammates with material handling and workflow coordination on production lines.
- Inspected poultry product for defects and removed defective pieces from conveyor belt.
- Supported cross-functional teams, aiding other departments when necessary to maintain workflow continuity.
- Removed skin, feathers, and scales from poultry carcasses at beginning of processing line.
- Managed time effectively to meet daily production goals without sacrificing attention to detail and quality standards.
- Cut and trim white and dark meat and special cuts to prepare for packaging.
- Built and packed boxes for shipment.
- Decontaminated work areas using sprayers to apply cleaning and disinfecting solutions.
- Separated dark meat from light meat using Type knife.
- Demonstrated strong multitasking capabilities while managing multiple concurrent tasks within a fast-paced processing environment.
Cook
1 Year 6 Months- Prepared menu items to recipe specs and portion standards.
- Ran grills, fryers, and ovens safely during high-volume service.
- Tracked food temperatures to support quality and sanitation standards.
- Worked with front-of-house staff to keep order timing accurate.
- Prepared meals quickly under time pressure for prompt service during peak hours.
- Kept workspace clean and sanitary to meet health and safety rules.
- Managed multiple orders at once while keeping quality and presentation strong.
- Checked item quality, rotated stock, and monitored old and new ingredients for freshness.
- Raised customer satisfaction by serving high-quality, visually appealing dishes.
- Worked closely with servers to understand special customer orders.
- Adjusted quickly to menu changes and customer requests with flexible problem-solving.
- Trained new kitchen staff to meet restaurant standards.
- Followed food handling and safety standards to reduce risk to customers.
Server
7 Years 3 Months- Greeted guests quickly and shared menu suggestions to support positive dining experiences.
- Entered accurate orders and relayed special requests clearly to kitchen staff.
- Brought food and beverages to tables efficiently while giving attentive service.
- Handled guest payments and cash transactions with accuracy.
- Delivered food and beverages promptly while staying focused on customer needs.
- Built friendly relationships with regular customers.
- Completed opening and closing tasks and kept dining area ready for service changes.
- Supported guests during high-volume periods without losing attention to detail or customer rapport.
- Addressed customer complaints and concerns professionally to resolve issues quickly and maintain positive relationships.
- Helped train new hires on restaurant standards and best practices.
- Managed cash transactions accurately and supported balanced daily financial reports.
- Set positive tone for dining experience as first point of contact for incoming guests.
- Followed health and safety protocols to maintain safe and sanitary conditions for guests and staff.
- Built strong rapport with regular customers through genuine hospitality and repeat visits.
- Increased sales through upselling and strong knowledge of menu items, specials, and promotions.
- Explained menu items and suggested suitable options for food allergy concerns.
- Used slow periods to restock supplies, ice trays, and delivery bags.
- Supported coworkers during rush periods to maintain smooth team operations.
- Remembered regular guests' preferences and greeted guests by name to support repeat business.
Cook
2 Years 2 Months- Restocked ingredients and organized prep stations to support efficient workflow.
- Cleaned work surfaces, utensils, and equipment to meet kitchen standards.
- Adapted quickly to changing ticket volume and special dietary requests.
- Supported kitchen consistency by following daily prep lists and closing procedures.
- Prepared food items following recipes and portion control guidelines.
- Maintained clean, organized work areas to support safe, high-quality food preparation.
- Set up cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to support productivity.
- Prepared multiple orders at once during peak periods with strong accuracy and customer satisfaction.
- Created identical dishes throughout day with consistent care, attention to detail, and quality.
- Trained new staff on food preparation, storage, equipment use, and sanitation.
- Supported kitchen operations through clear communication and teamwork.
- Assisted with inventory management and supply ordering to maintain stock levels.
- Improved menu offerings by using seasonal ingredients and new cooking methods.
- Streamlined prep work to improve kitchen efficiency.
- Improved meal presentation through creative plating techniques.
- Prepared diverse cuisines to meet customer dietary needs and preferences.
- Maintained high hygiene and cleanliness standards for safe dining environment.
- Followed food safety and sanitation standards.
- Managed opening and closing shift kitchen tasks.
- Measured, weighed, and mixed ingredients according to recipe directions.
- Prioritized and adjusted kitchen tasks based on changing demands.
- Trained and supervised cooking staff to meet daily service needs.
- Operated grills, fryers, and ovens safely during high-volume service.
- Prepared meals efficiently under time constraints for timely service.
Education
High School Diploma
Skills
Customer service
Cooking
Cleaning and organization
Food handling
Multitasking and organization
Food preparation
Strong attention to safe food handling procedures
Frying
Contamination prevention
Food presentation
Hospitality and service industry background
Kitchen equipment operation and maintenance
Grilling
Food plating and presentation
New hire training
Event catering
Extensive catering background
Problem-solving
Time management
Attention to detail
Health and safety compliance
Food storage
Inventory management
Staff training
Kitchen sanitation management
Recipe-based cooking
Recipe modification
Food safety oversight
High volume production capability
Focused and disciplined
Order prioritization
Accomplishments
I won Readers choice best breakfast this year.
Timeline
Cook
Grumpy's Diner
05.2025 - CurrentRead More
Server
Waffle House
09.2018 - 12.2025Read More
Cook
Crawmama's
07.2015 - 09.2017Read More
Poultry Processor
Tysons Foods
03.2012 - 04.2014Read More
Breckenridge County High School
High School Diploma
Read More