Steve Lightfoot
El Dorado Hills,CA
Summary
Talented kitchen leader and team motivator successful at maintaining staff focus and productivity in high-volume, fast-paced operations. Experienced with Contempary cuisine, sourcing ingredients, controlling budgets and boosting restaurant profiles. Conversational English skills. High-performing Chef offering 15 years of restaurant experience. Excellent communication, leadership and problem-solving skills. Talent for building streamlined, cohesive teams. Seasoned Executive Chef with 15 years of culinary experience. Maintains and handles all operations for establishment and staff. Received Gold medal Award for culinary excellence.
Overview
10
10
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner/Executive Chef
Ultimate Fitness Food
El Dorado Hills, CA
01.2017 - 03.2022
- Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action and performance reviews.
- Developed menus, controlled food costs and oversaw quality, sanitation and safety processes.
- Estimated food consumption and requisitioned food, selected and developed recipes, standardized production recipes for consistent quality and established presentation technique.
- Generated employee schedules, work assignments and determined appropriate compensation rates.
- Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
- Oversaw business operations, inventory control, and customer service for restaurant.
- Inventoried food, ingredient and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
- Delivered excellent food quality and maximized customer satisfaction by preparing meals according to customer requests.
- Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability.
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Verified compliance in preparation of menu items and customer special requests.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Modernized processes for kitchen staff to reduce guest wait times and boost daily output.
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
- Obtained fresh, local ingredients to lower grocery costs.
- Aligned seasonal plans with ingredient availability and key area events for optimal promotions.
- Produced revolutionary menu offerings to put establishments on local, regional and national map.
- Increased profits and efficiency [Number]% by building optimal inventory control model.
Head Chef
SSP Food Services
Sacramento, CA
05.2011 - 04.2016
- Oversaw scheduling, inventory management and supply ordering to maintain fully stocked kitchen.
- Hired, managed and trained kitchen staff.
- Monitored line processes to maintain consistency in quality, quantity and presentation.
- Mentored kitchen staff to prepare each for demanding roles.
- Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
- Inventoried food, ingredient and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
- Maintained high food quality standards by checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent.
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
- Forecasted supply needs and estimated costs.
- Supervised and enhanced work of [Number]-person team producing more than [Number] plates per day.
- Kept labor at or below [Number]% to support business profit targets.
Education
Associate of Arts - Restaurant And Culinary Management
Institute of Technology - Roseville
Roseville, CA09.2010
Bachelor of Arts - Restaurant And Culinary Management
Culinary Institute of America
Hyde Park, NY02.2008
High School Diploma -
Cordova High School
Rancho Cordova, CA06.1983
Skills
- Meal Preparation
- Ingredient Selection
- Team Leadership
- Quality Assessments
- Hiring, Training and Development
- Special Events and Catering
- Recipe Development
- Restaurant Operation
- Food Stock and Supply Management
- Current in Culinary Trends
- Food Prep Planning
- Customer Service
- Kitchen Staff Management
- Equipment Inspection and Maintenance
- Safe Food Handling
- Supply Estimates
- Menu Planning
- Equipment Purchasing
- Inventory Management
- Quality Control and Oversight
- Standards Compliance
- Verbal and Written Communication
- Food Preparing, Plating and Presentation
- BOH Operations
- Sanitation Guidelines
- Quality Assurance
- Vendor Relations
- Cleaning and Sanitation
- Productivity Optimization
- Operational Oversight
- Work Area Inspections
- Garnishing and Plating
- Creative Thinking
- Problem and Complaint Resolution
- Catering and Events
- Restaurant Industry Trends Awareness
- Attention to Detail
- Special Events
- Servsafe Certification
- Kitchen Operations Oversight
- Food Spoilage Prevention
- Order Delivery Procedures
- Organization and Prioritization
- Cooking Technique Demonstrations
- Production Data Records
- Performance Improvement
- Menu Item Pricing
- Food Production Timing
Timeline
Owner/Executive Chef
Ultimate Fitness Food
01.2017 - 03.2022
Head Chef
SSP Food Services
05.2011 - 04.2016
Associate of Arts - Restaurant And Culinary Management
Institute of Technology - Roseville
Bachelor of Arts - Restaurant And Culinary Management
Culinary Institute of America
High School Diploma -
Cordova High School