Samantha Alameda
Mishawaka,IN
Summary
Culinary professional with extensive experience in high-volume kitchen management and menu development. Known for fostering collaborative environments and delivering results through effective team leadership. Skilled in operational efficiency and culinary innovation, ensuring high standards and adaptability to changing needs.
Overview
3
3
years of professional experience
Work History
Culinary Director
Valley View Care Center
04.2025 - Current
- Oversee culinary operations for residential facility dining, increasing resident satisfaction.
- Oversee and launched new seasonal menu rotation resulting in increasing overall satisfaction.
- Implemented new hire trainings and employee development.
- Improved kitchen morale by fostering a positive work environment where team members felt valued and supported in their professional growth opportunities.
- Collaborated closely with other department heads to ensure seamless coordination of events, leading to successful outcomes for all involved parties.
- Monitored food preparation processes to ensure adherence to standardized recipes and presentation guidelines for a consistent dining experience across all outlets.
- Developed a strong culinary team through consistent coaching, mentoring, and performance evaluations resulting in excellent employee retention rates.
- Took inventory of supplies and maintained accurate stock records to minimize losses and support supply ordering.
- Maintained records and awareness of unique dietary restrictions or allergies of personnel, accommodating needs in meal preparation.
Retail Manager
Notre Dame University, The Huddle
08.2023 - 03.2025
- Directed team of 50 kitchen staff, improving overall team efficiency and reducing food preparation time.
- Offered hands-on assistance to customers, assessing needs, and maintaining current knowledge of consumer preferences.
- Trained and developed new employees for ease of transition into team.
- Exhibited excellent people skills during interaction with employees and customers.
- Achieved monthly performance goals by setting clear objectives for employees while providing regular progress updates during team meetings.
- Enhanced operational efficiency by adopting new point-of-sale system that streamlined transactions.
- Analyzed sales data to identify trends, adjust inventory levels accordingly, and maximize revenue opportunities.
- Conducted regular performance reviews, identifying opportunities for staff development and career progression.
- Fostered a supportive work environment through coaching sessions, team-building activities, and open communication channels for staff feedback.
- Collaborated with corporate marketing teams to execute promotional campaigns that increased foot traffic.
Assistant Director
Notre Dame University Rohr's in the Morris Inn
08.2022 - 08.2023
- Assisted Executive Chef in daily kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality culinary execution.
- Oversaw the recruitment, hiring, and onboarding process for new educators to maintain a high-quality teaching staff.
- Assisted the Director in developing innovative programs to improve students'' academic performance and retention rate.
- Conducted regular safety drills to ensure preparedness in case of emergency situations at school premises.
- Fostered a positive school culture by promoting open communication among staff members and celebrating successes together as a team.
- Spearheaded development of new project management system, significantly improving project tracking and delivery timelines.
- Increased operational efficiency, reviewing and optimizing departmental workflows.
- Reduced waste and pursued revenue development strategies to keep department aligned with sales and profit targets.
Education
Food Allergen Certification - Culinary Arts
State Food Safety
South Bend, IN06-2025
Food Manager Certification - Culinary Arts
State Food Safety
South Bend, IN05-2025
Certified Culinarian - Culinary Arts
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
South Bend, IN05-2021
Skills
- Portion Control
- Waste Reduction
- Food Trend Awareness
- Kitchen Management
- Food presentation
- Cost Reduction
- Workstation organization
- Staff Leadership
- Sanitation practices
- Food safety standards
- Allergy accommodations
- Employee scheduling
- Cost control
- Dining facility management
- Sanitizing and cleaning
- Inspecting deliveries
- Preparing food
- Teamwork
Timeline
Culinary Director
Valley View Care Center
04.2025 - Current
Retail Manager
Notre Dame University, The Huddle
08.2023 - 03.2025
Assistant Director
Notre Dame University Rohr's in the Morris Inn
08.2022 - 08.2023
Food Allergen Certification - Culinary Arts
State Food Safety
Food Manager Certification - Culinary Arts
State Food Safety
Certified Culinarian - Culinary Arts
Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana
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