SAMAD BENZARI

***** ***** ****

Orlando, FL *****

301-***-**** ● adofkp@r.postjobfree.com

SUMMARY

Accomplished and creative Chef with over 30 years of experience working in food service industry. Specialties are French, Mediterranean, and American cuisines. Strong organizational, leadership and management skills. Adept at strictly monitoring kitchen activities and meeting health code standards. Extensive experience with all aspects of opening new restaurants and making them successful and profitable.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Executive Chef 2007 – Dec 2020

Epcot World Showcase at Walt Disney World, Orlando FL Spice Road Table Restaurant, Tangierine Mediterranean Café, & Restaurant Marrakesh

Responsible for overall operations of Spice Road Table Restaurant, Tangierine Mediterranean Café, and Marrakesh Restaurant - serving 3,000 – 4,000 guests daily.

Created menus, developed recipe cards, wine lists for wine pairings, and trained employees. Spice Road Table has consistently been voted the number one restaurant in Epcot.

Created unique dishes for all holiday and special events, such as wine pairings, banquets, annual Epcot Food & Wine Festival, Dinner for the Senses and Flower & Garden Festival and various other festivals throughout the year.

Responsible for managing, hiring, training, and scheduling over 85 kitchen employees; supervised workflow; ensuring sanitation requirements and quality control; purchasing and controlling food costs.

Executive Chef 2004 – 2006

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Washington, DC

Responsible for managing all BOH operations of this 265-seat fresh seafood restaurant, including developing & supervising employees; controlling inventory and labor costs; completing accurate and timely reports; maintaining quality, consistency, and recipe adherence; twice daily menu preparation; overseeing and expediting on the line.

Position required leadership & management skills as well as computer skills.

McCormick & Schmick’s is a renowned fresh seafood restaurant group consisting of over 70 restaurants nationwide, catering to the affordable upscale dining market. Executive Chef 1999 – 2004

Bistro Bistro, Shirlington Village, Arlington, Virginia

Overall operations of restaurant kitchen, including planning menus and creating daily special courses; purchasing and controlling food costs; managing and scheduling kitchen personnel; lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch preparation; overall supervision of workflow.

Responsible for implementing significant changes in restaurant operations to assure increased profitability.

Executive Chef 1991 – 1999

Village Bistro, Arlington, Virginia

From inception, assisted with the opening of the restaurant, including creating the menu and wine list, pricing, and overall organization in preparation for opening.

Responsible for planning menus and daily special courses, ordering, purchasing, and lunch and dinner preparation.

During my tenure, the restaurant became successful, profitable, and received numerous positive reviews published in the Washington Post Magazine including three times on Phyllis C. Richman's list of 50 Favorite Restaurants.

Saucier and First Cook 1987 – 1991

La Colline, Washington, DC

La Colline, a Washington institution, served consistently fine French cuisine on Capitol Hill.

Responsible for preparation of stocks and sauces for fish and meat entrees.

Supervised production of 200 to 500 entrées entrees daily. Saucier and First Cook 1984 – 1987

Chez Nous, Bethesda, MD

Responsible for preparation of stocks and sauces for fish and meat entrees, and supervision of entrée production.

EDUCATION:

Chef de Cuisine & Instructor

L’Academie de Cuisine, Bethesda, MD

AFPA, Agence de Formation Professionelle Pour Adultes, Rodez FRANCE.

Associate Degree

Ecole Hoteliere, Pau FRANCE

Associate Degree

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