Restaurant Operations Turnaround & Multi-Site GM

Jay Grate

**** ** ***** ******* • Bentonville, Arkansas 72712

479-***-**** • **********@*****.***

Dynamic professional with impressive history transforming start-up, existing, and underperforming locations into corporate models of operational excellence for restaurant and hospitality industry. Maximize bottom-line and customer satisfaction, spearheading high-impact strategic analysis, planning, and improvements. Reduce costs while increasing return-on-investment (ROI), expertly negotiating and renegotiating contracts. Scale rapidly fluctuating needs and demands, tactically calibrating human and material resources. Address and tackle complex obstacles and challenges, creating innovative and alternative solutions for problems and issues. Build, train, mentor, and lead world class teams, cultivating talents and morale. Continually achieve and exceed goals. Strategic Analysis & Planning • Store Openings • Turnarounds • Multi-Site Management • P&L Bottom-Line & ROI Optimization • Conflict & Change Management • Continuous Improvements Contract Negotiations • Sales & Marketing • Team Building & Training • Leadership Development Red Lobster – 8/2017 – 2/2026

General Manager $2.5 million- $5 million

Relocated to bring Rogers, AR location back in line. I have overall responsibility of the operation and its execution. We are placing training and hiring on a new track to raise the standards of the overall operation. We consistently are now running better than required labor and executing at a higher level of performance. Our service add on’s have increased over last year by .50 cents. Our Take out sales have increased by 8-10% and our in-house sales are around 5% increase over last year. We continue to operate and increase profits while maintaining the standards in which Red Lobster requires. We have increased our standings in the restaurant rankings by over 250 points in less 7 months. Texas Roadhouse – 3/2016 – 8/2017

Service Manager $4 million – $5 million

Opened the Lawrence, KS location in July, 2016 and have helped train and place system for operations in that location. Responsible for Bar and Front of House operations on a daily basis. We have controlled Beverage costs to a very low variance. We have continued to develop staff to new heights in overall PPA and Bev PPA. I have helped control food quality by training and communicating with the staff to resolve unsatisfactory food products. We are currently establishing our training team and systems for this location. Sales and service continue to be among the top in our market. Famous Dave’s (Concord BBQ) • 3/2010 – 8/2015

Director of Operations (2011 – Present) 4.5 million – $8 million 4 operating stores / cut losses by 30%. We continue to fine tune operations and sales to push to new levels of profits. Continued success in guest satisfaction scores in all stores. Developed several managers and GM’s to new levels of operational excellence. Continue to push local store marketing efforts to new levels and distances. As we continue to look forward to continued profits and growth. We have accomplished new levels of operations in a short time. Developed staff to next level of achievement. Lowered food cost by 1% company wide. Controllables have dropped by 3%. Executed the switch over of POS system to help control and communicate more accurate information. Have established systems for: cleaning, line checks, Eco Sure, Area director, etc. General Manager – St. Joseph, Missouri

Started as an AGM in Manhattan, KS ($3.5 – 4 million) – helped with daily operations and stabilize locations operations. Promoted to General Manager of St. Joseph, MO ($1.5 million) to help operations stability and grow sales. I have continued to attack outside marketing while developing staff to increase sales on a daily basis. Starting to see a return on our investment. Major Contributions:

• Raising the bar in St. Joseph location thus effectively raising the standards for our franchise Resume

group.

• Reduced food costs by 3%, and increasing profitability on the bottom line.

• Only store in Concords Franchise group to be in the top 10 Raving Fans report – taking care of guests at a new level.

2011 - Won several awards for Guest Service, Safety, and runner up for Rookie GM of the year with Concord.

WHISKEY CREEK WOODFIRE GRILL, LLC, Joplin, Missouri • 11/2007 – 12/2009 General Manager

Develop and lead franchises’ strategic plans and direction with owners and senior management of steak and BBQ chain with 4 locations. Establish and continually raise bar on goals for performance. Coordinate all aspects of restaurant opening ranging from preparation list, to kitchen line set up, and line check. Manage all pre-operation orders. Hire, train, and mentor employees. Implement disciplinary actions as appropriate.

Major Contributions:

• Led restaurant to achieve top sales, performance, and customer satisfaction numbers despite current economic slowdown.

• Reduced food costs 5%, hourly labor costs 7%, and controllable expenses 4.5%.

• Cultivated talents of managers at 2 other locations while remotely managing Joplin site. HEARTLAND HOTEL MANAGEMENT CORP., Bentonville, Arkansas • 6/2006 – 9/2007 General Manager – Boston’s Gourmet Pizza

Handpicked to launch 1st franchise for national hotel management company. Architected all accounting systems, payroll systems, and operational infrastructure. Formulated and executed strategic sales and marketing plans. Oversaw all aspects of pre-opening activities, and subsequent daily operations. Hired, trained, and supervised ~45 staff.

Major Contributions:

• Played integral role in opening 1st franchise store, and grew business to 3,000 guests per week.

• Integrated restaurant’s accounting practices with Heartland’s, overcoming numerous obstacles related to mindset of hotel vs. restaurant.

• Aided company with organizing and opening private restaurant, Luna Restaurant in St. Pete, Florida, participating in all aspects of preparation, start-up, and leadership development. JOHNNY CARINO’S, Rogers, Arkansas • 5/2005 – 6/2006 Manager

Coordinated and led all front-of-house activities for Italian restaurant with $3-4M in annual revenue,

+100 staff, and +6,000 guests per week; included servers, host, bar, to-go, and table tenders. Drove operational excellence. Ordered inventory. Hired, trained, continually developed, and scheduled staff. Designed and facilitated incentive programs and contests. Major Contributions:

• Increased catering sales 15% in less than 1 month.

• Improved overall profits and guest counts.

• Eliminated 20% of fixed costs, renegotiating contracts.

• Rebuilt training team, and rolled out new Manager in Training program. FAMOUS DAVE’S, Rogers, Arkansas • 3/2003 – 4/2005

General Manager

Administered all aspects of operations and P&L for $3-4M start-up location of fledgling national chain. Hired, trained, and oversaw +70 staff. Negotiated contracts. Analyzed and resolved problems. Major Contributions:

• Orchestrated all aspects of new restaurant opening, producing $70K in sales per week, and serving +5,500 guests weekly.

• Enabled consistent achievement of goals, establishing unique systems and processes.

• Grew sales 10%, enhancing catering system.

Resume

EDUCATION & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Bachelor of Science in Hospitality & Restaurant Management Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

Stephen Covey Seminars: 7 Habits of Highly Effective People • Principle Centered Leadership Cracker Barrel: Leadership Development • Famous Dave’s: Hog Heaven • Bachelor of BBQ 101 CEC Entertainment: One Minute Manager • Every Guest Leaves Happy Member of: Joplin Chamber of Commerce • Restaurant Association Resume

Resume

JAY SCOTT GRATE

2903 NW Apple Harvest• Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 479-***-**** • **********@*****.***

Dear Sir or Madam:

An innovative business and operations strategist, I have been instrumental in driving dramatic increases in profitability, cost efficiency, and customer satisfaction for both low and high profile names in the restaurant and hospitality industries. Rapidly learning the intricacies of new situations, I am an expert at uncovering and rapidly addressing problems, deficiencies, and opportunities for improvement. Developing staff ranging from kitchen employees to management, I have turned new, existing, and struggling locations into top performers companywide. Motivating people to reach for their very best, and take pride in the organization and their role in it, I create high powered team environments with parties on all levels united on a common customer-focused mission and goals. Conceptualizing and directing high-impact training programs and initiatives that ensure long-term business and profit growth is achieved and sustained, I will be a valuable asset to your company. A powerful negotiator, creative problem solver, and hands-on leader and mentor, my passion for developing human and organizational potential exceeds the average professional. Enthusiastic about creating ground-breaking solutions that maximize bottom-lines and brand integrity, I thrive with a challenge and always deliver outstanding results.

Some examples of highlights throughout my career are:

• Increased operational performance of Red Lobster – Rogers, AR location by over 250 points in their overall standings. While changing the culture within the operation.

• Leading my Whiskey Creek Woodfire Grill restaurant to achieve top sales, performance, and customer satisfaction numbers despite the current economic slowdown; reduced food costs 5%, hourly labor costs 7%, and controllable expenses 4.5%.

• Playing an integral role in opening the Heartland Hotel Management Corp.’s 1st franchise store, Boston’s Gourmet Pizza, and integrating all of Boston’s accounting practices with Heartland’s.

• Increasing Johnny Carino's catering sales 15% in under 1 month, and improving overall profits and guest counts, rebuilding the training team, and rolling out a Manager in Training program.

• Transforming a struggling Montana Mike’s Steakhouse restaurant into the most profitable location in the company in under 3 months.

• Turning around 6 underperforming locations in 6 cities in 4 states for CEC Entertainment, achieving profitability at all sites, and establishing 2 of them as district and area training centers. Now seeking a position in a company such as yours, I am confident in my ability to enhance your organization as well, and am willing to relocate in order to best suit your needs. Enclosed is my resume, which contains more detailed information on my professional history. Please review it and contact me at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your time and I look forward to your reply. Sincerely,

Jay Scott Grate

Contact this candidate