Objective

To lead a first class food and beverage operation that is committed to their product, their service and their people.

Professional Experience

Executive Chef

Trattoria # 10, The Rosenthal Group, Chicago, Il, Oct. 2013-Present

Responsible for cuisine and operation of white table cloth Italian restaurant

Green initiative kitchen, locally sourced farm to table menu

Brought in to revive menu to a more modern sensibility

$4.5 Million Annual Sales

Corporate Executive Chef, Firehouse Steak House, City Tavern, Wabash Tap

Mainstay Hospitality, Chicago, Il June 2012-Sept.2013

Responsible for cuisine and operation of 3 kitchens for 3 distinct properties

Planning for the future expansion of company

Mentor a culinary management team of 2 chef di cuisine and 3 sous chefs

Current sales of $12 Million Collectively

Implementing new menus and cost controls

Corporate Executive Chef & Partner, Bin 36, Bin 36 Lincolnshire, Bin Wine Cafe, A Mano Restaurant

Bin 36 Restaurant Group, Chicago, IL 2001-2012

Resposible for four unique a la carte restaurants up to 500 seats collectively and a hotel banquet kitchen serving events to 200 people

Concepted, planned and successfully opened three restaurants in six years

Mentor a culinary management team of five chefs de cuisine and a pastry chef in addition to a kitchen and stewarding staff of 50

Grew sales to over $12 Million collectively

Created the concept of a cheese bar featuring 50 artisan cheeses, resulting in incremental cheese sales of $350,000 annually

Reduced food costs to average 28.5% annually

Received three star reviews from Pat Bruno at The Chicago Sun Times and the following from Phil Vettel at The Chicago Tribune and

"And unless your heart is set on one or more menu items (which would be understandable), the tasting option is the way to go. It's the best way to appreciate the sublime synergy between chef John Caputo, recently imported from San Francisco, and wine director and partner Brian Duncan, who is blessed with an extraordinary palette. And when Duncan's wines combine with Caputo's food, it's an inspired duet."

***Three Stars (Excellent)

Chef de Cuisine

Restaurant Gary Danko, San Francisco, CA 2000-2001

Responsible for all day-to-day operations in the kitchen of this top Relais & Chateaux restaurant

Managed a kitchen staff of 1 sous chef, 8 cooks and 4 stewards

Created menu concepts and recipes, and ensured top quality and production

Brought in food costs in alignment with budget and lowered labor costs by 5%

Executive Chef

Napa Valley Grille, Providence, RI 1998-1999

Opening executive chef of this 150-seat California cuisine concept with first-year revenues of $3.5 Million

Executive Chef/Proprietor

Socca Restaurant, San Francisco, CA 1994-1998

Developed, organized and executed the opening of a 100-seat French/Mediterranean restaurant in the Richmond district

Grew sales to $1.5 Million through high quality food and service, and an innovative seasonal menu featuring country French Mediterranean Cuisine

Sous Chef

Campton Place Hotel, San Francisco, CA 1992-1993

Worked one year each under two ground-breaking Executive Chefs, Jan Birnbaum and Todd Humphries

Assisted in menu development

Managed 12 cooks on the kitchen staff for a la carte service in the 75-seat restaurant and private events up to 24 guests

Winery Executive Chef

Jordan Winery, Sonoma County, CA 1989-1993

Organized the professional kitchen to entertain clients, dignitaries, distributors and family

Created a guest chef program featuring top celebrity chefs across the country

Developed pairings of all wines for Jordan Winery and J Sparkling Winery

Education

BSBA, Hotel & Restaurant Management, University of Denver

Culinary Studies, California Culinary Academy, San Francisco, 1986-1987

Trained under Jean-Claude Fabre in Florensac and Claude Giraud in Narbonne, two Michelin-star chefs in the south of France

Staged and traveled throughout Italy, working at several restaurants including Da Delfina on the outskirts of Florence and at the restaurant, organic farm and international school of Chef Peppe Zullo at Orsara di Puglia

Worked alongside Alain Ducasse, Hubert Keller, Jean Louis Palladin, Michel Richard, Julian Serrano, Roland Passot and Wolfgang Puck in either a stage or at charity events

Press

Featured in many different print magazines and newspapers including: Chicago Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, The San Jose Mercury News, Wine Spectator, and Time Out Chicago

Bin 36 matures nicely - Chicago Tribune

When in Rome - Travel & Hotels - Time Out Chicago

The hot seat - Restaurants + Bars - Time Out Chicago

Chicago Restaurant Videos: A Mano - YouTube

Personal Interests

Travel, Golf and Cycling

References

Available Upon Request

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