Taras Virstiouk
Director Of Dining Services/Executive Chef, CEC
Chicago,IL
Summary
Strong ability to lead a culinary team to success on a daily basis. Comprehensive communication skills, strong leadership and problem-solving skills. Talent for building streamlined, cohesive teams. Ability to work with deadlines and deliver results. Posses great customer relations. My objective is to gain vast experience and knowledge in Food and Beverage Industry by securing a position in a company that is willing to create, educate, and motivate to be best and showcase my talents as a professional.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Dining Services
Northwestern University, Compass
08.2020 - Current
- Motivated staff to perform at peak efficiency and quality.
- Maintained kitchen cleanliness and sanitation through correct procedures and scheduled cleaning of surfaces and equipment.
- Trained staff on proper cooking procedures as well as safety regulations and productivity strategies.
- Handled escalated customer concerns with speed and knowledgeable support to achieve optimal satisfaction and maintain long-term loyalty.
- Analyzed sales data to identify trends and adjust purchasing decisions accordingly.
- Kept facility compliant with health codes, sanitation requirements and license regulations, alleviating potentially heavy fines.
- Maximized quality assurance by completing frequent line checks.
- Managed staff schedules and maintained adequate coverage for all shifts.
- Based on business needs created budgets for the following year.
- Perform financial analysis and explanation on weekly basis (BOR).
- Support two other directors in decision making, adjustments to their business, as well as a clear understanding of financial responsibility.
- Annually run a business that is $10 million in sales.
Executive Chef
Northwestern University, Compass
09.2018 - Current
- Manages one of the largest dining halls on campus
- Managing a staff of 60, with 1 Sous Chef, operates all day dining seven days per week
- Daily operations include everything from pizza, grill, deli, comfort, rooted/vegetarian, allergen free station and a Kosher station
- Producing great food with fresh produce and lots of creativity
- On a daily basis managing quality, personnel, and menu writing, ordering and planning ahead
- Keeping a consistent and accurate inventory on hand on a weekly basis
- Have been tasked with special projects anything from menu writing, sourcing product as well as having the ability to help around the campus in multiple capacities
- Traveled to two others schools to support new opening and on board new chefs
- Training existing employees as well as the newly hired associates
- Giving guidance to younger Chefs and Sous Chefs, helping them progress in their careers
- Have been a part of 2 Dining Hall renovations.
- 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.
- Oversaw business operations, inventory control, and customer service for restaurant.
- Inventoried food, ingredient and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
Executive Chef
Lake Forest
01.2017 - 09.2018
- Place, Morrison Senior Living, Compass
- Lake Forest Place is a prestigious five star retirement community based out of Lake Forest, Illinois it features three different restaurants from an everyday casual, a quick bite Bistro to Friday and Saturday fine dining
- Also managing three different floors of customers for breakfast, lunch and dinner
- The community has 500 residents at any given time, also with guest and family members that come visit that brings up our census to more
- We are open year round, feeding residents for holidays and on daily basis
- As the Executive Chef, I am responsible for creating menus, ordering, and performing inventory for all outlets of the location, making sure the nutritional aspects are met accommodating healthcare dietary restrictions
- Training new staff and continuing educating the existing staff is part of my daily routine
- Ensuring that quality of the food is up to mine and the companies standards, staying consistent in preparing the meals for the residents.
Executive Chef
Glen Flora Country Club
01.2013 - 06.2017
- Glen Flora Country Club is newly renovated country club, with a top 10 rated golf course in North Shore
- I am responsible for creating, costing out, reassuring that the quality of food is up to the standards of the members
- Menus created for private parties, weddings that are high end or just as simple as cooking home cooked meals
- Personally watching and training a staff of cooks to put out the best food on the plate, with keeping the food cost down that was set by the management
- In the time that I have been here I successfully lowered the FC from a high 53% to 37%, with a progression of every month
- Since beginning my work at Glen Flora Country Club, I have introduced ideas to make membership experience as they were dining in 5 star restaurants, at the same time working with management and the board of directors to have Food and
- Beverage making progressive profits at the end of fiscal year for the first time in years
- In my time here I also have changed the quality, the look, and taste of food that the membership is used to, bringing in lighter, and more flavors from around the world
- Kitchen staff being very young and with aspirations of becoming chefs I have been working very close and hands on with them, teaching and showing anything and everything I know about food, and at the same time improving and adding more skills to my repertoire.
Executive Sous Chef
Rolling Green Country Club
01.2008 - 06.2013
- Rolling Green Country Club was founded in 1924
- There are 400 members in a variety of categories with gross revenues of $5.1 million, including dues of $2.1million and food and beverage revenues of $2 million
- The Club is open 11months per year, which the membership has an active social calendar of parties,weddings, fashion-shows, business meetings, birthdays, holiday parties and family affairs
- Rolling Green has a formal dining room that holds 100 guests, and the banquet facility can accommodate up to 275 people
- I started working in the kitchen of Rolling Green Country Club Arlington Heights,
- Illinois, were I soon was promoted to a Sous Chef position
- As one of the leaders in the kitchen, I regularly help run and maintain the kitchen operation for our dining room area, as well as daily banquets large and small
- I also help oversee the full-service poolside snack bar and halfway house
- As the sous chef, I am constantly called upon to oversee prep, garde manger, sauté and expediting
- When handling special occasions, such as a chef's table or wine dinner, I serve as the Executive Chef's personal sous to provide assistance
- Quality control and offer my eye for detail.
Private Chef
Private Residence
04.2008 - 01.2009
- I was offered a chance to become personal chef for a family residing in Highland
- Park, Illinois
- Here, I prepared three Kosher dinners every week
- While employed with the family, I had over sight of all of the essential shopping and menu planning for their meals
- I had an opportunity to expand my cultural education of various cuisines by changing the menu each week
- Coming from a European background, it was exciting to share my cultural fare and learn about others
- I enjoyed my time working for the family till the end.
Line Cook
Sunset Ridge Country Club
01.2007 - 01.2009
- Working at Sunset Ridge was core of my learning
- There, I was able to be mentored by a very hands on executive chef who was willing to expose me to every faucet of the kitchen
- I groomed my basic skills, working on the dining room line every position and in banquets
- While employed at Sunset Ridge I gained valuable knowledge on management skills,such as inventory, food pricing, budgeting, team management and mass quantity production
- This was an excellent start in my leadership skills.
Education
Bachelors - Culinary Arts And Business Management
Kendall College
Chicago, IL09.2007
Skills
- ACF Certified Executive Chef, 2021
- Proficient in Webtrition (menu writing,
- Editing, recipe writing)
- Staff Supervision and Coordination
- Food Prep Planning
- Food Stock and Supply Management
- Sanitation Guidelines
- Verbal and Written Communication
- Vendor Relations
- Scheduling Equipment Repairs
- Staff Recruiting and Hiring
- Staff Scheduling
Certification
- Certified Executive Chef ACF
Timeline
Director of Dining Services
Northwestern University, Compass
08.2020 - Current
Executive Chef
Northwestern University, Compass
09.2018 - Current
Executive Chef
Lake Forest
01.2017 - 09.2018
Executive Chef
Glen Flora Country Club
01.2013 - 06.2017
Private Chef
Private Residence
04.2008 - 01.2009
Executive Sous Chef
Rolling Green Country Club
01.2008 - 06.2013
Line Cook
Sunset Ridge Country Club
01.2007 - 01.2009
Bachelors - Culinary Arts And Business Management
Kendall College
Similar Profiles
Michael GandyMichael Gandy
Investment Operations Associate at Compass Financial Partners (Northwestern Mutual)Investment Operations Associate at Compass Financial Partners (Northwestern Mutual)
ANA REOTUTARANA REOTUTAR
Student Organization Finance Manager/Financial Coordinator at Northwestern University, Norris UniversityStudent Organization Finance Manager/Financial Coordinator at Northwestern University, Norris University
Ramon LopezRamon Lopez
Maintenance Engineer A at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of MedicineMaintenance Engineer A at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine
Chamere GraysChamere Grays
Payroll Assistant at Select RehabilitationPayroll Assistant at Select Rehabilitation
Osama C. AboounOsama C. Abooun
Customer Service Agent at Alliance Ground InternationaCustomer Service Agent at Alliance Ground Internationa