Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Timeline
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Robert Herrera

Mesa,AZ

Summary

Talented kitchen leader offer over 32 years of experience in preparing and serving diverse foods. Motivates employees to exceed customer expectations in high-volume settings while maintaining strong quality and cost controls. Service-oriented with good multitasking, safety management and decision-making skills. Skilled Kitchen Manager knowledgeable about best practices, safe food handling and inventory management. Experienced kitchen manager successful at reducing costs, increasing productivity and maximizing customer satisfaction. Exceptional leader with strong communication and conflict resolution abilities. 32 years of progressive leadership experience. Energetic Kitchen Manager enthusiastic about working with high-performance teams. Personable, responsible and hardworking professional. Dedicated to innovative dishes, effective budgeting and top-of-the-line customer service. Organized and dependable candidate successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Willingness to take on added responsibilities to meet team goals. To seek and maintain full-time position that offers professional challenges utilizing interpersonal skills, excellent time management and problem-solving skills.

Overview

37
37
years of professional experience

Work History

Kitchen Manager

Aurora Behavioral Health System-Tempe
6350 S Maple Avenue , AZ
04.2018 - Current
  • Conducted daily checks of refrigerators and freezers to verify proper food storage, container labeling and surface cleaning.
  • Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
  • Delegated food preparation duties down to cooks and followed up with cooks to verify proper preparation and production of meals.
  • Checked and tested foods to verify quality and temperature.
  • Delivered in-depth training to workers in food preparation and customer-facing roles to promote strong team performance.


Lead Cook

Ahwatukee Country Club
12432 S 48th Street, AZ
04.2017 - 04.2018
  • Supervised line cooks to monitor food safety and order accuracy.
  • Prepared ingredients ahead of time to promote efficiency in dish garnishing.
  • Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
  • Delegated jobs within kitchen depending on restaurant traffic and employee skill.
  • Took food orders from cashiers and cooked items quickly to complete order items together and serve hot.
  • Taught kitchen staff safety protocols and restaurant standards.
  • Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
  • Transitioned between breakfast and lunch service.
  • Collaborated with servers to collect information about specific customer desires and dietary needs.

Dining Services Director

The Citadel Retirement And Assisted Living Community
Mesa, AZ
07.2016 - 06.2017
  • Hired, trained and directed [Number]-person team of dining services professionals.
  • Monitored food production and corrected issues in preparation, portioning or other areas.
  • Maintained exceptional standards of safety and sanitation in all areas.
  • Kept inventory levels in line with expected demands.
  • Maintained kitchen cleanliness and sanitation through correct procedures and scheduled cleaning of surfaces and equipment.
  • Motivated staff to perform at peak efficiency and quality.
  • Led daily staff meetings to implement policies and update team members on meal plans.
  • Trained staff on proper cooking procedures as well as safety regulations and productivity strategies.
  • Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
  • Purchased food and cultivated strong vendor relationships.
  • Maintained effective supply levels by monitoring and reordering food stock and dry goods.

Kitchen Manager

Brookdale North Chandler
Chandler, AZ
01.2013 - 07.2016
  • Conducted daily checks of refrigerators and freezers to verify proper food storage, container labeling and surface cleaning.
  • Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
  • Delegated food preparation duties down to cooks and followed up with cooks to verify proper preparation and production of meals.
  • Checked and tested foods to verify quality and temperature.
  • Created and deployed successful strategies to boost restaurant performance, streamline food prep processes and reduce waste.
  • Applied knowledge of previous supply needs and forecasted business levels to estimate required supplies.
  • Spearheaded regular maintenance and repair operations to keep building and equipment in peak condition.
  • Maintained kitchen cleanliness and sanitation through correct procedures and scheduled cleaning of surfaces and equipment.
  • Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
  • Maintained effective supply levels by monitoring and reordering food stock and dry goods.

Executive Sous Chef

Brookdale North Chander
Chandler, AZ
05.2004 - 12.2010
  • Plated every dish with attractive flair to meet strict restaurant standards and maintain stellar business reputation.
  • Established and updated staff schedules and assignments to optimize coverage of peak times.
  • Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
  • Oversaw business operations, inventory control, and customer service for restaurant.
  • Developed menus, controlled food costs and oversaw quality, sanitation and safety processes.
  • Verified compliance in preparation of menu items and customer special requests.
  • Estimated food consumption and requisitioned food, selected and developed recipes, standardized production recipes for consistent quality and established presentation technique.
  • Handled and stored food to eliminate illness and prevent cross-contamination.
  • Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
  • Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
  • Inventoried food, ingredient and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
  • Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.

Sous Chef

Gila River Casino
Chandler, AZ
10.1997 - 04.2005
  • Acted as head chef when required to maintain continuity of service and quality.
  • Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
  • Mentored kitchen staff to prepare each for demanding roles.
  • Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.
  • Plated every dish with attractive flair to meet strict restaurant standards and maintain stellar business reputation.
  • Collaborated with staff members to create meals for large banquets.
  • Established and updated staff schedules and assignments to optimize coverage of peak times.
  • Collaborated with vendors to source desired recipe ingredients while maintaining tight cost controls.
  • Modernized processes for kitchen staff to reduce guest wait times and boost daily output.
  • Produced revolutionary menu offerings to put establishments on local, regional and national map.
  • Trained and managed kitchen personnel and supervised related culinary activity.
  • Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
  • Oversaw scheduling, inventory management and supply ordering to maintain fully stocked kitchen.

Lead Cook

Friendship Village Of Tempe
Tempe, AZ
10.1989 - 11.2002
  • Supervised line cooks to monitor food safety and order accuracy.
  • Prepared ingredients ahead of time to promote efficiency in dish garnishing.
  • Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
  • Took over line positions in event of emergency.
  • Taught kitchen staff safety protocols and restaurant standards.
  • Delegated jobs within kitchen depending on restaurant traffic and employee skill.
  • Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
  • Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
  • Transitioned between breakfast and lunch service.
  • Upheld optimal staff and customer protections by monitoring food handling, cleaning and sanitation protocols.
  • Prepared meals for lunch and dining services with average of [Number] tables per day.
  • Monitored cooks and dishwasher performance and suggested improvements to streamline processes and increase team efficiency.
  • Coordinated line cook break schedules to avoid delays during busy periods and maintain adequate coverage.
  • Streamlined kitchen operations by creating more accurate prep sheets, standardized recipe files and product-rotation systems.

Education

High School Diploma -

Marcos De Niza High School
Tempe, AZ
05.1986

Skills

  • Performance Improvement
  • Safe Food Handling
  • New Employee Recruitment
  • Food Safety and Sanitation
  • Multitasking and Organization
  • Monitoring Food Preparation
  • Staff Training
  • Kitchen Equipment Operation
  • Menu Planning
  • Health Code Compliance
  • Cost Control
  • Customer Service
  • Employee Performance Evaluations
  • Budget Management
  • Productivity Improvements
  • Verbal and Written Communication
  • Servsafe Certification

Timeline

Kitchen Manager

Aurora Behavioral Health System-Tempe
04.2018 - Current

Lead Cook

Ahwatukee Country Club
04.2017 - 04.2018

Dining Services Director

The Citadel Retirement And Assisted Living Community
07.2016 - 06.2017

Kitchen Manager

Brookdale North Chandler
01.2013 - 07.2016

Executive Sous Chef

Brookdale North Chander
05.2004 - 12.2010

Sous Chef

Gila River Casino
10.1997 - 04.2005

Lead Cook

Friendship Village Of Tempe
10.1989 - 11.2002

High School Diploma -

Marcos De Niza High School

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Robert Herrera