Culinary Operations Executive - Menu & Cost Excellence
Resume:
Wesley Rollin Turnage
CEC, CCE, CCA, FMP
********@*******.***
Executive Summary
I am a highly motivated individual, looking to launch the next part of my career as an operation executive with a progressive food service company.
I have over 20 years of Culinary and Operations Management experience with emphasis on developing management, quality food production, sourcing local ingredients, food cost controls, high level accountability, Community Engagement, and Operational Excellence.
Highly skilled with personal interaction, team development, talent development, and delivery of operational tools/methods.
Subject matter expert on equipment, personnel, and operational flow/design to improve quality, efficiency, and operational excellence.
Education
NEW ENGLAND CULINARY INSTITUTE
Essex Junction, Vermont
December 1999-December 2001
AOS, Culinary Arts
May 2012- 2017
BA, Culinary Arts
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
Oxford, Mississippi
August 1998-May 1999
Studied Business Management
COPIAH-LINCOLN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Wesson, Mississippi
August 1997-May 1998
Received transfer credit hours
Experience
Sodexo Universities Operations
Campus/Government Culinary Network Team
January 2024 - Present
Senior Director of Culinary Offer Implementation – Campus/Government Foodservice Operations
Executive culinary leader for Sodexo North America’s Campus and University Segment.
Lead a team of 2 Territory Culinary Leaders and 10 Regional Culinary leaders that their aim is to deploy a variety of systems, menu offers, retail programs and the like.
Oversee creation, deployment, training, and development of all segment menus from resident dining, catering, un-branded retail, concessions, marketing promotions, etc.
Have deployed the first ever regional resident dining menu approach for the segment.
Actively improving segment activities centered around communications, training and development, recruitment of culinary leaders, onboarding and more...
Sodexo Universities Operations
Tulane University
September 2021- January 2024
Area General Manager – Campus Foodservice Operations
Executive Operations Leader for Tulane University Dining Services at all campuses. Totaling over $29 Million in Total Revenue.
Oversaw and directed a team of 23 Managers and over 400 frontline employees
Responsible for all Residential Dining, Catering, Concessions and Retail operations and financials.
Manage budget and P&L for the entire account.
High level client negotiations skills with multiple levels of clients on the Tulane University Side.
Instrumental in opening multiple revamped retail concepts, pushing the residential “all you care to eat” Dining program into the 21st century.
South and Central Region – Sodexo Universities Operations
Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas
September 2018- September 2021
Regional Executive Chef/Operational Excellence Champion
Executive Culinary and Operations Leader for Senior Vice President overseeing 56, University Food Service accounts. Totaling over $300 Million in Revenue.
Successfully sold and executed the new business start-up operations for retail, catering, and resident dining operations at multiple university accounts.
Successfully revamped and retained food service contracts at multiple university accounts.
Operational and Culinary leader for all retention and sales efforts throughout the region.
Successfully opened state of the art $56 million-dollar dining hall operation at Tulane University.
Was instrumental to re-building teams throughout the region and support for other areas across the southeast.
Highly executed biweekly culinary calls, training programs through culinary foundations, and Vegan and Plant based cooking techniques
Partnered with The Humane Society of the United States to develop the first Virtual Plant Based training platform in response to the COVID 19 pandemic.
Was instrumental in developing and implementing the “EC YOU” program. This program has helped to grow future Executive Chefs on campus and provide a direct pool of future Executive Chef candidates across the region.
Member of the Social and Corporate Responsibility council for Sodexo Global. This council helps to drive sustainability efforts across the company.
(Drive) Menu Planning and Purchase order platform “Super User”. 1 of 7 across all segments in Sodexo North America.
One of the founding members of the Segment Menu Advisory Council that shapes and develops resident dining, catering, and retail menu deployments for all of Sodexo North America University accounts.
Member of the” Project Phoenix” Order Guide Optimization team that has reduced the number of SKU’s and increased product/purchase/vendor compliance across the university segment.
Developed and launched the first (Drive) menu and purchase platform CHAMPIONS network to help ensure operational excellence across the Universities Segment.
Erlanger Health System – Sodexo Healthcare Operations
Chattanooga, TN
January 2018 – September 2018
Senior Manager, Culinary and Operations Planning
Was Executive Leader of culinary and operational services for entire health system.
Oversaw food operations for $18 million-dollar account
Had 7 Executive Chefs reporting to me with over 200 FTE’s System wide.
University of Louisiana, Lafayette – Sodexo Universities Operations
Lafayette, LA
June 2016 – January 2018
Executive Chef III, Campus Hospitality Services
Was Executive Leader of Culinary, Operations, Catering, and Concessions Program of over $13M Campus Dining Operation.
Oversaw all Operations for Catering, Retail, Resident Dining, Athletics, Concessions and Special Functions
Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
December 2013- May 2016
Sr. Executive Chef/Assistant Food Service Director
Was Culinary and Operational Leader for Louisiana’s largest medical Center
Oversaw all patient feeding functions and interactions with nursing.
Oversaw 5 Managers and 12 supervisors for departmental operations
Was Financially responsible for all department functions, Retail, Catering, and Patient Services.
Converted hospital to full room service operations for over 900 bed facility.
Redesigned all menus and production standards.
Successfully opened two additional satellite room service kitchens to provide higher quality and patient satisfaction.
Was Working extensively in CBORD Operation System to improve flow of production and foodservice operations.
Training and Developing Long tenured employees to follow production, sanitation, and recipe standards.
The Louisiana Culinary Institute
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
June 2011-November 2013
Chef Instructor
Taught varied levels and types of classes to up and coming culinary students going through the Savory Associates Program and the Baking and Pastry Associates Program.
Petit Millett’s
Oxford, Mississippi
July 2010- May 2011
Executive Chef/Owner
Owned and operated an 85-seat bistro in the heart of Downtown Oxford Mississippi, located just off the Historic Oxford Town Square.
Managed all day-to-day business operations and operations of the front and back of the house.
Made all products from scratch and in house for use in daily lunch and dinner services.
The Oxford University Club
Oxford, Mississippi
June 2002-September 2004
February 2007- June 2010
Executive Chef/Food and Beverage Director
Designed and implemented highly successful A la Carte, catering, and banquet operation that generated over $3.5 million annually in food and beverage revenue.
Managed banquet functions of up to 1000 persons.
Managed all front of house and back of house operations.
Designed specific criteria for hiring, training, and developing, employees.
Managed all costs and controls for food and beverage.
Designed all regular and special event menus and met with clients personally to tailor fit menus to their specific tastes and requests.
The club grew from 300 original members to well over 1200.
Madison Hotel
Memphis, Tennessee
January 2006- January 2007
Executive Chef
Managed the back of house operations in the hotel and functioned as Food and Beverage Director several times in lieu of new hires coming on board.
Designed all menus and ordering systems.
Managed banquet functions of up to 1000 inside and outside of the hotel.
Grill 83 was recognized over 5 times in food columns, nationally and regionally, for high levels of quality and service under my tenure.
Managed a staff of 12-21 depending on season with 24 hr room service.
Attained Mobil 4-star service rating and 5 Diamond Rating.
Was recognized as one of the top 500 hotels in the world and top 100 in the United States by Travel and Leisure Magazine.
Tournament Players Club at Southwind
Memphis, Tennessee
September 2004- January 2006
Executive Chef
Reopened major corporate property for the TPC network of Clubs Managed by the PGA Tour Group.
Responsible for staffing, menu development, training of staff, development of systems and controls for inventories, and member/guest relations as pertained to food service.
Was recognized as the Most Improved Food and Beverage Operation in 2005
Was recognized as the Most Improved Private Club in 2005
Was recognized as the Food and Beverage Operation of the Year in 2006
Chez Philippe
The Peabody Hotel
Memphis, Tennessee
July 2001-June 2002
Sous Chef
Was responsible for day-to-day operations, ordering, and training of new staff and implementation of menu items as directed by the Chef.
Sous Chef for Maître de Cuisines Jose Gutierrez in Chez Philipe, the Flagship restaurant for the Historic Peabody Hotel.
The Inn at Essex
Butler's Restaurant
Essex, Vermont
Sundays 2000-2001
Line Cook; Brunch Chef
The Biltmore Estate and Winery
Asheville, North Carolina
June 2000-November 2000
Internship Site; Rotated through all foodservice outlets
N.E.C.I. COMMONS
Burlington, Vermont
Sundays 1999-2000
Line Cook
Downtown Grill
Oxford, Mississippi
August 1998-December 1999
Kitchen Manager
Certificates
American Culinary Federation—Certified Executive Chef, Certified Culinary Educator, Certified Culinary Administrator
Court of Sommeliers—First two levels of Master Sommelier Program Completed 2003
National Restaurant Association--- Food Management Professional
American Culinary Federation--Member, National Chapter
Manage First—Instructor/ Proctor
ServSafe Food Protection—Food Protection Manager Certificate, Instructor/Proctor
HeartSaver Plus--American Red Cross
References
Pamela Smith
Vice President of Operational Excellence
Sodexo Campus and Government
Ben Hartley
Sr Director of Operational Excellence
Sodexo Campus
Ron Guillory
Senior Vice President
Sodexo Universities Operations
Edward Daugherty
Area Operations Manager
Sodexo Dining Services
Heather Bacque
District Manager
Compass K-12 Operations
New Orleans, LA 701118
David Hamman
Senior Area General Manager
Sodexo Healthcare Operations
Erlanger Health System
Chattanooga, TN
Chef Michael Kester CEC
Senior Area Executive Chef
Sodexo Healthcare Operations
Area 326
(803) 528- 0877
Keith Rush
CEO Owner
Louisiana Culinary Institute
10550 Airline Hwy
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
David Tiner
Director
Louisiana Culinary Institute
10550 Airline Hwy
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Christina Nicosia
Lead Pastry Instructor
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Jorja Lynn
Owner
The Oxford University Club
265 N Lamar Blvd
Oxford MS 38655
Mohammed Hakimian
Owner/Operator
Madison Hotel
79 Madison Ave
Memphis, TN 38103 901-***-****
Chef Jose Gutierrez
Chef/Owner
River Oaks Memphis, TN 38103 901-***-****
Chef Andreas Kissler
Executive Chef
The Peabody Hotel
149 Union Avenue
Memphis, TN 38103
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