Executive Chef
Resume:
Erich von Gehren
Food & Beverage Management
Williamsburg, VA 23188 USA
Profitability Engineering Hospitality Management
Wine Program Management
*********@*****.***
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
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