Design-Driven Hospitality & Event Specialist

M I C H E L E A. P A Q U I N

Hospitality Design & Catering Event & Wedding Production Support Floral Design Support Guest Experience Sarasota, FL 908-***-**** **************@*****.*** SUMMARY

Design-forward hospitality professional with 25+ years across restaurants, fine dining, catering, Interior Styling, Set Design, Professional Organizing, sales, budget, scheduling visual balance, client and vendor, communication, and service awareness,. Seeking design-centered hospitality, floral design support, wedding staging, venue styling, or event production roles where restaurant experience and creative presentation meet. DESIGN-FOCUSED STRENGTHS

Floral & Event Design Support

Color stories, texture, balance, decor placement, tablescape readiness, and ambiance

Wedding & Venue Staging

Guest flow, focal points, ceremony/reception presentation, room resets, polished arrival experience

Hospitality Space Planning

Circulation, seating rhythm, service timing, station placement, FOH/BOH efficiency

Interior Styling & Organizing

Kitchen/bath design, residential and hospitality styling, visual editing, professional organizing

Guest Experience Leadership

VIP service, menu knowledge, upselling, staff communication, guest recovery, repeat business & client growth

Production & Visual Direction

Set design, makeup, wardrobe styling, editorial/commercial photo and film support

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Interior Stylist / Design Consultant / Professional Organizer MAP Interiors; M & M Consulting and Design; O.C.D. (Organize-Create-Design)

Sarasota, FL 2000s-Present

• Provided design consulting, interior styling, and organizing support with a focus on beauty, function, flow, and client vision.

• Created polished, high-impact spaces on budget through spatial planning, scheduling, styling, decluttering, finish awareness, visual balance, and detail control.

• Relevant to floral and wedding/event design understands color, composition, room flow, guest-facing presentation, and how small visual details shape the overall experience. Owner/Partner - Catering, Consulting & BBQ Rubs Rub Ya Right BBQ Sarasota, FL 2000s-Present

• Supported catering and hospitality operations, budget, including client service, scheduling, event readiness, guest experience, and brand presentation.

• Applied restaurant knowledge to service planning, food presentation, guest flow, vendor-style coordination, and efficient setup/breakdown, streamlined accounts payable/receivable processes.

• Balanced creative presentation with practical execution in fast-moving hospitality and event environments. Kitchen & Bath Designer / Junior Interior and CAD Designer Exclusive Kitchens & More; Calder Interiors Sarasota, FL / New York City 2000s

• Translated client needs into practical, attractive space plans and layout, materials, scheduling, budget, and visual impact.

• Developed a strong eye for proportion, finishes, surfaces, staging, and the relationship between beauty and functionality.

• Worked with client-facing design expectations where listening, presentation, and scheduling were essential Set Design / Makeup Artist / Wardrobe Stylist / Photo & Film Production Support Jenna Leigh Photography; Jeffrey Stevenson Photography; Freelance

Boston, Miami, Portland 1990s-2000s

• Prepared camera-ready spaces, talent, wardrobe, makeup, and visual details for editorial, commercial, and film production settings.

• Built transferable staging skills in composition, visual storytelling, texture, lighting awareness, prop/detail placement, and deadline-driven setup.

• Collaborated in creative environments requiring flexibility, polish, and careful attention to the final presentation. Hospitality Operations, Fine Dining, Nightlife & Event-Facing Service Multiple Restaurants, Clubs & Private Yachts

FL / NY / NJ / ME / MA / WI 1980s-2000s

• Held roles including server, bartender, host, cashier, prep, manager, yacht hostess, promoter, and guest-facing operations support.

• Worked across fine dining, high-profile nightlife, casual venues, catering, and community restaurants with a strong sense of service rhythm.

• Understands what makes a venue feel alive: cleanliness, timing, staffing flow, budget, scheduling, menu confidence, guest comfort, atmosphere, and follow-through.

• Developed early client-facing sales skills through door-to-door construction sales, including communication, persistence, listening, and confidence.

RELEVANT HOSPITALITY & VENUE BACKGROUND

Restaurants and venues include: The Cuba Club at The Forge, Groove Jet, Chrome, Shadow Lounge, Luna Lounge, The Van Dyke Café, The Tasting Room, The Gator Club, The Speakeasy, Duval's Fresh Seafood, Blase Bistro, Casey Key Fish House, Margarita's Mexican Cantina, The Underground, Il Monastero, Rocco's, The Reef Club, and private yachts. EDUCATION

• B.F.A., Interior Design - Kean University, Magna Cum Laude

• A.A., Fashion Design - Miami Dade College

• French Independent Study Abroad - La Sorbonne, University de Paris TARGET ROLES

Floral Design Assistant Wedding & Event Staging Associate Event Design Assistant Venue Styling Coordinator Hospitality Interior Stylist Event Production Assistant Tablescape Décor & Styling Support References Upon Request

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