Matthew Knudson
Richmond
Summary
Restaurant manager with 20+ years experience managing in the evolving business of casual dining. Emphasis on employee morale and workplace culture to increase customer satisfaction through decreased ticket times, consistent add-ons, and excitement around loyalty promotion.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
General Manager
Cyclone Anaya's Mexican Kitchen
09.2023 - Current
- Managed budget implementations, employee reviews, training, schedules, and contract negotiations.
- Managed a diverse team of professionals, fostering a positive work environment and high employee satisfaction.
- Developed and implemented strategies to increase sales and profitability.
- Cultivated strong relationships with clients, vendors, and partners to ensure long-term success and loyalty.
- 2 General Managers promoted from me
- Managed budget development, forecasting, and financial reporting processes to track progress towards organizational objectives accurately.
- Formulated policies and procedures to streamline operations.
- Maximized efficiency by coaching and mentoring personnel on management principles, industry practices, company procedures, and technology systems.
- Rolled out and managed ADP to the whole brand
- Managed EZ Cater for all locations
- Aloha proficient
- Rosnet proficient
- Conducted many General Manager meetings for the brand
Assistant General Manager
Pluckers Wing Bar
07.2020 - 07.2023
- Handled cash accurately and prepared deposits.
- Motivated, trained, and disciplined employees to maximize performance.
- Collaborated with the General Manager on marketing initiatives to increase brand awareness and drive sales growth.
- Increased customer satisfaction by addressing and resolving concerns in a timely manner.
- Resolved problems promptly to elevate customer approval.
- Oversaw inventory management processes to maintain proper stock levels and minimize spoilage or waste.
- Managed financial aspects of the business, including budgeting, forecasting, and cost control for optimal profitability.
- Mentored staff members, fostering a supportive work environment that enhanced employee performance and retention.
- Ensured compliance with all health department regulations by implementing strict sanitation guidelines throughout the establishment.
- Monitored facility maintenance needs, coordinating repairs and upgrades as necessary to keep operations running smoothly.
- Managed team schedule with eye for coverage needs and individual strengths.
- Assisted in the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding process for new employees to build a skilled workforce committed to excellence in service delivery.
- Oversaw inventory by ordering precise quantities of stock and executing corrective actions to drive profitability.
- Improved employee morale through recognition programs that acknowledged individual achievements and team successes.
- Maintained well-controlled business inventory with minimal losses by enforcing solid monitoring and management structures.
- Trained new staff members, equipping them with skills needed for success in their roles.
- Managed inventory levels to prevent overstocking or stockouts, ensuring availability of popular items.
- Developed and enforced health and safety protocols, significantly reducing workplace accidents.
- Analyzed sales data to identify and capitalize on trends, driving revenue growth.
General Manager
BJ's Restaurants & Brewhouse
01.2005 - 01.2020
- Received multiple promotions and relocations over the years, developing the skills and experience to run a high volume restaurant and brewhouse
- Employee recruitment, hiring, training & development of over 150 employees, safety compliance, budget management (P&L), and customer satisfaction
- High value placed on implementing processes to maintain organization and efficiency
- Managed a diverse team of professionals, fostering a positive work environment and high employee satisfaction.
- Managed budget implementations, employee reviews, training, schedules, and contract negotiations.
- Monitored financial performance, set budgets and controlled expenses to provide financial stability and long-term organizational growth.
- Managed budget development, forecasting, and financial reporting processes to track progress towards organizational objectives accurately.
- Maximized efficiency by coaching and mentoring personnel on management principles, industry practices, company procedures, and technology systems.
- Formulated policies and procedures to streamline operations.
- Implemented effective cost-saving measures to reduce overhead expenses without compromising quality or service.
- Managed budget implementations, employee evaluations, and contract details.
- Established comprehensive employee training programs to develop skills, improve productivity, and maintain compliance with industry regulations.
- Directed comprehensive sales efforts to exceed revenue targets consistently while maintaining customer satisfaction levels.
- Maximized operational excellence mentoring personnel on management principles, industry practices, and company procedures.
- Implemented robust inventory management systems to optimize stock levels and minimize waste/costs associated with excess product storage.
- Provided thoughtful guidance to personnel in navigating and resolving snags in productivity.
- Fostered culture of continuous improvement, introducing regular review sessions that boosted team performance and morale.
- Monitored daily cash discrepancies, inventory shrinkage and drive-off.
- Managed purchasing, sales, marketing and customer account operations efficiently.
- Reported issues to higher management with great detail.
Kitchen Manager
TGI Friday's Restaurant
01.2001 - 01.2005
- Became familiarized with a large menu and a busy kitchen
- Trained, coached and managed 20+ kitchen employees to get quality food served, as ordered, with efficiency and low ticket times
- Maintained a clean and safe work environment, adhering to all health department regulations and guidelines.
- Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
- Checked and tested foods to verify quality and temperature.
- Mentored and trained new team members, fostering a positive culture of teamwork and collaboration within the kitchen staff.
- Conducted daily checks of refrigerators and freezers to verify proper food storage, container labeling, and surface cleaning.
- Reduced food waste by closely monitoring inventory levels and implementing proper food storage techniques.
- Delivered in-depth training to workers in food preparation and customer-facing roles to promote strong team performance.
- Consistently met or exceeded local health department inspection requirements through diligent adherence to safety protocols and maintaining thorough documentation records.
- Achieved rapid ticket times during peak service hours by effectively managing workflow distribution across various stations.
- Reviewed and analyzed kitchen performance to verify gaps and observe continuous improvement.
Education
High School Diploma -
Shawnee Mission North High School
Overland Park, KS05-1995
Skills
- Sales Projection Analysis
- Understanding of Labor Regulations
- Strong Verbal Communication
- Resilient Work Under Pressure
- Point Of Sale Systems
- Food Service Equipment Maintenance
- Experienced User of Budgeting Software
- Scheduling Software
- Inventory Control Systems
- California Department of Public Health Regulations
- Alcoholic Beverage Control Regulations
- TABC Guidelines
- Food Safety Practices
- Team Leadership
- Effective Problem Solving
- Operational Oversight
- Proficient Team Leader
- Effective Time Management
- Coaching Expertise
- Proficient in ADP Applications
- Proficient in CTUIT Applications
- COMPEAT Expertise
- HotSchedules Expertise
Timeline
General Manager
Cyclone Anaya's Mexican Kitchen
09.2023 - Current
Assistant General Manager
Pluckers Wing Bar
07.2020 - 07.2023
General Manager
BJ's Restaurants & Brewhouse
01.2005 - 01.2020
Kitchen Manager
TGI Friday's Restaurant
01.2001 - 01.2005
High School Diploma -
Shawnee Mission North High School
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