Michael J Smith
LEVITTOWN,NY
Summary
Highly capable self-starter, organized, adaptable with a history of preparing food in high volume restaurant hotel operations that provide profitable returns to ownership. Proficient in all areas of food production: daily preparation, supervision of employees, managing food budget, event and inventory planning, kitchen inspections, and overseeing food and beverage production. Experienced in diverse group of award-winning restaurants coupled with training at some of the finest restaurants. (The River Café, Two Starts from the New York Times and ILO at the Bryant Park hotel, Three Stars from the New York Times).
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Sales Representative
Affinity Fine Wines and Liquors
Freeport, NY
06.2025 - Current
- Long Island sales representative, Hotels, restaurants, wines shops, liquor stores.
- Wines and spirits from Italy, France, Spain, Chile, Argentina, Georgia and Moldova.
General Manager
Amendola Catering
Wantagh, NY
11.2023 - 06.2025
- Overseeing all catering events, from small backyard parties, in house cooking to beach parties and graduations.
- Wine service, Kitchen prep, food truck prep, set up and break down.
Personal Pursuit
Career Break
Manhattan, NY
07.2023 - 09.2023
Executive Chef
Long Island Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
Uniondale, NY
01.2021 - 07.2023
- Executive Chef for the largest hotel on Long Island, Full-service Hotel with 615 rooms and 26,000 square feet of meeting space.
- Managing a staff of 28 cooks and stewards, monthly inventories of food and daily ordering of all food products, payroll, scheduling. Executive chef for Crop & Kettle steakhouse.
- Coming out of covid keeping food cost % low. Recreated restaurant and Banquet Menus.
Executive Chef/ Partner
Gemini Catering
Queens, NY
11.2018 - 04.2020
- A full-service catering company, catering for 5 to 500 people
- Ordered all food and organized all kitchen production for all parties
- Established SOP's including kitchen structure and position duties, scheduling and production start times, lead times and ordered minimums for drop-off orders, production/prep sheets.
Director of Food and Beverage/Executive Chef
Radisson Hotel, JFK Airport
Jamaica, NY
11.2016 - 11.2018
- Successfully managed a staff of (32) union employees.
- Created and developed new menus for restaurant and lounge, including catering packages.
- Oversaw daily operations for the restaurant, lounge and 5,000 square feet of meeting space.
- Ordered all food and liquor for the hotel and completed month end inventories.
- Ensured the standards of service were met in training and developing of staff members.
- Reduced food and beverage cost% by 3.5%
Executive Chef
Radisson Hotel and Resorts
Hauppauge, NY
09.2015 - 11.2016
- Oversaw food services for areas including a high-end lounge, banquet functions, meeting functions and room service, Starbucks coffee kiosk and a full-service restaurant.
- Maintained high quality and profitability of the establishment.
- Food Cost (28%), menu development, events, labor cost control, guest satisfaction score improvement and associate relations were all part of the daily responsibilities.
- The total staff consisted of 15 culinary associates, 6 stewarding personnel,1 banquet chef and 2 sous chefs.
Area Food and Beverage Manager
Courtyard by Marriott/Towne Place Suites
Farmingdale, NY
11.2014 - 01.2016
- Managed the day-to-day operations of the Restaurant, banquets and Towne Place Suites
- Ordered and inventoried all food and beverage, worked in the restaurant, banquets and trained associates, ran BQT and meeting functions
- Performed the cash handling, micros, payroll and scheduling duties.
Food and Beverage Manager
Sheraton
Tribeca, NY
04.2014 - 11.2014
- Managed the entire food and beverage department.
- Overall control of Starbucks kiosk, banquets, room service, the Dutch Lounge and the Cast Iron Grill
- Conducted food and beverage inventories, ordered food and liquor, wine beer, special promotions (happy hour, sports specials), cash handling, micros, payroll, scheduling, managed a staff of 18.
Sous Chef
Long Island Marriott Hotel
Uniondale, NY
10.2009 - 04.2014
- Supervised a staff of 20 people who prepared 200 - 800 covers a night for high volume hotel contributing efficiency that increased profit margins. Sous chef for Prime seasons steakhouse
- Expedited dinner in and up to 4 outlets a night providing on time delivery and service.
- Wrote daily prep including creating daily dinner specials served by a la carte menu that received favorable notice and generated more interest around hotel fare.
- Monitored kitchen to ensure compliance to safety and sanitation standards set by OSHA and state regulations.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Culinary Arts & Food Service Management
Johnson & Wales University
Providence, RI05-2026
Associates of Science degree - Occupational Studies Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management
New York Restaurant School /The Art Institute of New York
New York, NY01-2024
Intensive sommelier course - undefined
Institute of Culinary Education
New York, NY07-2023
Certificate in Culinary & Pastry arts - undefined
New York Restaurant School /The Art Institute of New York
New York, NY01-1993
Skills
- Customer service
- Customer relations
- Customer relationship building
- Interpersonal communication skills
Certification
- New York City, BOH handler’s license 01/2017
- Serv-Safe Food Safety 02/2022
- All Star Bartending School 2014
- Mixology 40 hours of certification course 11/2015
- TIPS certified 02/2025
Additional Experience
- Executive Chef at Marriott, Crowne Plaza and Hilton Brands.
- Selected chef of the new restaurant “The Pavilion Grille” which received favorable reviews in the “F & B Monthly,” circulation of 3.4 million subscribers (Crowne Plaza)
- Voted 3rd best dining experience in Explore, Long Island Newsday based upon superior food and service presentation Islandia Marriott.
Timeline
Sales Representative
Affinity Fine Wines and Liquors
06.2025 - Current
General Manager
Amendola Catering
11.2023 - 06.2025
Personal Pursuit
Career Break
07.2023 - 09.2023
Executive Chef
Long Island Marriott Hotel and Conference Center
01.2021 - 07.2023
Executive Chef/ Partner
Gemini Catering
11.2018 - 04.2020
Director of Food and Beverage/Executive Chef
Radisson Hotel, JFK Airport
11.2016 - 11.2018
Executive Chef
Radisson Hotel and Resorts
09.2015 - 11.2016
Area Food and Beverage Manager
Courtyard by Marriott/Towne Place Suites
11.2014 - 01.2016
Food and Beverage Manager
Sheraton
04.2014 - 11.2014
Sous Chef
Long Island Marriott Hotel
10.2009 - 04.2014
Associates of Science degree - Occupational Studies Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management
New York Restaurant School /The Art Institute of New York
Intensive sommelier course - undefined
Institute of Culinary Education
Certificate in Culinary & Pastry arts - undefined
New York Restaurant School /The Art Institute of New York
Bachelor of Science - Culinary Arts & Food Service Management
Johnson & Wales University