Nana Araba Wilmot
Cherry Hill,NJ
Summary
Well-rounded Chef offering 14 years of comprehensive experience consistently preparing exceptional menu items to garner customer praise. Well-versed in creating new, seasonal menus, hiring and training personnel and maintaining smooth and timely kitchen operations. Committed to delivering first-rate dining experience to guests.
Overview
13
13
years of professional experience
Work History
Chef/Ower
Georgina’s Private Chef and Catering
Philadelphia, PA
06.2011 - Current
- Michelin trained Chef specializing in Ghanaian & French cuisines
- Private dining/full service catering
- Hire and train seasonal employees with cooking French techniques for tasting menu dinners
- Prepare and execute meals for private clients/ dining experiences parties up to 50 people, catering corporate and festivals and vending events for up to 350 people
- Curated dining experience of West African focused dinners (Love That I Knead Supper Club October 2020 - Present) in Philadelphia, New York City and Accra Ghana.
- Planned menus, ordered supplies and managed kitchen staff.
- Monitored food preparation methods, portion sizes and garnishing of dishes to ensure that food was prepared in accordance with the restaurant's recipes and presentation standards.
- Maintained a clean work environment by adhering to sanitation policies and procedures.
- Developed creative ideas for special events or promotions involving food preparation or presentation.
- Adhered to budget guidelines when purchasing ingredients and equipment.
- Supervised team members during meal service to ensure accuracy of orders.
- Organized special events such as banquets or buffets requiring complex menus or decorations.
Restaurant Consultant
The Lenox Bar & Restaurant
Accra, Ghana
02.2024 - 06.2024
- Advised clients on how to maximize profits through effective labor scheduling methods.
- Provided guidance to restaurant owners on menu design, pricing structure and marketing tactics.
- Analyzed restaurant operations, identified areas for improvement and recommended solutions.
- Facilitated training sessions for staff members on customer service best practices.
- Assessed compliance with health codes, sanitation standards and other regulatory guidelines.
- Diversified menu by adding seasonal options, limited time specials and fresh, local ingredients.
- Trained new team members on menu items, operating procedures and company policies.
- Provided leadership, insight and mentoring to newly hired employees to supply knowledge of various company programs.
- Oversaw food preparation, production and presentation according to quality standards.
Chef de Partie
La Mercerie
NYC
07.2019 - 12.2019
- Collaborate with the team to deliver timely service of items
- Prepare up to 130 orders per shift in a fast-paced restaurant
- Offer support to other stations during high-volume shifts to maintain optimal coverage and meet customer needs
- Improve employee performance by providing constructive suggestions and encouragement
- Prepare and execute meals for private dining room parties for 25 people
- Mentored and trained 4 hotline cooks, helping to improve and maintain overall quality and performance
- Learned to expedite food in a face paced environment.
Meat Roast
Le Coucou
NYC
11.2016 - 07.2019
- Part of the Le Coucou team which was awarded 3 stars in The New York Times, 2017 James Beard Award Best New Restaurant, and obtained 1 Michelin Star in 2018 and 2019
- Trained and supervised line cooks to develop new skills on Hot Appetizers, Fish, Meat, and Entremets stations
- Prepared mise en place every day to promote efficient preparation of signature dishes
- Prepared up to 216 dishes per shift for busy, fast-paced, high volume fine dining restaurant
- Followed proper food handling methods and maintained correct temperature of food products resulting in consistently high scores on health inspections
- Oversaw preparations for soups and stocks
- Assisted with Inventory and ordering.
Lead Line Cook
Garces Group
Philadelphia/ NYC, PA
10.2014 - 11.2016
- Batch cooked food items during peak service hours to minimize wait time
- Rotated stock items and ingredients to maintain efficiency and freshness
- Offered support to other stations during high-volume shifts to maintain optimal coverage and meet customer needs.
- Opening team Amada NYC 2016 (relocated)
- Provided ongoing support to new employees, addressing any questions or concerns they had regarding the grand opening process.
- Trained new cooks on recipes, preparation methods, safety procedures and sanitation guidelines.
- Supervised the inventory of food items to ensure adequate supplies for daily operations.
- Prepared dishes in fast-paced environment working with teammates to maintain high customer satisfaction rate.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Restaurant & Culinary Management
The Art Institutes
Philadelphia, PA10-2013
Skills
- Fish
- Meat
- Batch Cooking
- Menu Development
- Knife Work
- Ingredient Prep
- Plating
- Presentation
- Organization
- Leadership
- Creativity
- Collaboration
- Safety
- Sanitation
- Adaptability
- Staff Development
- English Fluency
- Staff Coordination
- Recipe Development
Accomplishments
- Bon Appetit Magazine feature spread (2018) Life on the Life article and Youtube series
- Partnership with AfroFuture (2022) Curated Programming (sustainability, food security and epicurean experiences)
- 2023 Black Women in Food Honorees — Culinary Award
- James Beard Foundation Dinner "Connecting the dots: West African cuisine and Soul Food" (2023)
- Cherry Bombe Magazine feature The Future of Food 50 list (2023)
- Specialty Food Association Summer Fancy Food Show (2024) / Chef, Panelist and Demo at first ever Africa Pavillion
- Book Contributor - The Contemporary African Kitchen by Alexander Smalls (October 2024)
- Culinary Lead on Cookbook photoshoot - Ghana to the World by Eric Adjepong (March 2025)
Press Media
- Forbes: James Beard Foundation’s Platform Celebrates Black Culinary Excellence July 2023
- Eater NY: Hottest Pop Up May/June 2023
- Eater: America's Next Era of Fine Dining if Here by Care of West Africa Feb 2023
- NYTimes: How High End Restaurants Have Failed Black Women Jan 2021
- Bon Appetit: A Day in the Life of a Line cook at One of NYC's Fanciest restaurants March 2018
Hobbies and Interests
- St. Bart's Church Youth Director / Board of Directors Vestry (3 years)
- Organized children's programs for the school year, including Habitat for Humanity, soup kitchens, fundraisers, Christmas gifts for kids in need, care packages for college students, and Christmas plays.
Websites
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Restaurant Consultant
The Lenox Bar & Restaurant
02.2024 - 06.2024
Chef de Partie
La Mercerie
07.2019 - 12.2019
Meat Roast
Le Coucou
11.2016 - 07.2019
Lead Line Cook
Garces Group
10.2014 - 11.2016
Chef/Ower
Georgina’s Private Chef and Catering
06.2011 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Restaurant & Culinary Management
The Art Institutes
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