Multi-Unit Restaurant Operations & P&L Leader

JOHN O’CONNOR

757-***-**** ************@*****.*** Virginia Beach, VA 23451

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Results-driven, multi-unit Area Director and Operations Executive with over 15 years of progressive experience managing high-volume, multi-unit restaurant portfolios, high-growth regional brands, and extensive catering/banquet operations. Proven track record of direct operational oversight spanning 5+ distinct locations, specializing in busy lunch segments, high-volume event catering, and fast-paced guest services. Expert in maximizing restaurant P&L, executing precise labor scheduling, and leading team development across both fast-casual style frameworks and premium hospitality operations. A hands-on leader recognized for streamlining back-of-house culinary activities, upholding strict sanitation compliance, and eliminating operational waste while cultivating positive, high-retention team cultures.

CORE COMPETENCIES

Multi-Unit Restaurant Operations: Area-Wide Oversight • Fast-Casual Operational Style • 5-Location Span of Control • Guest Service Excellence • Issue Resolution

Lunch & Catering Management: High-Volume Catering Execution • In-House Delivery Logistical Controls • Banquet Management • Culinary Coordination • Standardized Recipe Execution

Financial & Resource Controls: Restaurant P&L Responsibility • Payroll Budgeting & Labor Management • Predictive Staff Scheduling • Revenue Optimization • Food Cost & Inventory Control

Team Development & Compliance: Recruitment & Mentorship • Multi-Site Performance Management • Training Program Design • Safety & Sanitation Regulations (ServSafe) • Adherence to Quality Ingredients

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Harrison Hotel Group Virginia Beach, VA

Regional Director of Food and Beverage 02/2026 – Present

Portfolio: Multi-unit footprint including Isle of Capri ($1.5M), North End Market ($1M), Square Whale ($0.9M), and Banquets/Catering ($5.5M)

Supervise and coordinate all culinary and guest service activities across a diverse local multi-site portfolio, ensuring a memorable dining experience during comprehensive asset transitions.

Drove a 12% expansion in catering and banquet revenues by restructuring premium menu packages and engineering streamlined, high-margin culinary operations.

Reduced morning/lunch service staff payroll by 10% through optimized labor management and precise shift-scheduling adjustments to perfectly match daily business volume.

Maintained premium ingredient quality standards and strict safety/sanitation regulations by auditing BOH operations alongside the culinary leadership team.

Winchester Restaurant Group Regional Brand

Director of Operations 11/2023 – 02/2026

Portfolio: $8M Total Revenue Across a Span of 5 Distinct High-Volume Concepts

Commanded complete restaurant P&L responsibility and operational productivity for a local 5-location multi-unit restaurant portfolio, matching the high-tempo style of fast-casual operations.

Co-piloted concept scaling, kitchen workflow design, and grand openings, standardizing food preparation steps to guarantee a consistently high quality of ingredients.

Boosted local guest satisfaction scores and online reviews by 15% within 90 days by implementing an aggressive front-of-house service and issue-resolution training module.

Spearheaded regional team development, training and managing multi-unit site managers while fostering a communicative workspace to quickly resolve restaurant-level conflicts.

Highlander Hotel Radford Radford, VA

Director of Food & Beverage 12/2022 – 11/2023

Portfolio: $6M Total Volume High-Volume Banquets & Catering ($3M) Multiple Fast-Paced Outlets ($3M)

Orchestrated the launch, staff scheduling models, and daily culinary coordination for a high-volume $100K/month operational footprint, thrives in a fast-paced environment.

Recruited, trained, and managed a premium department of 40–50 hourly personnel and managers, lowering turnover via structured team development pipelines.

Beat financial budget constraints continuously by deploying strict purchasing and inventory systems, capturing a 23% food cost (vs. 28% budget).

Controlled payroll down to 20% (vs. a 23.5% target) by designing an agile, revenue-indexed predictive labor scheduling matrix.

Imprint Hospitality Regional Brand

Food & Beverage Director 01/2019 – 12/2022

Portfolio: Multi-Property Regional Brand Oversight (Williamsburg, VA & Taos, NM)

Coordinated large-scale catering menus, kitchen food displays, and localized high-volume dining operations while directly reporting on performance to corporate ownership.

Slashed ingredient waste by 15% and combined multi-site purchasing power to pull food costs down from 28% to 23%.

Capped labor expenses at 19.8% through highly accurate predictive volume forecasting and adaptive kitchen personnel scheduling.

LX Group Regional Brand

Director of F&B Operations 12/2016 – 01/2019

Portfolio: Kabana Rooftop ($9M+) Belle & James ($1.25M)

Supervised, organized, and coordinated daily culinary and service activities for a massive, fast-paced footprint comprising 185 line employees and 25 supervisors.

Generated $50,000 in immediate payroll savings by consolidating separate back-of-house operations under a unified, cross-trained culinary team.

EARLIER CAREER HISTORY

General Manager – The Cellars Church Point Manor (Virginia Beach) 2015 – 2016

Front of House Manager Williamsburg Winery (Williamsburg, VA) 2013 – 2015

General Manager J.M. Randall’s Restaurant (Multi-Unit/High Volume) 2010 – 2013

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS

Master of Arts (M.A.), English & Technical Writing – Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), English – Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Certifications: ServSafe Manager Certified • First Aid / CPR • Advanced Professional Beverage Credentials

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