DAVID O. UTLEY

224-***-**** ■ adn6sg@r.postjobfree.com ■ 10 Wellington Court ■ Little Rock Arkansas 72227

Corporate Level Menu Innovation Multi Unit Product Development Hospitality Management

Creative Corporate Executive Chef and Corporate Level Food and Beverage Operations Director with 20+ years of diverse experience at some of the nation’s most popular destinations. A seasoned innovator who consistently boosts operations by implementing creative menus and culinary concepts and purchasing and procurement of food and beverage products. Drives the success of newly developed and struggling restaurants by implementing unique culinary and service ideas, training and developing staff, and overhauling operations. Extensive experience leading multiple food and beverage operations in hotels that feature thousands of rooms, casinos, spas, and entertainment venues. Possesses exceptional corporate menu planning and catering management skills. Consistently positions food and beverage operations for increased sales and improved operations.

Corporate Menu Development ■ Sr. Director level Team Leadership ■ Event Planning to 5,000

Multi-Unit Recipe Creation ■ Restaurant Planning 30+ openings ■ Kaizen team leader process Improvements

Corporate Catering Management ■ Corporate rollout initiatives ■ Sequence of FOH Service ■ Certified Ice Carver NICA

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

The Little Rock Marriott Hotel Statehouse Plaza 05/ 2017 to Present

Executive Chef

411 Room Hotel AAA Four Diamond Hotel 300,000 Square feet of meeting Space Arkansas Convention Center attached to Hotel property. 1 Restaurant Heritage Steak and Finn, Room Service, M club and outside catering facilities. $ 16 Million in Annual Food and beverage. Formerly the Peabody Hotel Little Rock

The Arrow Hotel and Bonefire Grill ■ Broken Bow, Nebraska April 2016 to April 2017

Executive Chef - General Manager

2 Dining Rooms/ bar Operation 42 Boutique Style Hotel National Registry Property 2.5 Million Food and beverage Revenue. 1-year Contract Director of Operations Mr. Shannon Jones/ Awarded 4 Spoons Omaha world

Tropicana Entertainment, Inc., The Belle of Baton Rouge Casino & Hotel ■ Baton Rouge, LA 01/2014 -06/2016

Director of Food and Beverage Operations

Leads food and beverage operations of 300-room hotel that averages $18M in food and beverage sales across six beverage and five food outlets and 42,000 sq. ft of catering space. Boosts effective performance by leading, training, and delegating 160 union employees. Key Accomplishments:

Decreased overall turnover by 75% Increased cash to comp ratio by 16% across multiple venues.

Improved customer satisfaction and bolstered sales by instituting new catering, restaurant, wine, and alcohol menus in two beverage operations.

The Reeds at Shelter Haven Boutique Hotel ■ Stone Harbor, NJ 02/2013–01/2014

Opening Executive Chef

High-end, 37-room property that featured two restaurants, 24-hour room service, late-night lounge, daily breakfast garden buffet, and wedding catering service. Ranked in small boutique Hotels in the world. Voted Best Hotel New Jersey Key Accomplishments:

Ensured effective operations within 425-seat casual fusion American & 64-seat upscale casual eclectic restaurants.

Achieved weekly sales of $350,000 by managing a culinary team of 34.

Caesars Entertainment 02/2010- 02/2013

Executive Chef / Culinary Director – Bally’s Park Place Casino, Hotel, & Spa, Atlantic City, NJ

Propelled culinary operations at 1780-room hotel casino with 14 outlets, eight restaurants, a buffet operation, fast casual bistro, Chinese noodle room, 85,000 sq. ft of banquet space, and two casino dining rooms. Ensured that award-winning property lived up to reputation as one of Atlantic City’s premiere venues. Key Accomplishments:

Saved properties $1.5M by implementing innovative menu engineering strategies, kaizen events, and continuous improvement initiatives as culinary team leader.

Maintained $40M in annual sales with a staff of 170 cooks and 75 stewards.

Executive Chef – Harrah’s Hotel & Casino, Maryland Heights, MO

Led 125 staff members in the operation of a popular hotel that featured five restaurants, 10 food outlets, 125,000 square feet of gaming space, and a 502-room hotel, earning $28M in annual food and beverage sales. Key Accomplishments:

Assisted in the development and opening of Kelly English Steakhouse, which was voted top steakhouse by the River Front Times and featured American Creole fusion cuisine.

Ensured customer satisfaction by designing steakhouse menu, developing recipe template, purchasing china, developing kitchen layout, and hiring/training kitchen staff.

Promoted to Bally’s Atlantic City based on superior performance in St. Louis.

Cosi, Inc. ■ Deerfield, IL 2004-2010

Senior Director of Menu, Innovation/Corporate Chef

Ensured the success of 151-unit, eclectic fast casual urban restaurant chain with $180MM in food and beverage sales by directing all food and beverage operations. Key Accomplishments:

Improved quality by leading all menu development/ideation efforts and implanting an aggressive food and beverage calendar that included weekly tastings and the rollout of 42 new menu items each year.

Improved catering menu’s breakfast platform by 6% by implementing new menu ideas that included dinners from The Hearth and Menu Light.

Named 2005 Menu Innovator of the Year (Chain Operations) by Stagnitos magazine.

Intercontinental Hotels – Crowne Plaza Beach Resort ■ Hilton Head Island, SC 1998-2004

Executive Chef

Managed culinary operations of three restaurants, catering operations, and room service within 340-room AAA four-diamond resort hotel that was voted #1 Crowne Plaza in North American Division by US Travel Magazine from 1999-2007 and brought in $8MM in food and beverage sales each year. Key Accomplishments:

Hosted the 2003 March of Dines Star Chefs event.

Led operations at Portz Restaurant, which was voted best fine dining resort restaurant by South Carolina Monthly.

Grand Biloxi Casino Hotel and Spa ■ Biloxi, MS 1994- 1998

Opening Banquet Chef

Four Diamond Mobil Guide 1000 room Casino Hotel Caesars Entertainment Las Vegas NV.

EDUCATION & CREDENTIALS

Educational Institute of the American Culinary Federation/ Hyatt Regency Hotel Houston Texas

Associate of Applied Science & Three-Year Formal European Apprenticeship Program (6400 Hours)

University of Houston Conrad Hilton School of management, Houston, TX

(BS) Hotel Restaurant Management AHMA Certified

Certified Ice Carver – NICA National Ice Carving Association

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