Ricardo Gayle
SOUS CHEF
Panama City
Summary
Dynamic Sous Chef with a proven track record at St. Joe Company, excelling in menu planning and talent development. Achieved a prestigious Forbes Guide 4-Star rating by leading a team of 25+ in high-volume fine dining. Expert in food safety and inventory management, fostering a collaborative kitchen environment that enhances creativity and efficiency.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
Souc Chef
St. Joe Company Watersound Camp Creek Inn
Inlet Beach, FL
08.2023 - 02.2026
- Expert in menu engineering and high-volume fine dining operations.
- Lead Kitchen team to achieve a prestigious Forbes Guide 4-Star rating.
- Supervised daily back-of-house operations, managing a team of 25+ kitchen staff.
- Planned and executed special events, banquets, private dining experiences for up to 200+ guests.
- Assisted with menu development and planning.
- Trained and mentored new staff members in kitchen safety, sanitation and cooking techniques.
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Utilized culinary techniques to create visually appealing dishes.
- Disciplined and dedicated to meeting high-quality standards.
- Participated in food tastings and taste tests.
- Set up and broke down kitchen for service.
- Implemented cost-saving strategies without compromising on quality, carefully selecting suppliers and negotiating better prices.
- Fostered a collaborative team environment, encouraging creativity and skill development among staff.
Sous Chef
Macho Taco Cantina
Santa Rosa Beach, FL
07.2020 - 02.2023
- Served as an integral part of the hiring process for new kitchen staff members, contributing valuable insights into candidate selection based on experience and skill set compatibility with existing team dynamics.
- Developed strong relationships with local vendors, securing fresh ingredients at competitive prices while supporting community businesses.
- Led kitchen team during high-volume service times, ensuring seamless operation and guest satisfaction.
- Improved efficiency in kitchen, organizing workflow to ensure timely preparation and delivery of dishes.
- Engineered an assembly line mise en place that delivered 90 second ticket times at peak lunch via lean six sigma principles
Campus Chef
University of the West Indies
St Andrew, Jamaica
01.2017 - 06.2020
- Developed and implemented seasonal menus reflecting local ingredients and culinary trends.
- Supervised kitchen staff to ensure adherence to food safety and sanitation standards.
- Trained new chefs on cooking techniques and kitchen equipment operation.
- Collaborated with nutritionists to create balanced meal options for diverse dietary needs.
- Conducted regular quality control checks to maintain consistency in food preparation and presentation.
- Initiated cost-saving measures that enhanced overall kitchen efficiency without compromising quality.
- Oversaw grill, stove, and oven, and cleaned equipment after every shift.
- Checked freezer and refrigerator prior to each shift to verify correct temperatures.
Education
High School Diploma -
Universirty Of West Indies
JamaicaSkills
- Food safety
- Inventory management
- Menu planning
- Talent Development
- Client Relationship Management
- Knife skills
- Ingredient knowledge
- Detail-oriented
- Kitchen management
- Ordering and requisitions
Timeline
Souc Chef
St. Joe Company Watersound Camp Creek Inn
08.2023 - 02.2026
Sous Chef
Macho Taco Cantina
07.2020 - 02.2023
Campus Chef
University of the West Indies
01.2017 - 06.2020
High School Diploma -
Universirty Of West Indies