Provide excellent guest experience. Lead teams to destination success

Amine Benhayoun

Assistant General Manager / Beverage Manager

703-***-**** I ***************@*******.*** I Fairfax, VA

Summary

Seasoned restaurant professional with over 20 years of progressive experience in high-volume, upscale dining environments. Most recently served as General Manager and Beverage Manager at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Arlington, VA, for the past three years. Proven expertise in P&L oversight, sales and labor forecasting, and full-spectrum restaurant operations. Now seeking to bring strong leadership and operational excellence to a General Manager role.

Professional Experience

Executive General Manager, Darden, Fairfax VA 2020 – Present

Directed and supervised a team of 40+ front- and back-of-house staff, ensuring seamless coordination, high performance, and adherence to operational and service standards.

Ensured all menu items were prepared from scratch daily, maintaining high culinary standards, freshness, and consistency in a fast-paced kitchen environment.

Successfully elevated the restaurant to become an official training store for the entire brand, recognized for operational excellence, staff development, and consistently high performance.

Actively engaged with the local community, building relationships with high schools, churches, and other organizations to strengthen brand presence and support local initiatives.

General Manager, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Arlington, VA 2018 - 2020

Direct daily operations of an $12M high-volume restaurant, overseeing staff management, OpenTable administration, sales forecasting, and guest experience.

Monitor and interpret financial statements daily, delivering detailed analysis and strategic insights to senior leadership regarding costs, trends, and performance.

Utilize data analysis to identify areas for operational improvement and develop targeted action plans to optimize profitability and control costs.

Serve as a designated Learning Center, responsible for onboarding, training, and developing newly hired or promoted managers.

Lead hiring and training efforts, ensuring all team members adhere to brand standards and operational excellence.

Conduct formal beverage education sessions and provide ongoing coaching to staff to maintain top-tier wine and spirits service.

Mentor and develop high-potential employees, successfully promoting talent into leadership and management roles.

Assistant General Manager / Beverage Manager, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Fairfax, VA 2015 - 2018

Oversaw rotation, and sales of a $250K+ alcohol inventory, ensuring compliance with quality and safety standards.

Lead formal beverage education sessions and provide hands-on coaching to staff, delivering consistently exceptional wine and spirit service to guests driving an increase in sales volume.

Supported employee development through performance management and incentive programs, increasing spirit sales by over 10% and enhancing the guest experience for private dining and wine dinners, contributing to $1.5M in annual revenue.

Managed inventory and reduce deadstock, implementing cost-control strategies to lower wine, beer, and liquor costs.

Addressed guest feedback promptly, resolving issues and adjusting service protocols to enhance future guest satisfaction.

Maintain focus on key operational metrics including guest satisfaction, team productivity, food quality, and overall service efficiency and exceptional dining experience.

Led the successful launch of new restaurant locations, managing the full opening process from staffing to training, while ensuring all associates met elevated brand standards.

Server / Corporate trainer / Key Employee, Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Fairfax, VA 2005 - 2015

Provided world-class front-of-house service in fine dining at the nation’s largest luxury steakhouse brand.

Gained comprehensive exposure to key operational areas, including culinary coordination, restaurant management, off-site events, and high-level guest service.

Certified Corporate Front-of-House Trainer; proficient in roles including Server, Food Runner, and Server Assistant.

Managed weekly beverage inventory, with a focus on cost control, accurate ordering, and maintaining par levels.

Manager, Neyla Mediterranean Restaurant, Washington, DC 2002 – 2003

Managed daily operations for a $3M restaurant, including staff hiring and supervision, while ensuring exceptional guest service and strong front-of-house relations.

Owner / Managing Partner, Atomic Ground Cyber Coffee, Arlington, VA 1999 – 2002

Education:

University of Hassan 2 I Casablanca, Morocco I B.S. Political Science 1999

Contact this candidate