Executive Chef & Culinary Director Leader

JAMES R. BRIGHT JR.

Executive Chef Culinary Director Foodservice Operations Leader

Washington, DC Metro Area

202-***-**** *************@*****.***

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Executive Chef and Culinary Director with 10+ years of progressive leadership across healthcare, senior living, luxury hospitality, and high-volume dining operations. Proven track record of improving food and labor cost control, reducing waste, leading large culinary teams, and maintaining full regulatory compliance. Recognized for operational efficiency, team development, and delivering high-quality dining experiences aligned with organizational goals.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Culinary & Foodservice Operations P&L, Budgeting & Cost Control Labor Management & Scheduling

Menu Engineering & Recipe Development HACCP, ServSafe & Regulatory Compliance

Inventory Control & Vendor Management Healthcare & Senior Living Dining High-Volume & Banquet Operations Team Leadership, Training & Retention Customer, Resident & Patient Satisfaction Dietary & Nutritional Planning PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Executive Chef

The Portum Restaurant @ Harborside Hotel & Banquets – Oxon Hill, MD 06/2024 – 09/2025

● Led all culinary operations for restaurant and banquet services, increasing profitability by 10% through menu engineering and cost controls.

● Managed, scheduled, and developed a 20-member culinary team, improving service speed by 15% and reducing food waste by 10%.

● Oversaw hiring, onboarding, payroll, training, and performance management.

● Monitored food and labor costs through weekly financial reports, forecasting, and KPI tracking.

● Collaborated with events teams to launch seasonal menus and drive guest engagement.

Culinary Director

Kensington Rehabilitation – Kensington, MD

01/2023 – 06/2024

● Directed all culinary operations for a senior care and rehabilitation facility, ensuring compliance with federal, state, and local nutrition and food safety regulations.

● Led staff training in HACCP, sanitation, and safety; developed SOPs, standardized recipes, and nutritional meal plans.

● Partnered with clinical dietitians to implement therapeutic and texture-modified menus.

● Reduced food waste and improved food cost through portion control, inventory oversight, and vendor optimization.

● Addressed resident feedback through council meetings to improve satisfaction and service quality.

Executive Chef

Collington, A Kendal Corporation – Mitchellville, MD 11/2021 – 02/2023

● Oversaw culinary and utility departments within an independent and assisted living community.

● Managed food and labor budgets while maintaining compliance with health, safety, and sanitation standards.

● Developed standardized four-week cycle menus and café offerings.

● Mentored staff through hands-on training and professional development initiatives.

● Maintained HACCP logs, MSDS documentation, and inventory controls. Banquet Executive Sous Chef

The Hotel at College Park – College Park, MD

05/2018 – 10/2021

● Led back-of-house operations for high-volume banquets and multi-outlet events.

● Reviewed BEOs, executed banquet menus, and trained new culinary staff.

● Managed inventory, vendor relationships, equipment maintenance, and sanitation compliance.

ADDITIONAL CULINARY LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE

Executive Chef / Food Production Manager – Sodexo, Washington, DC & Cheverly, MD

Sous Chef – Aramark, Washington, DC

Sous Chef – Guckenheimer (NPR), Washington, DC

Sous Chef – Maryland Live Casino, Hanover, MD

● Led high-volume foodservice, patient dining, corporate catering, and special event operations.

● Maintained food safety compliance, cost control, inventory management, and staff training standards across multiple environments. MILITARY SERVICE

United States Marine Corps – Military Police

11/1989 – 11/1996

● Honorably served with responsibility for security operations, compliance, and team coordination.

● Developed leadership, discipline, and decision-making skills in high-pressure environments.

EDUCATION

Associate Degree in Culinary Arts

Pennsylvania Culinary Institute – Pittsburgh, PA 2006 CERTIFICATIONS

● ServSafe Food Protection Manager (Expires February 2027)

● Trust20 Food Allergy Certification (2023)

● Certified Food Service Manager – Montgomery County, MD (2023)

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