VANESSA LEE

** ********** **, *** ***, TX ***** - H: 281 .714.0630 - juleci ta@gma i l . com

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Energetic culinary professional with a blend of creativity, passion for food and exceptional cooking skills. Works well as a dynamic leader in high-pressure settings. Bilingual chef with a focus on nutritious, beautiful food. Successfully operated a family-owned restaurant in Houston for two years since it opened. 15 years of experience in cooking, hiring and training staff, creating schedules and managing labor costs. SKILLS

Fusion cooking technique

Extensive catering background

MS Office, Social media, Windows

Expert food, plating and presentation skills

Strong attention to safe food handling procedures

Knowledge of Mexican, seafood, American and French cuisines ACCOLADES

Houston Chronicle Live on bread alone? At Levure, sure! – Allison Cook, Sept 29, 2015 Houstonia Magazine Looking for Levure Bakery and Patisserie – Scott Vogel, July 9, 2015 WORK HISTORY

Head Chef, Levure Bakery, The Woodlands, Texas Nov 2104 to Current

Prepared food items consistently and in compliance with recipes, portioning, cooking and waste control guidelines, while maintaining high food quality standards with exceptional food cost control

Managed kitchen staff by recruiting, selecting, hiring, orienting, training, assigning, scheduling, supervising, evaluating and enforcing discipline when necessary

Maintained updated knowledge of local competition and restaurant industry trends

Developed menus, pricing and special food offerings to increase revenue and customer satisfaction

Instructed new staff in proper food preparation, food storage, use of kitchen equipment and utensils, sanitation and safety

Led shifts while personally preparing food items and executing requests based on required specifications

Maintained smooth and timely operations in preparation and delivery of meals and kitchen sanitation

Properly labeled and stored all raw food ingredients including produce, meat, fish, poultry, dairy and dry-goods in the appropriate storage room, walk-in refrigerator, freezer or cooler

Positively engaged with customers, offering menu information, providing suggestions and showing genuine appreciation for their business

Met production requirements for all aspects of on-location catering

Planned menus and execution at in-house pop up dinners and special events Head Chef / Owner, V Catering, Valle de Bravo, Mexico Jun 2011 to Aug 2014

Prepared food items consistently and in compliance with recipes, portioning, cooking and waste control guidelines

Reduced food costs by 10% percent (from 40% to 30%) by using seasonal ingredients, setting standards for portion size, minimizing waste, and managing food cost controls

Elaboration of new dishes and menus that increased catering's income

Creation of pop up dinners and VIP events for magazines and TV events

Regularly interacted with guests to obtain feedback on product quality and service levels

Maintained smooth and timely operations in preparation and delivery of meals and kitchen sanitation

Planned breakfast, lunch, dinner and food standard menus

Led cooking classes for specialty diets such as gluten free, superfoods, low calorie, Atkins and Paleo

Led Caterings for photo shootings, on location TV filming, beauty pageants and weddings Head Chef, Hotel Avandaro, Avandaro, Valle de Bravo, Mexico Aug 2008 to Apr 2011

Comprehensive knowledge of food and catering trends

Expertly managed 40 staff and maintained appropriate staffing levels throughout shifts

Verified freshness of products upon delivery

Accurately and efficiently prepared healthy, delicious fish, meat and vegetable-based dishes

Successfully reduced the restaurant's annual food and labor costs by 12% through proper budgeting, scheduling and management of inventory

Practiced safe food handling procedures at all times

Planned lunch, dinner and bar menus, as well as special menus for in-house special events and catering

Catered international events such as Copa Scappino and Caballos Españoles EDUCATION

Hotel and Restaurant Manager Degree: Culinary and Hospitality, 1995 CESSA University - Mexico City

REFERENCES

Manuel Rubiralta Owner and Baker at Levure Bakery

Samantha Chain Co-owner and Director at Avandaro Hotel Francisco Migoya Head Chef at Modernist Cuisine

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