Ryan Vargas
Orlando,FL
Summary
36+ years of combined high-level experience in the culinary arts industry. Demonstrated success in the top hotels of the world. Motivated towards a high standard of excellence. A creative flair in food preparation and high volume ala carte. Excellent managerial and communication skills. A5-Diamond approach to success.
Experienced with managing regional culinary operations and team leadership. Utilizes innovative menu development and strategic planning to enhance kitchen performance. Track record of delivering consistent quality and fostering strong team collaboration.
Overview
33
33
years of professional experience
Work History
Regional / Executive Chef STK Disney Springs
STK The One Group
07.2018 - 01.2025
- Overlooking 10 restaurants 10 Executive Chefs
- Training and developing culinary team to excel company standards
- Working closely with Executive Chefs to manage monthly food and labor costs budget
- 2018 Executive Chef STK Disney Springs
- 2020-2025 Regional Chef Atlantic/South East
- Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews.
- Maintained a safe and sanitary work environment, adhering to health department standards and regulations.
- Oversaw business operations, inventory control, and customer service for restaurant.
Chef De Cuisine
Emerils Tchoup Chop / Emerils Orlando, Florida
10.2014 - 01.2018
- Supported and executed Emeril’s Homebase vision and goals
- Responsible for all day-to-day culinary operations
- Tchoup Chop featured Hawaiian Asian Fusion Cuisine
- Emeril’s featured “New” New Orleans Cuisine
- Optimized kitchen workflow by delegating tasks according to individual strengths, resulting in faster ticket times during peak hours.
- Enhanced guest satisfaction by creating innovative and visually appealing dishes using fresh, local ingredients.
- Scheduled and supervised all kitchen employees such as dishwashers and waiters.
Executive Sous Chef
Ballen Isles Country Club, PGA Florida
09.2013 - 10.2014
- Supporting and executing Executive Chef Department vision and goals
- Responsible for all day-to-day culinary operations, which include the employee dining, Bistro105, Main Dining Room, The Grill, Banquets, Garde Manger, Stewarding and food golf carts
Corporate Chef
Pangea Bistro, Wellington FL
02.2011 - 08.2012
- 2011 Best Chef Palm Beach County by Palm Beach Post Food Editor Liz Balmaseda
- Super Six Restaurant in Palm Beach County by Boca Magazine
- Designed and planned restaurant concept Continental Global Cuisine with Hawaiian accents
- 120 seats
Executive Sous Chef
Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach 5 Diamond Resort
10.2004 - 02.2011
- In charge of all aspects of daily kitchen operation of a fast paced award-winning resort
- Manage a staff of 46 cooks and 6 chefs, 6 food and beverage outlets
- Oversee hiring, scheduling, training, and staffing of kitchens
- Maximize Profitability by maintaining food and labor cost
- Orchestrate the up keep and ordering of kitchen equipment
- In charge of specialty high profile culinary events
- Create menus and recipes for all food and beverage outlets
- Assisted Executive Chef in cost analysis and budget management, optimizing profitability without compromising quality.
- Increased customer satisfaction through consistent delivery of exceptional dishes, resulting in positive reviews.
Executive Sous Chef
Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai Big Island, Hawaii5 Diamond Resort
12.2001 - 10.2004
- #1 voted best resort & hotel in Hawaii and #12 world best Travel and Leisure
- In charge of all aspects of daily kitchen operations of a resort in Hawaii.243 rooms
- Manage a staff of 50 cooks 6 chefs
- Maximize profitability by maintaining food and labor cost
- Orchestrate the up keep and ordering of kitchen equipment
- In charge of specialty high profile culinary event
- Create menus and recipes for all food and beverage outlets
Executive Chef
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, Pan Pacific Hotels, Big Island Hawaii
10.1999 - 12.2001
- In charge of all aspects of daily kitchen operations of an award winning hotel a5-Diamond resort in Hawaii
- 320 Rooms, 5 Bungalows, 8 Food & Beverage outlets
- Managed 8 chefs and 1 Executive Steward
- Managed kitchen and stewarding department122 union employees
- Maximize profitability by maintaining food and labor cost
- Supervised the up keep and ordering of kitchen equipment
- In charge of specialty high profile culinary event
- Create menus and recipes for all food and beverage outlets
- Orchestrated specialty high profile food and wine event Cuisine of the Sun
- Maintained the award winning reputation of the Canoe House Restaurant
Executive Sous Chef
Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Kapalua Maui
04.1999 - 10.1999
- Acting Executive Chef for six months
- In charge of all aspects of daily kitchen operations of an award winning hotel a5-Diamond resort in Hawaii. 552 rooms
- Manage a staff of 56 cooks 8 chefs
- Maximize profitability by maintaining food and labor cost
- Supervised the up keep and ordering of kitchen equipment
- In charge of specialty high profile culinary event
- Create menus and recipes for all food and beverage outlets
- Hosted specialty high profile yearly culinary event The Kapalua Wine Symposium
Executive Garde Manger Chef Opening Team
Bellagio Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
07.1998 - 04.1999
- In charge of all aspects of daily kitchen operations of the Garde Manger kitchen. 3,000 rooms. 62 line staff and 4 sous chefs
- Planned, organized and executed the opening of the hotel’s Garde Manger Kitchen
- Personally hired and fulfilled all budgeted position rank and file
- Planned and executed the ordering systems, training and scheduling of all employees
- Implemented Garde Manger training manuals
- Created menus and recipes as a standard for the operation
- Support and supplied food items to restaurants Todd English Olives, Michael Mina, Le Cirque, Picasso, Jean George Prime, Buffet and employee dining room
Garde Manger Chef
Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai Big Island, Opening Team
08.1996 - 07.1998
- In charge of all aspects of daily kitchen operations of the Garde Manger kitchen
- An Opening team of10 cooks and1 assistant
- Hired and trained opening team for Garde Manger kitchen
- Created menus and recipe standards for production
- Planned and set up systems
- Relieved Pahuia dining room chef on days off
Banyan Tree Restaurant Chef
Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Kapalua Maui,5 Diamond Resort
01.1994 - 08.1996
- Garde Manger Chef and also Banquet Chef
- Promoted to three areas of the kitchen
- Over saw hiring, scheduling, training and staffing of kitchen
- Maximize profitability by maintaining food and labor cost
- Hosted specialty high profile yearly culinary event The Kapalua Wine Symposium
Assistant Cook / Assistant Garde Manger Chef
Kahala Hilton International, Honolulu, Oahu
10.1991 - 01.1994
- Started with the company as an extern after graduating from culinary school the executive chef ask me to join the brigade as an assistant cook and left the company as an assistant garde manger
- Cooked for the fine dining The Maile Room a 5-Diamond restaurant
- Rotated in all kitchen departments
- Ice carving for special functions
Education
Associates - Culinary Arts
Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, New York01.1991
Skills
- Food safety
- Menu planning and development
- Food cost and labor control
- Mentor and Develop Chefs
- Strong work ethic
- Mentor and Develop Chefs
Awards
Four Seasons Palm Beach Manager of the Quarter Nominated3 quarters., Florida Culinary Institute Guest Speaker, West Palm Beach Florida, Guest Chef Macy’s Aventura, Florida, Four Seasons Hualalai Manager of the Quarter, Four Seasons Hualalai Resort, 2003- Hawaii Visitors Bureau Hawaii Promotion Four Seasons Beverly Hills, 2003- Hawaii Visitors Bureau Hawaii Promotion Four Seasons New York, 2002- Hawaii Visitors Bureau Hawaii Promotion Four Season Bali Jimbaran, 2002- Hawaii Visitors Bureau Hawaii Promotion Tiyah Landis Hotel Tainan, Taiwan, Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows Pan Pacific, 2001 Hawaii Visitors Bureau Hawaii Promotion Steigenberger Hotel Berlin, Germany., 2001- Cuisine of the Sun- Organized event at Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows celebrity chefs include Marcus Sammuelson, Hirasone, Jim Botsocos, Robert Del Grande, Alan Wong, Roy Yamaguchi, Alessandro Stratta, Rocco Dispirto, Floyd Cardoza, Francoise Payard., 2001- Sam Choy’s Poke Contest2nd Place Professional Division and Best Poke using Macadamia nuts., 2000- Sam Choy’s PokeContest Grand Prize overall Using Macadamia nut - Using ogo, 2000-Cuisine of the Sun- Organized event at Mauna Lani bay Hotel and Bungalows celebrity chefs include the late Jean Louis Palladin, Claudia Fleming, George Marrone, Rick Tramanto, Ben and Karen Barker,, 2000-ACF Hot Food Category Silver Medal, Sam Choy’s Poke Contest2nd Place Professional Division and Using Ogo, Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Maui, 1996 Hawaii Visitors Bureau Hawaii Promotion Grand Arebella Hotel Frankfurt Germany., 1994-Honorable mentioned Na Po’e Pa’ahana award for food and beverage Employee of the year for the state of Hawaii., 1994 Culinary Excellence Award Hawaii Seafood Festival Gold Medal Entrée category, 1993-2nd Annual Lahaina Cannery Ice Carving Competition Second Place, 1993-Culinary Excellence Award Hawaii Seafood Festival Gold Medal Soup Category Bronze Medal Entrée Category, 1992-Culinary Excellence Award Hawaii Seafood Festival Bronze Medal Entrée Category
Timeline
Regional / Executive Chef STK Disney Springs
STK The One Group
07.2018 - 01.2025
Chef De Cuisine
Emerils Tchoup Chop / Emerils Orlando, Florida
10.2014 - 01.2018
Executive Sous Chef
Ballen Isles Country Club, PGA Florida
09.2013 - 10.2014
Corporate Chef
Pangea Bistro, Wellington FL
02.2011 - 08.2012
Executive Sous Chef
Four Seasons Resort, Palm Beach 5 Diamond Resort
10.2004 - 02.2011
Executive Sous Chef
Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai Big Island, Hawaii5 Diamond Resort
12.2001 - 10.2004
Executive Chef
Mauna Lani Bay Hotel and Bungalows, Pan Pacific Hotels, Big Island Hawaii
10.1999 - 12.2001
Executive Sous Chef
Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Kapalua Maui
04.1999 - 10.1999
Executive Garde Manger Chef Opening Team
Bellagio Resort and Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada
07.1998 - 04.1999
Garde Manger Chef
Four Seasons Resort, Hualalai Big Island, Opening Team
08.1996 - 07.1998
Banyan Tree Restaurant Chef
Ritz Carlton Kapalua, Kapalua Maui,5 Diamond Resort
01.1994 - 08.1996
Assistant Cook / Assistant Garde Manger Chef
Kahala Hilton International, Honolulu, Oahu
10.1991 - 01.1994
Associates - Culinary Arts
Culinary Institute of America
Similar Profiles
Jackson CoughlinJackson Coughlin
Lead Server Trainer at STK, The ONE GroupLead Server Trainer at STK, The ONE Group
Fernando Jose Arvayo-GutierrezFernando Jose Arvayo-Gutierrez
Lead Expo at STK, The ONE GroupLead Expo at STK, The ONE Group
Camryn CraneCamryn Crane
Marketing Associate at STK, The ONE GroupMarketing Associate at STK, The ONE Group