Culinary Lead with High-Volume Expertise

RAFAEL HERNANDEZ

Denver, Co ***** 720-***-**** ***********@*****.*** WWW: Bold Profile

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Knowledgeable Culinarian with over 6 years experience. Skilled in hot/cold food preparation and presentation, with proven track record of creating visually appealing and flavorful dishes. Demonstrated expertise in knife skills and food safety, ensuring high-quality standards and efficient kitchen operations. SKILLS

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Supervisory experience

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Sanitation practices

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Food presentation

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Workstation setup

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Portion control

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Cooking techniques

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Leadership qualities

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Knife skills

WORK HISTORY

Lead Cook, 05/2025 -

The Slate Hotel - Denver, Co

● Team Supervision: Training line cooks,

managing prep lists, and directing the kitchen

crew during high-pressure rushes.

● Shift Delegation: Assigning specific stations

based on individual cook strengths to

optimize kitchen efficiency.

● High-Volume Banquet Catering: Scaling recipes accurately to serve hundreds of guests for weddings, conferences, or tour groups.

● Vendor & Order Management: Ordering raw ingredients and kitchen supplies while staying within a strict monthly budget.

● Menu Execution Consistency: Ensuring every dish matches the exact presentation, flavor profile, and quality standards set by the Chef. Garde Manger Cook, 11/2024 - 04/2025

Lou's Italian Specialties – Denver, CO

Adapted quickly to changing menu requirements based on customer preferences or ingredient availability

• issues.

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Enhanced presentation quality by utilizing artistic food plating techniques. Maintained a clean and organized workstation at all times, adhering to strict sanitation protocols for safe

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food handling practices.

Collaborated with team members to expedite orders accurately and promptly, ensuring customer

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satisfaction.

Breakfast Cook, 01/2024 -

08/2024 Osage Cafe – Denver, CO

Handled special dietary requests with care, ensuring the satisfaction of all guests regardless of restrictions

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or preferences.

Utilized proper cleaning techniques to sanitize counters and utensils used in preparation of raw meat,

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poultry, fish, and eggs.

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Enhanced customer satisfaction by consistently preparing and serving high-quality breakfast dishes. Exhibited strong multitasking abilities to simultaneously manage multiple cooking stations during busy

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service periods.

Crew Leader, 06/2022 - 10/2023

Raising Cane's Restaurants – Lakewood, CO

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Trained employees in time management and proper ways to complete job duties. Maintained a safe working environment by enforcing strict adherence to safety guidelines and promptly

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addressing potential hazards.

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Monitored team members to verify work quality and address concerns. Provided ongoing training and support for new hires, ensuring they were well-equipped to perform their

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duties effectively.

EDUCATION

Associate of Arts: Culinary Arts, 11/2024

Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts - Boulder, CO

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