Sheila Amparo
West New York,NJ
Summary
Chef with extensive experience in culinary arts, specializing in Spanish, Italian, and American cuisines. Demonstrates a strong ability to lead teams, manage kitchen operations, and ensure food safety, while continuously innovating menu offerings to enhance dining experiences. Passionate about leveraging culinary expertise to drive excellence and growth in dynamic kitchen environments.
Overview
14
14
years of professional experience
Work History
Chef
OurHome Catering
Englewood Cliffs, NJ
10.2023 - 10.2024
- Designs weekly menus for 200+ LG Electronics staff, ensuring dietary needs are met.
- Enhances employee safety by adapting menus to accommodate allergies.
- Manages daily kitchen operations, ensuring high-quality service through effective teamwork.
- Quickly learns and implements new techniques to maintain kitchen efficiency.
- Collaborates reliably to drive consistent quality in meal preparation and service.
- Works closely with the team, embracing new techniques and steadfast punctuality to enhance overall kitchen performance.
Sous Chef
Ventanas
Fort Lee, NJ
02.2019 - 10.2022
- Managed kitchen operations for 8 staff, ensuring food safety for allergy sufferers.
- Organized deliveries and maintained mise en place for efficiency and quality.
- Led kitchen as head chef when needed, supporting team tasks and service continuity.
- Optimised kitchen logistics by redesigning prep workflows, enhancing turnaround during peak periods.
Culinary Assistant
Del Frisco's Restaurant Group Inc.
Hoboken, NJ
09.2015 - 01.2019
- Managed kitchen operations in executive absence, ensuring seamless workflow and quality control.
- Trained staff on food hygiene, enhancing compliance and safety standards.
- Monitored inventory, maintaining optimal stock levels and minimizing waste.
- Oversaw order accuracy, improving efficiency and reducing errors.
- Facilitated equipment setup and breakdown, supporting operational readiness.
- Enhanced menu innovation by testing new recipes, elevating guest dining experiences and boosting brand distinction.
Kitchen Manager
Diocese Of Paterson/Holy Spirit School
Pequannock, NJ
08.2010 - 07.2016
- Managed kitchen for 325 students, ensuring USDA compliance and safety.
- Optimized supply management, maintaining equipment standards.
- Adapted menus for allergies, improving student safety.
- Planned menus for events, ensuring quality and timeliness.
- Directed cost control and vendor negotiations, enhancing resource use.
- Supervised quality audits and process improvements, ensuring meticulous protocol adherence and enhanced team performance.
Chef
Pan Con Todo
North Bergen, NJ
05.2013 - 09.2015
- Assisted in launching a Cuban eatery, preparing menus for 100+ guests daily, managing inventory.
- Trained and led staff, ensuring efficient operations and high service standards.
- Oversaw inventory and stock rotation, maintaining quality and reducing waste.
- Developed daily lunch and dinner menus, enhancing guest satisfaction.
- Contributed to the successful establishment of a new dining experience.
Education
Certified Culinary Art - Culinary Arts
Hudson County Community College
Jersey City, NJSkills
- Food Safety
- Kitchen Management
- Team Leadership
- Inventory Management
- Menu Planning
- Food Preparation
- Spanish Cuisine
- Italian Cuisine
- Asian Cuisine
- American Cuisine
- Vendor Relations
- Staff Training
- Quality Control
- Recipe Development
- Food Handling
- Recipe Scaling
Timeline
Chef
OurHome Catering
10.2023 - 10.2024
Sous Chef
Ventanas
02.2019 - 10.2022
Culinary Assistant
Del Frisco's Restaurant Group Inc.
09.2015 - 01.2019
Chef
Pan Con Todo
05.2013 - 09.2015
Kitchen Manager
Diocese Of Paterson/Holy Spirit School
08.2010 - 07.2016
Certified Culinary Art - Culinary Arts
Hudson County Community College