Serenity Donegal
Fort Lauderdale
Summary
Innovative Chef with expertise in kitchen operations, menu development, and team leadership. Specializes in creating diverse dishes that prioritize food safety and quality. Enhances kitchen efficiency and elevates dining experiences through strong culinary skills and effective management.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Sushi/Line Cook
Etaru||Novu staffing
Hallandale, Florida
06.2026 - Current
- Prepared and assembled nigiri, sashimi, specialty maki rolls, hand rolls, and raw bar selections while maintaining fine-dining presentation standards.
- Filleted, trimmed, sliced, and portioned salmon, tuna, yellowtail, hamachi, shrimp, and other seafood for sushi, sashimi, nigiri, and specialty rolls.
- Executed daily mise en place for sushi station by washing, cutting, and portioning fresh fish, vegetables, herbs, and garnishes to ensure readiness for service.
- Crafted sushi rice, yuzi mayo, wasabi mayo, and other house sauces and condiments according to precise restaurant recipes to maintain consistency in flavor.
- Prepared cucumbers, avocados, scallions, jalapeños, citrus, and other ingredients for sushi rolls and raw dishes to enhance presentation and taste.
Sushi Chef/Line Cook
Sparrow
Fort Lauderdale, FL
09.2025 - 06.2026
- Prepared sushi rolls, nigiri, sashimi, and specialty items to ensure high-quality dining experiences.• Oversaw prep operations: butchering fish, cooking rice, and preparing sauceMaintained ingredient freshness and proper storage while ensuring compliance with food safety standards to uphold health regulations.ty standards.
- Prepared and assembled Bang Bang shrimp tacos, burgers, dumplings, and sushi while maintaining quality and presentation standards.
- Prepared shrimp for taco filling by cleaning, peeling, and cutting.
- Prepared vegetable spring rolls by rolling and filling with fresh ingredients. and trimmed/prepped Brussels sprouts.
- Prepared and portioned sauces for burgers, tacos, and salmon dishes to enhance flavor profiles. for burgers, tacos, and salmon dishes.
- Prepared the grill station for service by completing all daily mise en place.
- Assisted with high-volume banquet events and large parties.
- Utilized commercial cutting machine for efficient slicing of potatoes for fries and other menu items.
- Worked efficiently in a fast-paced kitchen while following food safety and sanitation procedures.
Garde Manger Cook
Elysium immersive dining
Pompano Beach, Florida
05.2025 - 12.2025
- Led presentation of cold dishes for upscale events, ensuring aesthetic appeal and quality.
- Oversaw presentation of cold dishes for upscale events.
- Prepared fresh Ceviche with U8 shrimp, corvina, leche de tigre, pico de gallo, cucumber, sweet potato, and ube chips.
- Crafted Salmon Tartare using fresh wild salmon, crème fraîche, shallots, cornichons, boiled egg, macadamia nuts, and house garnishes.
- Prepared Snow Crab Timbale with snow crab knuckle and body meat, cucumber, mango, avocado, sea beans, and saffron tuile.
- Combined goat cheese mousse, fresh figs, and truffle oil in puff pastry.
- Shucked, cleaned, and presented Oysters on the Half Shell while maintaining proper seafood handling and food safety standards.
- Executed consistent plating techniques to uphold quality in fast-paced fine-dining and banquet service.
- Coordinated with culinary team to execute large events and high-volume service, achieving consistent quality and timely plating under pressure.
Prep Cook
The Mai Kai
Fort Lauderdale, FL
09.2024 - 04.2025
- Prepared traditional Polynesian dishes and sauces, including crab Rangoon mix, Lia cream kale, Hawaiian coleslaw, and specialty sauces, to create an authentic dining experience.
- Marinated and cooked various proteins including wings, ribs, huli huli chicken, and duck, ensuring all meats were seasoned and cooked to perfection according to restaurant standards.
- Crafted complex sauces and marinades focusing on Polynesian flavors, marinating meats such as lamb, wings, ribs, chicken, and duck to ensure optimal flavor penetration before cooking.
- Crafted complex sauces and marinades focusing on Polynesian flavors, marinating meats such as lamb, wings, ribs, chicken, and duck to ensure optimal flavor penetration before cooking.
- Applied advanced food preparation techniques in Polynesian cuisine to enhance overall dish quality.
- Expertise in cutting and marinating meats and seafood, ensuring optimal flavor.
- Proficient in creating sauces and dressings, adhering to traditional flavor profiles.
- Handled various kitchen tasks with precision and efficiency, supporting a seamless service.
- Experienced in multitasking and supporting non-kitchen operations for restaurant setup.
Pastry Chef / Line Cook
Kekoon Restaurant And Lounge
Davie, Florida
02.2024 - 04.2025
- Expert in cake decorating, plating, and dessert presentation.
- Designed and customized cakes for birthdays and special occasions, providing a personalized touch by hand-decorating cakes with unique designs that matched the customer's requests.
- Customized and hand-decorated cakes for birthdays and special occasions, matching unique designs to customer requests and enhancing overall experience.
- Created innovative dessert garnishing techniques that elevated presentation and contributed to increased customer satisfaction.
- Baked fresh bread daily, ensuring customers received warm, perfectly baked loaves with their meals.
- Actively participated in the restaurant's busy brunch service, preparing made-to-order waffles and French toast while maintaining dessert stations and handling fryer duties, ensuring quick and efficient service during peak hours.
- Prepared and plated signature Caribbean dishes, including jerk chicken and pork, while ensuring quality and authenticity in every meal served.
- Operated fryer station efficiently, preparing a variety of appetizers, including over 100 oxtail egg rolls per shift, contributing to popular menu offerings.
- Ensured consistent quality by adhering to precise cooking times, seasoning blends, and plating standards, contributing to an efficient and smooth kitchen operation.
- Played a role in both regular service and high-traffic brunches, where the speed and quality of service were critical.
Line Cook
Voodoo bayou
Fort Lauderdale, FL
04.2023 - 01.2024
- Crafted made-from-scratch desserts, including ice cream sundaes, ensuring flavor integrity and presentation through precise measurement and adherence to recipe standards.
- Crafted made-from-scratch desserts, including ice cream sundaes, ensuring flavor integrity and presentation through precise measurement and adherence to recipe standards.
- Managed salad station operations, opening and closing daily, efficiently producing fresh, made-to-order salads to meet high-volume demands.
- Managed salad station operations, opening and closing daily, producing fresh, made-to-order salads to meet high-volume demands in a corporate environment.
- Prepared diverse menu items, including sauces and desserts, following recipe guidelines to maintain flavor and presentation integrity.
- Measured and prepared ingredients in accordance with precise specifications, ensuring efficiency and accuracy.
- Expertly cut and portioned proteins such as tuna and cheeses, adhering to established guidelines.
- Washed, peeled, and prepared ingredients for various meal components in a clean and organized kitchen., ensuring cleanliness and readiness for cooking. for meal preparation, ensuring proper cleanliness and readiness for cooking. for various meal components, maintaining kitchen readiness.
- Deep-cleaned and maintained workspace, ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations for a safe cooking environment.
Sushi Chef / Line Cook
Point Break Poke
Plantation, Florida
06.2022 - 03.2023
- Developed new sushi rolls and poke combinations while refining existing recipes to elevate menu offerings.
- Created new sushi rolls and poke combinations, refining existing recipes to elevate menu offerings.
- Utilized strong knife skills to improve food preparation efficiency and enhance presentation. and precision in cutting and dicing fish and other ingredients.
- Trained junior chefs and kitchen staff on sushi preparation techniques and kitchen protocols, ensuring consistency and quality.
- Inspect and ensure the quality and freshness of all ingredients.
- Assemble poke bowls to order, ensuring consistency in taste, presentation, and portion sizes.
- Customize bowls based on customer preferences and dietary restrictions.
Education
Piper High School
Plantation, FloridaSkills
- Elegant Food Plating & Presentation
- Pastry & Dessert Preparation
- Seafood fabrication
- Banquet Production
- Sushi Preparation
- Food Safety and Sanitation
- Elegant Food Plating & Presentation
- ServSafe Certified
- Team Leadership and Collaboration
- Time Management
- Quality Assurance
- Attention to detail
Timeline
Sushi/Line Cook
Etaru||Novu staffing
06.2026 - Current
Sushi Chef/Line Cook
Sparrow
09.2025 - 06.2026
Garde Manger Cook
Elysium immersive dining
05.2025 - 12.2025
Prep Cook
The Mai Kai
09.2024 - 04.2025
Pastry Chef / Line Cook
Kekoon Restaurant And Lounge
02.2024 - 04.2025
Line Cook
Voodoo bayou
04.2023 - 01.2024
Sushi Chef / Line Cook
Point Break Poke
06.2022 - 03.2023
Piper High School