Executive Chef & Culinary Operations Leader

George Koons • Executive Chef

GEORGE KOONS

EXECUTIVE CHEF • CULINARY OPERATIONS LEADER

Noblesville, IN 765-***-**** ***************@*****.*** PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Executive Chef and culinary operations leader with 30+ years of experience guiding high-volume restaurant, club, senior-living, and banquet kitchens. Proven strength in scratch cooking, menu development, team training, food and labor cost control, special events, inventory, sanitation, and equipment stewardship. Known for steady leadership, practical problem-solving, and consistently inspection-ready operations. CORE EXPERTISE

Culinary Operations Menu Development Banquets & Special Events Food & Labor Cost Control Team Leadership & Training Inventory & Purchasing Scratch Cooking Food Safety & Sanitation Scheduling & Staffing PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Kokomo Country Club Kokomo, IN

Executive Chef 2023–Present

• Lead culinary operations for club dining, banquets, and special events while maintaining quality, consistency, and member-focused service.

• Direct menu development, kitchen standards, staff training, scheduling, and day-to-day production across culinary functions.

• Oversee food and labor costs, inventory, purchasing, sanitation, and preventive equipment maintenance. Grindstone on the Monon Westfield, IN

Executive Chef Nov 2022–Jun 2023

• Directed daily kitchen operations, weekend specials, special events, and banquet event orders (BEOs).

• Identified and corrected food-cost issues; maintained labor at or below industry benchmarks through scheduling and training.

• Oversaw hand-cut steak and seafood preparation, performance reviews, station training, biweekly inventory, and equipment maintenance.

Angry Donkey Michigantown, IN

Executive Chef; promoted from Sous Chef Jul 2020–Dec 2021

• Promoted to Executive Chef after eight months; led daily operations, hiring, reviews, purchasing, and food- safety standards.

• Created weekly specials and scratch menus for weddings and private epicurean dinners; supported recipe and menu development as Sous Chef.

George Koons • Executive Chef

EARLIER CULINARY LEADERSHIP

The Barrington of Carmel Carmel, IN

Sous Chef Dec 2019–Jul 2020

• Prepared daily meals to menu-cycle standards, maintained an inspection-ready kitchen, and coached up to 15 team members per shift.

Elm Street Brewing Company Muncie, IN

Chef / Kitchen Manager Feb 2019–Dec 2019

• Led staffing and scheduling, created daily specials, smoked and cured meats, exceeded food-safety standards, and met food- and labor-cost targets.

IHOP Muncie, IN

Manager Jan 2017–Feb 2019

• Managed inventory, deposits, server banking, food-handling compliance, food-cost variance, and labor performance. Sullivan's Muncie, IN

Chef & General Manager Jan 2012–Jan 2015

• Hired staff, managed inventory, created daily specials and 36 menu items, and passed every health inspection with zero violations.

Mulligan's Muncie, IN

Chef Jan 2011–Jan 2012

• Created daily specials and managed staffing and food-cost control. Bella Avanti Muncie, IN

Executive Chef Jan 2007–Jan 2011

• Directed day-to-day culinary operations and developed dinner specials. EDUCATION

The Art Institute

Associate Degree, Culinary Arts 2007

Hawaii Community College

Associate Degree, Hotel & Restaurant Mgmt. 1995

CERTIFICATION

Certified Meat Cutter 2015

AWARDS

• Best Appetizer — Spinach-Artichoke Dip, Taste of Muncie

• Best Side Dish — Roasted Orzo Salad, 100 Men Who Can Cook ADDITIONAL STRENGTHS

Customer service • Performance coaching • Profit-and-loss awareness • Time management • Problem-solving • Multi-unit hospitality experience

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