Kali May
Minneapolis
Summary
Adept at orchestrating high-volume dining and kitchen management, I leveraged skills in multitasking and food safety to exceed health standards at Olu's Beginnings. My knack for menu development and staff supervision, coupled with fostering strong vendor relationships, significantly enhanced dining experiences, underscoring my commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Kitchen Manager
Olu's Beginnings
01.2021 - 08.2023
- Maintained a clean and safe work environment, adhering to all health department regulations and guidelines.
- Scheduled and received food and beverage deliveries, adhering to food cost and budget.
- Checked and tested foods to verify quality and temperature.
- Conducted daily checks of refrigerators and freezers to verify proper food storage, container labeling, and surface cleaning.
- Reduced food waste by closely monitoring inventory levels and implementing proper food storage techniques.
- Consistently met or exceeded local health department inspection requirements through diligent adherence to safety protocols and maintaining thorough documentation records.
- Designed and maintained menus to offer variety of high quality and consistency of dishes.
- Developed and maintained professional relationships with suppliers and a gardening team to acquire local produce with reasonable prices.
- Purchased food and cultivated strong vendor relationships.
- Calculated prices of ingredients to monitor food costs and control expenses.
Head Chef
Emily's Eatery
03.2019 - 03.2020
- Managed food costs effectively with careful menu planning, accurate portion control, and utilization of seasonal ingredients.
- Placed orders to restock items before supplies ran out.
- Inventoried food, ingredient, and supply stock to prepare and plan vendor orders.
- Developed strong vendor relationships to secure fresh, quality ingredients at competitive prices while supporting local businesses whenever possible.
- Oversaw scheduling, inventory management, and supply ordering to maintain fully stocked kitchen.
- Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
- Hired, managed, and trained kitchen staff.
- Created recipes and prepared advanced dishes.
- Planned promotional menu additions based on seasonal pricing and product availability.
- Developed kitchen staff through training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews.
- Maintained well-organized mise en place to keep work consistent.
- Arranged for kitchen equipment maintenance and repair when needed.
- Obtained fresh, local ingredients to lower grocery costs.
- Led staff meetings to discuss upcoming events, address concerns or challenges, and reinforce company values as well as expectations within the workplace environment.
- Implemented new recipes and modern cooking techniques to continuously improve the menu offerings and overall dining experience for guests.
- Collaborated with front-of-house team to ensure seamless service during high-volume periods, resulting in increased customer satisfaction rates.
- Developed and cooked memorable dishes that brought new customers into establishment.
- In charge of menu development and planning.
- Modified recipes to accommodate dietary restrictions and allergies.
Sous Chef
Grand Targhee
11.2013 - 06.2015
- Managed food preparation tasks during high-volume service periods, ensuring all orders were executed in a timely manner without sacrificing quality or presentation standards.
- Collaborated with executive chef to develop innovative menu items at this resort near Jackson Hole.
- Acted as head chef when required to maintain continuity of service and quality.
- Trained kitchen staff to perform various preparation tasks under pressure.
- Planned and directed high-volume food preparation in fast-paced environment.
- Mentored kitchen staff to prepare each for demanding roles.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of current culinary trends and techniques.
- Developed full, tasting and special events menus to meet establishment needs and maintain strong customer levels.
- Set up and broke down kitchen for service.
- Participated in food tastings and taste tests.
Sous Chef
Steamboat Grand Hotel
11.2011 - 09.2013
- Assisted Executive Chef and Executive Sous at this large hotel at Steamboat Springs Ski Resort.
- Helped oversee operations which included a fine dining establishment, a cafe, poolside bistro, room service and banquets including multiple meeting rooms and a ballroom.
- Created nightly specials featuring wild game and freshly flown in fish for fine dining restaurant.
- Ran sautee position and expedited service which often ran over 200 covers nightly.
Education
Journalism, Print
The University of Montana
Missoula, MTHigh School Diploma -
Hastings High School
Hastings, MN05.2001
Skills
- Multitasking and Organization
- Customer Service
- Food Safety
- Inventory Management
- Kitchen Management
- Food Preparation
- Staff Supervision
- Ordering Supplies
- Recipes and menu planning
- Menu development
- High-volume dining
- Expediting Orders
Timeline
Kitchen Manager
Olu's Beginnings
01.2021 - 08.2023
Head Chef
Emily's Eatery
03.2019 - 03.2020
Sous Chef
Grand Targhee
11.2013 - 06.2015
Sous Chef
Steamboat Grand Hotel
11.2011 - 09.2013
Journalism, Print
The University of Montana
High School Diploma -
Hastings High School
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