Curriculum Vitae

Gerald K Mombenhema Cell: 002*-**-***-****

** ******** *****, ********* ac9ek7@r.postjobfree.com

Cape Town, 7441, South Africa

Exceptional, Dynamic Inspirational & Creative Professional Chef

Astute, dynamic, detail oriented, knowledgeable and experienced Culinary Professional with a broad and diverse experience and excellence in a la carte Italian Cuisine, European, Mediterranean, South African, & African Cuisine, Fusion Cuisine. Service excellence in fine dining menus coupled with a high level culinary management experience. My key and demonstrated skills includes and encompasses, artistic menu development and designing utilizing seasonal ingredients; meal planning aimed at preparing and cooking exquisite dishes that are made to impress, Catering for large numbers and exclusive high end people with well defined fine dining tastes, budgeting and stock control, quality control, Staffing, Exceptional Interpersonal and communication skills, a diminutive and exceptional team player who has experience working with a diverse range of mixed cultures and race teams, has worked, coordinated and managed fast-paced and pressurized kitchens and galleys.

Core Competencies

Creative Menu Development Menu Planning & Designing Food Preparation Costing Ordering and Stock Control Staff Hiring & Supervision Budgets & Cost Control Customer Service & Satisfaction Team Leadership Hygiene & Food Safety Standards Quality Control Inventory Management

Professional Culinary Experience

Viking Ocean Cruises – NORWAY July 2017 – April, 2019

Chef De Parti

Oversaw the culinary efforts involving the preparation and serving of distinctive fine dining cuisine for the high end Cruise ship’s restaurants and room service food requirements.

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions:

Responsible for leading and supporting a multi cultural team of 2 line cooks in the main kitchen galley staff and ensuring the highest level of staff satisfaction and the preparation of distinctive cuisine for the high end luxury Cruise Liner guests by ensuring unique menu items and plate presentations. Participated in developing and implementing smooth operations and food safety, staff management and production schedules. Monitor equipment maintenance and sanitation of kitchen facilities. Collaborating with Executive Chef/Chef de Cuisine on menu planning and cooking, stock control, inventory control, staff concerns and all galley operations.

Received a high commendation from the Executive Chef for significantly improving unique menu selections, cooking and presentations and following safety and health standard in detail in the galley.

Responsible for the Galley Operation in the various sections and the entire food production process by following set regulations and quality and presentation of food during preparation and service hours.

Responsible for the entire service line at allocated sections during meal hours in terms of freshness, quality and of all food items and ingredients.

Prepared food samples whenever the Executive Chef deemed necessary (show plating, tasting, recipe trials).

Prepared daily electronic food requisitions by counterchecking merchandise in galley stores to avoid overstocking and wastage of items in the main galley sections.

Yummy Basket Food & Special Events – CAPE TOWN, January 2015 – May 2017

Food Planning & Production Director

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions:

Drove all efforts planning and executing specialized food service operations for Special Events & Catering Services. Trained and supervised a staff compliment of 25 people in the Food production services chefs and administrative order clerks, Designed and conceptualized menus and ensured the highest level of sanitation, health and safety rules and regulations were maintained at all times.

Played a major role in seasonal menu Planning & Development for al dietary requirements, menu costing for profitability, food production cycles to ensure viable budgetary allocations are maintained effectively.

Oversaw to the payroll management to food production staff on-going training for kitchen staff to be up-to-date with cooking and service requirements.

Savoy Cabbage – Cape Town May 2012- December, 2015

Sous Chef

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions:

I was accountable for the overall daily success of the kitchen operations. Exhibited culinary expertise by personally performing tasks while leading the staff and managing all food related functions. Oversaw all kitchen areas were maintained in line with set guidelines for sanitation, health and safety standards as well as making sure a high quality food product was produced. Managed 3 kitchen staff and 2 chefs as my direct reports.

Food production and quality of meals, flavours and presentations as well proper handling and correct temperatures of all cooked and raw food products.

Maintained purchasing, receiving and food storage standards.

Prepared and cooked food of all types, either on a regular basis or for special

Oversaw to time management and tracking of employee time and attendance for payroll purposes

Recommend when needed the staffing levels to ensure that guest service, operational needs were in place especially in the heavy summer season.

Got many service excellence accolade from the Executive Chef and the Restaurant owners.

The Munch Box – Cape Town July 2011 – March, 2012

Professional Chef/Operations Manager

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions:

My main and major responsibility was to command, coordinate and lead the professional kitchen by

Creating a conducive working environment for the kitchen staff in them preparation and serving of all meals and delivering to various TV and Film Service operations around the City.

Was responsible for all Menu planning and supervision of all meal preparation and determining the food portion sizes and the pricing thereof; in liaison with the owners..

Regulated the staff needs, as well as seeing that roster/duty schedules were maintained and properly followed as this impacted on staff wages and salaries.

Controlled and compiled the expenditure budget, by keeping all quotes, orders and invoices for submission as budgetary spreadsheets and reconciled all expenses for submission to the owners on a weekly basis.

Oversaw the ordering and liaison with suppliers and also liaised with clients by visiting various sites.

Gulf Catering Company (GCC) – Basrah, Iraq May 2010 – May 2011

Junior Chef De Parti.

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions:

Responsible for menu and meal planning and preparation at the Cameron Remote Camp situated in Basrah, under the supervision of the Sous Chef.

Ensured that the kitchen facilities, hygiene and safety standards were kept and maintained at all times.

Coordinated with the Sous Chef in all matters related to food production, stock requisitions and stores coordination of seasonal products, menu planning, quality control and food quality and presentation.

Prepared and cooked food both on the hot or cold section as per the roster schedule.

Directly controlled processed food items for taste, quality, presentation and quantity before serving.

The Ivy – London Dec 2009 – May 2010

Chef

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions

Was on a 6 month Overseas Travel/Work Experience in England and worked as a floating or relief Chef

assigned to work in all areas of the establishment.

Responsible for checking constantly on food quality and presentation.

Wrote and or assisted the Chef de Cuisine and Senior Sous Chef with writing of daily menus and doing the costing recipes and mailing them to the cost controller on time

Checked the event folder and ensured that we had the correct event menu

Prepped the mise en place and the plates required for the event with the Chef De Cuisine and ensured that the Restaurant Manager was informed in time and the correct plates were polished and available

Filled in on the various workstations when the need arose.

Shesha Film & TV Caterers Feb 2009 – Dec, 2009

Cape Town, South Africa

Chef – Kitchen Manager

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions

Overseeing and executing the initial set up of the Shesha Kitchen in liaison with the Owner –Executive Chef. During my time it grew into a fast paced extremely busy Kitchen. I managed the food preparation of

The kitchen and managed and supervised all sections of the kitchen and staff which initially had 5 kitchen staff and 2 chefs. Also managed on -set craft teams and the buffet set up and food delivery to the various film set locations.

Responsible menu planning and food preparation and supervised the packing for deliveries to film-locations.

Ordering & Procurement of both dry goods, fresh produce and stock management and procurement;

Maintained cash- float, budgets and stock levels

Timeously kept work deadlines and the fast distribution of prepared meals to off-site location sets.

Strongly managed and controlled kitchen, catering and craft teams both full time and part-time employees.

Timeous maintenance and servicing of vehicles and equipment and ensured high standards of culinary skills and hygiene and safety standards were met and maintained at all times.

The Italian Club of Cape Town (Fratelli Palmieri) Feb, 2007 – January 2009

Cape Town, South Africa

Senior Chef De Parti

Purpose, Scope & Key Contributions:

An exclusive, traditional Italian Restaurant with a 300 seater restaurant and a 500 seater conference & Functions Hall Serving mostly diversified cuisine from many regions of Italy each with its own flavors, palette and preferred cooking techniques. Reporting to the Head Chef/Executive Chef handled, prepared & supervised menu planning and meal designing and serving whilst maintaining quality, flavor, colour and presentation.

Manned the hot or cold section as dictated by the Head Chef.

Prepared and cooked meals of all types, portioning and plating.

Prepared fresh Pasta from scratch, including penne, spaghetting, gnocchi, raviolis.

Prepared various cheeses such as mascarpone, ricotta and parmesan.

Prepared various sausages and salamis from conception.

Oversaw to the sanitation, hygiene and health standards of the kitchen; tools and equipment.

Education

Advanced Diploma in Culinary Arts – Food Preparation

City & Guilds

Advanced Food and Wine Diploma Course

Culinary Academy of Cape Town

Professional Courses

Fire Prevention & Fire Fighting

First Aid

Personal Survival Techniques

Personal Safety & Social Responsibility

Crisis Management & Human Behaviour

Competency in Security Awareness

Crowd Management & Passenger Safety

Referees

1.

Paolo Palmieri

Owner/Managing

Fratelli Palmieri

Italian Club of Cape Town

16 Donegal Street

Rugby,

Cape Town, South Africa

Cell: +278*-***-****

Off: +272*-***-****

Email: ac9ek7@r.postjobfree.com

2.

Peter Pankhurst

Executive Chef

Savoy Cabbage 5* Fine Dining Restaurant

Hout Street,

Cape Town

Cell: +278*-***-****

Office: +272*-***-****

Email: ac9ek7@r.postjobfree.com

3.

Roxy Bezuidenhout

Restaurant Manager

Italian Club of Cape Town

16 Donegal Street

Rugby,

Cape Town, South Africa

Cell: +277*-***-****

Off: +272*-***-****

Email: ac9ek7@r.postjobfree.com

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