Erich von Gehren

***** ******** ******* ****

Food & Beverage Management

Williamsburg, VA 23188 USA

Profitability Engineering Hospitality Management

+1-804-***-****

Wine Program Management

acf8px@r.postjobfree.com

Concept Development & Implementation

Established track record of increasing bottom-line profits through maintaining strict food and beverage cost

controls, creative conceptualization and implementation of new dining venues and rebranding menu concepts.

Utilizing corporate philosophy training, cost analysis, competitive pricing, brand positioning, talent

management, and personnel accountability to increase customer satistaction, brand awareness and corporate

profitability.

Specialties: Results-driven, profit-minded executive with 30+ years of senior management in the hospitality,

food and beverage field specializing in food and beverage costing, creative menú and recipe development,

menu engineering and cost control. Creative director in menu design. HACCP plan implementation.

Objective

To use my vast experience in varied multi-million dollar corporate venues to

deliver innovative dining experiences, increase corporate food and beverage

profitability, customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.

•

The Fat Canary Responsible for menu development and implementation, including special

Williamsburg, VA USA events menus, wine dinners and multi-course tasting dinners.

• Procured all food and supplies, ensuring the highest quality at the best price

Chef available.

July 2007- August 2014 • Introduced myriad new ingredients to the kitchen and bar and established

close relationships with local farmers and fishermen to ensure the supply of

the freshest produce, seafood and meats.

• Ensured proper facility maintenance.

• Trained new employees according to standard operating procedures and

cutting-edge techniques.

• Participated in the International Chef's Congress 2011 in NYC.

•

Indian Fields Tavern As owner, was responsible for all aspects of this critically acclaimed fine-

Charles City, VA USA dining business.

• Rebranded an existing concept to be more refined and more reliant on local

Chef / Owner produce and seafood.

November 2001- July 2007 • Wrote, engineered and priced all menus to deliver a creative, quality-driven

product at the best price and within the budgeted cost structure.

• Developed a broad wine program which received the Award of Excellence

from Wine Spectator magazine.

• Produced all internal and external marketing materials and developed the

overall marketing strategy.

• Managed food and beverage costs to maintain a healthy operating margin.

• Optimized labor seasonally to ensure budget compliance.

• Conducted on-going front and back of house staff training to ensure the

highest possible guest satisfaction and brand awareness.

•

Idarat, S.A.L, Conceptualized, opened, oversaw and managed food and beverage costs for

Beirut, Lebanon 17 properties offering a wide range of concepts in Beirut and environs,

grossing in excess of $30 million annually.

Corporate Executive Chef • Venues included- St. Ex, Coco Loco, Prego, The Beach House Junieh, Al

April 1998- July 2001 Denté, China Moon, La Mie Dor é, Café D'Orient, Brasserie D'Orient, La

Plage, J Paul's, Hotel Albergo (Relais & Chateaux), Le Rabelais, Saida

House, Al Mijana, Capitol Grille, Sofil Catering (including Rafiq Hariri's

Ramadan iftars), Palm Beach Hotel

• Audited all vendors to ensure quality and pricing compliance.

• Analyzed sales and F&B cost and labor data to implement an action plan

resulting in an overall increase of profit by 1.5 %.

• Conducted on-site field visits to all units monthly to ensure compliance

with F&B EBDITDA and quality standards.

• Implemented a Lebanese meshwé restaurant aboard a Nile cruise ship in

Cairo.

• Established supply chains to import prime American beef from the Chicago

stockyards and provided oversight and logistics for the local production of

produce and seafood required for the concepts.

• Managed Executive Chefs and their kitchen staffs comprised of numerous

nationalities and native languages.

•

Capital Restaurant Concepts Conceptualized and opened critically acclaimed dining venues in

Washington, D.C. USA Washington D.C.

• Responsible for F&B EBITDA and menu engineering for sixteen dining

Director of Food Service/

outlets, ranging from fine dining to quick service grossing over $30 million

Corporate Executive Chef

annually.

January 1993- December 1997

• Utilized theoretical food cost modeling to provide benchmarks for actual

unit performance and adjusted operational methodology and pricing to

achieve profit goals.

• Coordinated with 2 regional vice presidents on operational priorities and

execution.

• Oversaw expansion of existing concepts into additional markets.

• Rebranded an existing concept in Atlanta into Resto des Amis in partnership

with chefs Jean-Louis Palladin and Guenther Seeger.

• Met with Executive Chefs and General Managers biweekly to analyze fiscal

and quality performance and update profit projections.

• Interviewed and hired all senior kitchen personnel.

• Used competative dining to stay abreast of new dining trends and monitor

the competition's activities.

• Designed, engineered, priced and typeset all menus.

• Reviewed all F&B related promotional material prior to release.

• Trained and utilized personnel from existing units to act as borrowed

trainers for new concept start-ups.

• Planned and authorized all staff promotions within the restaurant kitchens.

• Food Chairman for the Bartender's Ball charity gala 1996

•

The Levy Restaurants Responsible for F&B for outlets ranging from the Michelin starred

Chicago, Illinois USA Spiaggia to the Lincoln Park Zoo.

• Responsible for customer satisfaction and F&B EBITDA for restaurant,

Vice President/ sporting and corporate catering venues grossing in aggregate over $200

Corporate Executive Chef million annually.

January 1992- December 1992 • Ensured that cost of sales in all units was controlled to meet profit

projections.

• Analyzed labor projections and compared against projected seasonal

revenue to ensure proper staffing levels.

• Conducted on-site audits to ensure that all venues were delivering “The

Levy Difference”

• Conducted supplier audits to ensure that quality standards were met and

contracted pricing was adhered to.

• Successfully executed large-scale off premises catering to include the

Western Golf Open, generating in excess of $3 million in revenue over 3

days.

• Sent to work for 6 weeks in Bistros and Brasseries in Paris, including the

Michelin starred Benôit, (now owned by Alain Ducasse).

• Conceptualized, opened and managed food costs for a wide range of

Capital Management &

concepts in Washington D.C.

Development Corp.

•

Washington, D.C. USA Food concepts spanned a wide range of cuisines including American

Saloon, Barbeque, Italian, Pan-Asian Fine Dining, Market-Fresh Seafood,

Corporate Executive Chef Lebanese Quick Service, American Southern Fine Dining and Night Clubs.

January 1987- December 1992 • Continually refocused menu offerings to stay in front of our competitors.

• Designed and specified all equipment for kitchens and bars.

• Sent out of country to open Paolo's in Barcelona, Bice in the Hotel Balzac,

Paris, and establish a cafe and room service for the Hotel D'Vigny (Relais &

Chateaux), Paris

•

Consulting Accomplishments Café Atlantico, Washington, D.C., 1990

• Evening Star Cafe, Alexandria, VA, 1998

• Boss Shepherd's, Washington, D.C., 2014

• Neyla, Reston, VA, 2014

• The Blue Nile, Cairo, Egypt 2014

•

Languages English Native Proficiency

• German Elementary Proficiency

• French Limited Working Proficiency

• Arabic Limited Working Proficiency

• Spanish Limited Working Proficiency

Contact this candidate