Executive Chef Sous
Resume:
Dominic M. Finzo
Portland, Oregon 97225
********@*****.***
Results driven, career professional with more than 18 years of experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Willingly takes on challenges, with follow through, and exceeds expectations. Background includes refined culinary training with emphasis on practical execution. Personal strengths include:
Menu development with an emphasis on seasonality and classic technique
Extremely personable and communicates effectively with all team members
Staff Hiring / Training / Supervision / Motivation
Vendor Sourcing / Competitive Purchasing
Profit / Loss Responsibility
Health Code and Sanitation Management
Executive Sous Chef Soho House Portland, Oregon January 2024- Present
Worked closely with the North America expansion team and Executive Chef to develop all menus. Assisted in all hiring and training processes and SOPs. Procurement of all BOH kitchen equipment, smallwares and organization of kitchen and finalizing buildout. Assured with vendor sourcing, and creating order guides. Responsible for and not limited to butchery, sauces, processing payroll, inventory, day to day operations.
Executive Sous Chef / Interim Executive Chef Oswego Lake Country Club Lake Oswego, Oregon October 2021-December 2023
Responsible for training and assisting with all new hires. Assisting with menu development for a la carte menus and banquets/special events. Creating new menus changing hyper seasonally to utilize all products in house with minimal waste. I have successfully ran a series of dinners highlighting southern cuisine taking members on a culinary tour of the south. I held the interim role of pastry chef over the winter holidays 2021-2022. Responsible for monthly inventory. Oversee protein butchery and fish breakdown. Cross Trained on stations to relieve employees as needed. Culinary Director Culture Hospitality Group:
Culture Restaurant/Zaatar Lebanese Grill / Zaatar Fine Lebanese Cuisine Portland, Oregon 2019- 2021
Worked directly with owner in development including financial, production, marketing and all management practices- also held the position of Executive Chef of all locations. Responsible for food and labor costs, profit/loss, all staff hiring and training. Assisted with marketing management throughout the hospitality group. Directed all restaurants’ staff, menus, training and supervision- along with purchasing and sourcing of all products. In charge of all banquets and off site events for catering of parties up to 150 people. Closed due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Reckon Southern Kitchen & Bar (pop up restaurant within Culture Restaurant) Chef/Owner of new pop up restaurant ‘Reckon Southern Kitchen’- including all development of food, menus, training and marketing. Created an authentic menu based on items from my home of Tennessee.
(Eater PDX, Willamette Weekly and Portland Monthly) Sous Chef Imperial Restaurant Portland,Oregon 2018- 2019 James Beard Award winning Chef Vitaly Paley’s restaurant-Responsible for training, ordering, menu development, assistance with banquets and off site events. Daily responsibilities include butchery, preparation of mise en place, expeditor of brunch, lunch and dinner services. Maintaining food costs and labor costs at projected number, works with ownership to ensure highest standard of food and service are given. Assist with management of The Crown Pizza that is located next door to ensure both properties run at peak performance. Uphold sanitation and proper serve-safe conditions. Chef de Cuisine Miho Izakaya Portland, Oregon 2017- 2018 *closed due to owner relocation* Daily responsibilities include menu development, sourcing, costing, profit/loss and full inventory. Completed all butchery on premises. Worked directly with vendors and purveyors for all necessary operational product and equipment. Oversee all production, service, sanitation, permits, licensing, offsite events and special events.
Executive Chef-Consultant Block 16 Hospitality Group and Urban Food Hall Gen 3 Hospitality
Portland, Oregon /Las Vegas, Nevada
Holsteins Shakes and Buns -2017
Assisted in all operations in establishing, hiring and training, buildout, vendor sourcing, menu creation and product development, purchasing, marketing and creating consistency between locations Oregon and at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sous Chef Cabezon Restaurant Portland, Oregon 2014- 2017 Worked directly with the Executive Chef with menu development and ordering. Responsible for all opening and closing duties. Produced and maintained daily pars for the entire line (including butchery of all proteins, pastries and sauces). Assisted and directed private parties and events. Chef de Partie Grüner Restaurant Portland, Oregon 2012- 2014 Prepared product for all stations, with primary focus on grill and saute. Highlights include sausage production, pickling and fermentation. Participated in off-site events featuring Austrian and Alpine cuisine.
Poissonnier Brasserie Montmarte Portland, Oregon 2011- 2012 Responsible for preparation of all station mise en place and production. Cross trained throughout all stations including protein breakdown,butchery and charcuterie. Kitchen Manager Pok Pok Noi Portland, Oregon January 2011-August 2011 Opening AM kitchen manager for Pok Pok’s third Portland location. Communicated daily with the commissary kitchen to properly orchestrate pars and receival of goods. Managed staff of 7-9 per shift. * AM services closed by owner*
Saucier David Paul's Island Grill Lahaina, Maui Hawaii 2009 - 2010 Worked directly with the executive chef/owner David Paul Johnson in Hawaiian-French fusion restaurant. Special emphasis on classic French technique and style. Aided in all off-site special events, including the Kapalua Food and Wine Festival, where we took 1st place. Pastry/Garde Manger Tsunami Restaurant Memphis, Tennessee 2008 –2009 Actively involved in all a la carte and banquet operations. Responsible for development and preparation of all desserts with seasonal emphasis and bread production. Personal Chef Hamburg, Germany/Drejo, Denmark 2008 Directed the food operations for 28 people on an extended sailing trip. Duties included: purchasing, organization, costing of menu creation and production of traditional and regional European cuisine. Sourced fresh ingredients from each harbor/port.
Chef de Partie Jarrett’s Restaurant Memphis, Tennessee 2005 -2008 Prepared all stocks and sauces daily to execute menu. Worked with owner/Chef Rick Farmer in all product sourcing and menu development with a small team that handled production of in house bread and sourdough cultures, pastries and service six nights a week. Certifications & Education
Culinary Institute of America Professional Chef 1 & 2 Course Hyde Park, New York International Sommeliers Guild 2012 Fundamentals of Wine 1 & 2 International Sommeliers Guild 2012
CPR AED First AID 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021,2022, 2023 American Culinary Federation Certified Culinarian 2014-Current Valrhona Chocolate Chocolatier Foundations Course 2007 University of Memphis Marketing Management/Business Administration 2003-2007 Stagiere/Apprenticeships
Bouchon Bistro-Thomas Keller Restaurant Group Yountville, California, July 2021 Roy’s Maui Hawaii 2010
Spago-Wolfgang Puck Grand Wailea, Maui Hawaii March-August 2010 Da Emma Montreal Canada 2006
Chez Phillipe The Peabody Hotel Memphis Tennessee 2006,2007 References available upon request
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