Mahmood Abousalem

***** ***** **** ****, ***. ***

North Miami, FL 33181

Tel: 561-***-****

acgdhe@r.postjobfree.com

Qualification Highlights

• Innovative professional with 20 years expertise in the hospitality, hotel, fine dining, catering and

marketing arenas with demonstrated initiative, creativity and success. Proactive, multilingual

leader/manager with experience in multi-cultural environments.

• Expertise in strategic planning, new business start-up, market plan execution, capital asset

oversight, cost containment, budgeting/finance, customer service, and staff training, supervision and

mentoring.

• Highly skilled in P&L management, pricing strategies, competitor and market analysis, lease and

contract negotiation, legal compliancy, staffing, purchasing and vendor relations, management

reorganization, food service, new product roll out, and targeted marketing.

• Quick study with an ability to rapidly achieve organizational integration, easily assimilate job

requirements and aggressively employ new methodologies. Energetic and self-motivated team

player/builder. At ease in high stress, fast-paced environments with emerging and multiple

responsibilities.

Experience

Delano South Beach, Miami Beach, FL

Asst. Director of Food and Beverage

Jul. 2014 – Present

- In charge of all F&B operations including nine venues at this Iconic Miami hotel winner of the AAA

Four Diamond Award. A full service restaurant, Bianca, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Umi

Sushi and Sake, Lobby Lounge, Rose Bar, Delano Beach Club (pool operations), Delano Beach

Club (beach operations), Club FDR, In Room Dining and Banquets.

- In charge of 200 team members with a total revenue of $30M.

- Manage all Food & Beverage operations in the hotel in all aspects of F&B Management, and with

an emphasis on quality service, product quality and consistency.

- Foster strong relationship with guests and resolves any and all guest complaints when necessary.

- Oversee scheduling for all responsible F&B areas, and use productivity reports in scheduling to

maintain labor cost controls.

- set and maintain service standards, to lead the team, to motivate employees to coach, counsel,

discipline employees, to determine priorities, set goals, and follow up, to monitor attendance, outlet

schedules, to participate in selection of staff, to identify and analyze problems and develops

solutions

- Assist in annual budget/financial planning for the F&B Department including revenues, payroll,

capital projects, expenses, product cost percentages, shrinkage and silver, glass, china.

- Responsible for the maintenance of sanitation standards for all outlets and back of the house in

accordance with hotel and local Health service standards.

- Creating menus for F&B outlets, menu pricing, menu implementation and execution. Establish

portions, and pour controls of alcoholic beverages. Revise menus as needed to stay current with

industry trends – competitor reports.

- Increase sales by designing and implementing marketing and sales programs in co-ordination with

Sales and Marketing such as promoting special menu items, seasonal / holiday programs, guest

service enhancement ideas, etc. Designing sales plans for staff, and developing creative ideas for

implementation of new items together with F&B team.

Delano South Beach, Miami Beach, FL

Director of Restaurants

Jan. 2013 – Jul 2014

- In charge of six venues at this Iconic Miami hotel winner of the AAA Four Diamond Award. A full

service restaurant, Bianca, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Umi Sushi and Sake, Lobby Lounge,

Rose Bar, In Room Dining and Banquets.

- In charge of 200 team members with a total revenue of $20M.

- Instrumental in refining service standards and gaining the hotel the unprecedented number one

position for guest satisfaction in the company (13 hotels) year to date for Food and Beverage.

- Improved staff morale and engagement gaining the number one position in the company for the

yearly employee engagement survey.

- Built the sales initiative program and introduced daily sales goals and criterion, introduced sales

contests to build sales.

- Introduced cost control systems and trained management on system controls resulting in substantial

saving on labor, wares, food and beverage cost.

- Revamped the management training program with a heavy focus on goal setting/reaching initiatives

and understanding P&L and cost controls.

- Negotiated contracts and agreements resulting in saving benefits to the F&B department.

- Guided Bianca restaurant to number 8 on TripAdvisor in Miami Beach, the highest rated high –end

Italian restaurant, by starting a top 10 initiative. A service refinement and guest satisfaction

initiative to get Bianca into the top 10 list on TripAdvisor.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL

Hakkasan

Assistant General Manager

Aug. 2012 – Jan. 2013

- Managed all aspects of FOH in this $9 Million per year high end Cantonese restaurant, winner of

the AAA Three Diamond Award.

- Reduced and streamlined costs to assure P&L success on a monthly basis.

- Monitored service. Measured luxury service standards and assured compliance.

- Interviewed, hired, trained and dismissed personnel; performed evaluations and decided on salary

increases and promotions.

- Streamlined processes and procedures so that all service levels were met with

regard to internal and external customer expectations.

- Acted as escalation point for team to resolve critical guest service issues.

- Built a motivated team through planning and behavioral interviewing hiring practices.

Fontainebleau Miami Beach, Miami Beach, FL

Gotham Steak

Assistant General Manager

Jan 2011 – Aug. 2012

- Manage all aspects of FOH and BOH departments consisting of 100 team members, $10.5 Million

per year. Celebrity Chef Alfred Portale’s steak concept, winner of the AAA Three Diamond Award.

- Helped reduce fixed costs.

- Measured luxury service standards and assured compliance.

- Interview, hire, train and dismiss personnel; performed evaluations and decided on salary increases

and promotions.

- Streamlined processes and procedures including training manuals, guest recovery and human

resources compliance.

- Built a motivated team through planning and behavioral interviewing hiring practices.

David Burke at Bloomingdale’s, NY, NY

General Manager

Jul. 2010 – Jan. 2011

- In charge of the day to day operations of this multi-concept facility for celebrity Chef David Burke,

consisting of a fine dining restaurant, take out/sit down casual concept and off premise catering

concept.

- In charge of meeting operating and financial goals, P&L review, meeting budget goals and payroll

- Spearheaded all marketing and PR campaigns targeting Bloomingdale’s and surrounding buildings.

- Development of operations analysis tools, training standards and materials, operations manuals and

food & beverage control tools. Analyzing of financial reports.

The Addison Restaurant Group

General Manager

Jan. 2007 - May 2010

The Addison, Boca Raton, Florida

- 5 Star Diamond Award, 2009. First and only facility in Boca Raton to win this prestigious award.

- Orchestrated management activities for this historic 20,000 sq ft, 700 seat facility with annual

revenues of $12M+ and a staff of 125 employees.

- In charge of an award winning ala carte restaurant and a state of the art catering facility.

- Reorganized management, systems and business operations resulting in reducing monthly operating

costs.

- Directed all financial, budgeting, operating, compliance, purchasing, marketing, human resource,

public relations, and administrative functions.

- Ensured timely execution of financial reporting, operating forecasts, cash flow planning, new

project evaluation, legal, regulatory, equipment maintenance, advertising, cost/pricing and related

activities.

- Monitored and controlled maintenance and upkeep of the facility, approved expenditures, and

liaised with vendors.

The Addison Steakhouse, Delray Beach, Florida

- Best service award, Boca Raton Magazine, Reader’s Choice, May/June ‘07 issue.

- Best host award, Boca Raton Magazine, July/August ’07 issue.

- Responsible for all restaurant operations including budget, P&L and payroll.

- In charge of monitoring sales trends, marketing and research and development.

- Development of operations analysis tools, training standards and materials, operations manuals and

food & beverage control tools. Analyzing of financial reports.

Maxwell’s Chophouse, Boca Raton, Florida

General Manager

Mar. 2005 – Jan. 2007

- In charge of $9M + per year daily operations of this Boca Raton landmark, 400 seat restaurant.

- In charge of meeting operating and financial goals, P&L review, meeting budget goals and payroll

- Developed an extensive wine-training program including a complete wine guide.

- Controlled purchases and inventory by managing those responsible in every area; oversaw

negotiation of prices and contracts, reviewed and evaluated usage and costing reports, analyzed

variances and took corrective action when necessary.

David Burke & Donatella, NY, NY

Captain

Dec. 2003 – Mar. 2005

- Controlled and perfected the flow of service in the dining room in this high profile restaurant owned

and operated by celebrity Chef David Burke and celebrity restaurateur Donatella Arpaia, considered

one of New York’s finest restaurants.

- Increased productivity and sales by introducing training programs and incentives.

- Delegated duties to different team members to up-keep the level of service to the highest standards.

American Park, NY, NY

Assistant General Manager

Jan. 1997 – Dec. 2003

- Met human resource needs by recruiting, hiring, training, coaching, disciplining and scheduling

management and hourly staff.

- Continually communicated job expectations, monitored and appraised individual contributions,

planned and reviewed compensation and recognition programs.

- Maintained high quality of operations by enforcing policies and standard operating procedures;

improved productivity, quality, service and cleanliness standards whenever necessary.

- Managed daily and weekly reports, opening and closing requirements

Education

Bergen Community College, Paramus, NJ

A.S. Computer Science, May 2004

Certifications

Certified food safety manager. Expires 2017.

Languages Fluent in English, Arabic. Conversational Spanish and French.

References and recommendations available upon request

Contact this candidate