Rajaie Al Khaiyat
Herndon,VA
Summary
Strategic restaurant manager with a history of improving guest satisfaction, labor efficiency, and unit profitability through hands-on leadership and disciplined operations. Known for building strong teams, supporting recruiting and training, managing budgets, and driving sales through local marketing, service standards, and effective floor leadership.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Senior Manager
PF Changs Restaurant
Fairfax, VA
10.2023 - Current
- Supported daily restaurant flow through floor leadership and service coordination.
- Helped maintain balanced labor coverage through staff scheduling and shift planning.
- Improved service consistency through team training on standards and procedures.
- Provided compliance support through food safety, sanitation, and health oversight.
- Handled guest concerns and service recovery issues.
- Trained and supervised staff on customer service, food handling, and safety protocols.
- Managed recruitment, hiring, onboarding, training, scheduling, and employee evaluations.
- Ordered supplies from vendors as needed while staying within budget guidelines.
- Assisted with kitchen preparation during peak times as needed.
- Followed health department regulations for food storage and preparation.
- Coached and disciplined staff to address issues promptly and provide constructive feedback.
- Monitored ingredient stock levels to support timely delivery of fresh produce.
- Worked closely with team members to deliver high-quality customer service.
- Moved through assigned areas to assess customer needs and prioritize tasks during peak hours.
FOH Senior Manager
Lazy Dog Restaurant
Fairfax, Virginia
02.2020 - Current
- Hire and train FOH staff, set and maintain shift schedules, ensure customer satisfaction, facilitate quick and efficient communications between FOH and BOH.
- Weekly and monthly budget meetings, implementing LRM (local restaurant marketing) including but limited to fundraising and community involvement.
- Selected Accomplishments:
- Maintained guest satisfaction score of 90 the last 14 months
- Top 10 lowest Optimal Vs Actual FOH labor for the year 2022
- Achieved LBW mix of 20.6% throughout the last quarter
- Minimized the loss of Off Primes Dining by continuing strong presence in the local market achieving 2022 budget and gain of 2.5% off-premises mix %
Operating Partner
PF Chang's
Sterling, Virginia
05.2018 - 02.2020
- Develop, encourage, and model a fun, positive, family-style work environment
- Experience working in a hands-on, fast paced, high volume environment
- Strong communication skills with the ability to resolve conflict and provide direction
- Involved/understanding of managing inventory, cost of goods and overall control of financials
- Adapt quickly to a variety of work environments, embracing diversity
- Selected Accomplishments:
- Achieved and maintained the lowest level of food cost in the region 19% Vs 21% theoretical quarter two and three (crunch time)
- Increased sales volume by 3% for quarter two and quarter three of 2019.
- Increased catering revenue by 65% year to date
- Created new business through community involvement and local store marketing program which generated more revenue.
- Increased OPD ( off premise dining) volume by 265%
- Achieved company goals to match the turnover percentage from 220% to 110%
- Achieved target IPLH for front of the house 7.7 and back of the house of 8.5 utilizing ABF (actual based forecasting)
- Maintained an EBITDA margin of 18% compared to company average of 15.2% maintaining positive flow on profit and loss statement for a unit generating 2.5-3 million in a year
- Increased customer satisfaction by 18% reaching company standards of 65%
- Maintained an average ECO sure score of 13 ( demerit system)
Senior Manager
PF Chang's
Virginia Beach
10.2016 - 05.2018
- Responsible for the selection, development and performance of the front of house hospitality staff. Ensure guest satisfaction, empowering hospitality staff to live up to the company's message
- Selected Accomplishments:
- Overseeing restaurant staff performance, ensuring quality dining.
- Communication, decision making, conflict resolution, self-motivation
- Assisted management team members to grow profit in the year 2017 28%-32%
- Awarded restaurant of the year for 2017 out of 220 units
- Assisted in reducing food cost 5%, liquor cost 2%, and labor cost 4%
- Recruited and trained staff for new store opening
- Achieved a mile stone of becoming certified training restaurant only one in our region out of 11 restaurants
- Implemented inventive marketing strategies to drive increased sales over the prior year with minimum impact on labor budgeting.
General Manager
Applebee's
Newport News, Virginia
01.2016 - 06.2016
- In charge of spearheading all aspects of restaurant operation encompassing hiring and recruitment of employees, training supervision, scheduling, payroll, coordination with human resources, and food inventory management
Project Manager/ Owner Representative
Royal Hashemite Court
Amman, Jordan
01.2006 - 08.2015
- Tasked to establish the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts, and achieve the vision for Jordan to become the market leader in culinary education locally and the regionally.
- Selected Accomplishments:
- Over seeing an $8 million project
- Created and executed project work plans
- Identified resources needed and assigns individual responsibilities.
- Managed day-to-day operational aspects of a project and scope.
- Reviewed deliverables prepared by team
- Prepared for engagement reviews and quality assurance procedures.
- Ensures project documents are complete, current, and stored appropriately.
Education
Associate in Applied Science (AAS) - Restaurant Management
State University of New York
Morrisville, New YorkTwo semesters - Hotel management
Rochester Institute of Technology
Rochester, New YorkSkills
- Project coordination and team leadership
- Food and beverage operations
- Cost management and financial planning
- Hiring and onboarding processes
- Liquor law compliance
- Inventory management and control
- Effective communication skills
- Multilingual capabilities
- Culinary expertise
- Leadership development and staff coaching
- Labor scheduling strategies
- Food safety compliance
- Budget forecasting techniques
- Guest service excellence
- Vendor management practices
- Talent development initiatives
- Problem solving abilities
Custom
Clifton Strengths: Woo- Positivity- Includer- Belief- Strategic thinker
Timeline
Senior Manager
PF Changs Restaurant
10.2023 - Current
FOH Senior Manager
Lazy Dog Restaurant
02.2020 - Current
Operating Partner
PF Chang's
05.2018 - 02.2020
Senior Manager
PF Chang's
10.2016 - 05.2018
General Manager
Applebee's
01.2016 - 06.2016
Project Manager/ Owner Representative
Royal Hashemite Court
01.2006 - 08.2015
Associate in Applied Science (AAS) - Restaurant Management
State University of New York
Two semesters - Hotel management
Rochester Institute of Technology