Tahlor Ragland
Sous Chef
Nashville ,Tennessee
Summary
Dedicated Culinary professional with history of meeting company goals utilizing consistent and organized practices. Skilled in working under pressure and adapting to new situations and challenges to best enhance the organizational brand. Talented kitchen leader and team motivator successful at maintaining staff focus and productivity in high-volume, fast-paced operations. Experienced French cuisine, sourcing ingredients, controlling budgets and boosting restaurant profiles. High-performing Chef offering 14 years of restaurant experience. Excellent communication, leadership and problem-solving skills. Talent for building streamlined, cohesive teams.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Sous Chef
Sodexo Live
Nashville, United States
04.2021 - Current
- Produced innovative menu offerings to promote company awareness and customer satisfaction.
- Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
- Prevented cross-contamination from utensils, surfaces and pans when cooking and plating meals for food allergy sufferers.
- Established and updated staff schedules and assignments to optimize coverage of peak times.
- Initiated training for new team members on culinary techniques to improve productivity and increase kitchen workflows.
- Plated every dish with attractive flair to meet strict restaurant standards and maintain stellar business reputation.
- Modernized work processes to reduce guest wait times and boost daily output.
- Oversaw kitchen operations for Bandbox and Franklin ampitheater locations.
- Inspected kitchens to observe food preparation quality and service, food appearance and cleanliness of production and service areas.
Lead Line Cook
The Chef And I On 9th
Nashville, TN
10.2019 - 05.2021
- Upheld optimal staff and customer protections by monitoring food handling, cleaning and sanitation protocols.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
- Collaborated with servers to collect information about specific customer desires and dietary needs.
- Followed restaurant stock management schedule to monitor product freshness and rotate out old products.
- Prepared ingredients ahead of time to promote efficiency in dish garnishing.
- Managed relationships and negotiating prices with vendors for ingredients and equipment.
- Unloaded food supplies from distributor trucks to efficiently organize inventory.
- Handled portion control activities according to specified instructions provided by chef.
- Developed process that reduced waste and improved supply turnover.
- Produced high volume covers per day and maintained near-perfect customer satisfaction scores.
- Checked each food item for freshness and provided feedback to kitchen supervisor for removal.
- Prepared average of 75-150 orders each shift.
- Grilled meats and seafood to customer specifications.
- Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, storage, use of kitchen equipment and sanitation.
- Wrapped up and stored unused food in appropriate containers and placed in refrigerator to avoid spoilage.
- Prepared food items such as meats, poultry and fish for frying purposes.
Lead Line Cook
Union Station Hotel
Nashville, TN
04.2017 - 04.2019
- Upheld optimal staff and customer protections by monitoring food handling, cleaning and sanitation protocols.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Set up and prepared cooking supplies and workstations during opening and closing to maximize productivity.
- Maintained well-stocked stations with supplies and spices for maximum productivity.
- Prepared ingredients ahead of time to promote efficiency in dish garnishing.
- Managed relationships and negotiating prices with vendors for ingredients and equipment.
- Developed process that reduced waste and improved supply turnover.
- Handled portion control activities according to specified instructions provided by chef.
- Checked each food item for freshness and provided feedback to kitchen supervisor for removal.
- Changed and sanitized cutting boards, benches and surfaces between tasks to avoid cross-contamination.
- Grilled meats and seafood to customer specifications.
- Prepared multiple orders simultaneously during peak periods with high accuracy rate, maximizing customer satisfaction and repeat business.
- Transitioned between breakfast and lunch service.
- Prepared food items such as meats, poultry and fish for frying purposes.
Cook
Union Common
Nashville, TN
10.2015 - 04.2018
- Assisted chef with planning easy but elegant appetizers to spark customer interest.
- Took food orders from cashiers and cooked items quickly to complete order items together and serve hot.
- Tasted, smelled and pierced food with fork to verify sufficient cooking.
- Interacted with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels.
- Inspected appliances, commercial fryers and ovens to verify proper working order.
- Created identical dishes numerous times daily with consistent care, attention to detail and quality.
- Contributed to consistent customer satisfaction rating by producing high-quality food and providing timely service.
- Washed, peeled and cut fruits and vegetables in advance to save time on food preparation.
- Preserved freshness of food by storing food in designated containers and storage areas within freezer or refrigerator.
- Received shipments and placed items on proper shelves to restock and organize restaurant pantry.
- Operated dishwasher and manually washed dishes to clean all chinaware, silverware and cooking utensils.
- Collaborated with servers to collect information about specific customer desires and dietary needs.
- Maintained clean, hygienic kitchen workspace by sweeping, mopping and taking out trash.
- Trained and assisted new kitchen staff members.
- Cleaned and washed all utensils, preparation equipment cutting boards and counters.
- Assisted cook in preparation of food by cutting, chopping and marinating meats, vegetables and garnishes.
- Communicated with customers by telephone or in person to take or enter orders or obtain information to assist in solving customer complaints.
Education
High School Diploma -
Bolivar Central Highschool
Bolivar, TN 08.2011 - 05.2014
Associate of Arts - Culinary Arts
The Art Institute of Nashville TN
Nashville 07.2014 - 06.2016
Skills
Recipes and menu planning
Stocking and replenishing
Special requests
Operations support
Menu memorization
Performance improvement
Food spoilage prevention
Catering background
Commanding leadership style
French and Cajun Cuisine
Schedule Management
Plating
Safe handling
Forecasting and planning
Signature dish creation
Food plating and presentation
Fine-dining expertise
Sanitation guidelines
Workflow Optimization
Food inventories
Baking and broiling skills
Timeline
Sous Chef
Sodexo Live
04.2021 - Current
Lead Line Cook
The Chef And I On 9th
10.2019 - 05.2021
Lead Line Cook
Union Station Hotel
04.2017 - 04.2019
Cook
Union Common
10.2015 - 04.2018
Associate of Arts - Culinary Arts
The Art Institute of Nashville TN
07.2014 - 06.2016
High School Diploma -
Bolivar Central Highschool
08.2011 - 05.2014