Culinary Management Operations & Catering Manager

ERIKA M. PRYOR

Waldorf, Maryland ***** 240-***-**** ************@*****.***

Professional Summary

Experienced Culinary Leader with over 8 years of progressive responsibility in high-volume kitchens, specializing in culinary operations management, team leadership, and menu development. Skilled in cost control, staff training, and ensuring exceptional guest experiences. Proven ability to improve kitchen efficiency and drive profitability through strategic planning and hands-on management.

Core Competencies

●Culinary Operations & Strategic Planning

●Staff Recruitment, Training & Development

●Menu Creation & Recipe Development

●Food Safety & Sanitation Compliance

●Food Cost & Labor Management

●Catering & Event Coordination

●Customer Service Excellence

●Administrative & Reporting Functions

Executive Chef Manager

United Patent Trademark Office, Alexandria, VA

October 2023 – November 2025

●Directed daily culinary operations including retail and catering services for a government facility serving high-volume clientele.

●Managed purchasing, inventory control, and production to optimize food and labor costs, achieving excellent profitability.

●Recruited, scheduled, trained, and mentored culinary staff to maintain high performance and compliance with safety standards.

●Developed and executed weekly menus, ensuring quality, consistency, and guest satisfaction.

●Oversaw catering events from planning to execution, maintaining high standards of food quality and presentation.

●Ensured regulatory compliance with corporate, state, and federal food safety requirements.

Executive Sous Chef

Flagship Culinary Services / Meta/Facebook, Washington, DC

May 2018 – August 2023

●Led kitchen operations to maintain exceptional food quality, presentation, and efficient service in a fast-paced environment.

●Promoted through roles from Line Cook to Sous Chef in recognition of leadership and culinary skills.

●Built and managed a skilled team of 8, fostering a collaborative, accountable work environment.

●Reduced food costs through strategic menu planning and waste minimization.

●Maintained compliance with health and safety standards, delivering ongoing employee training.

●Handled administrative responsibilities including payroll and menu development.

Dining Service Director/ Chef

Sunrise Senior Living, Rockville, MD

June 2015 – June 2017

●Directed all dining services operations for a senior living community/hospital,residents/guests daily.

●Managed staff of all sizes across front of house and back of house, including recruitment, scheduling, training, and performance management.

●Maintained departmental budget of and achieved reductions in food and supply costs through menu engineering, waste reduction, and vendor negotiations.

●Ensured compliance with DOH, OSHA, HACCP, and company standards; achieved consecutive superior health inspection scores.

●Collaborated with dietitians and clinical teams to deliver safe, appetizing meals for residents on specialized or therapeutic diets.

●Increased resident/customer satisfaction scores through service standards training, menu variety, and proactive feedback programs.

●Implemented a new inventory and ordering system that reduced stock-outs and cut food waste.

●Developed seasonal and rotating menus incorporating resident/guest feedback, nutritional requirements, and cost targets

Education & Certifications

L’Academie de Cuisine — Culinary Arts Degree

Gaithersburg, MD 2014 – 2015

Certifications:

●Certified Food Protection Manager (MD, DC, VA)

●ServSafe Certified (MD, DC, VA)

●Allergen Certification (MD, DC, VA)

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