Executive Pastry Chef & Operations Director
Resume:
Karen Fodere-Gallier
New York, NY 10016
Email: *********@*****.***
ABOUT ME
My American and Argentine dual citizenship, along with extensive international travel, has shaped a culinary perspective rooted in global flavors, refined technique, and memorable hospitality. I have always been passionate about cuisine and creating distinctive culinary experiences for guests, colleagues, and friends. I graduated summa cum laude from HCCC with an A.A.S. degree in Culinary Arts. My professional experience includes working with legendary pâtissier Pierre Hermé, known as the “Picasso of Pastry,” at L’Avenue at Saks Fifth Avenue until the pandemic. I later worked with Chef Bryce Shuman as executive pastry chef under TH/RST Hospitality Group, followed by roles as executive pastry chef with Fotografiska, Verōnika, and Chapel Bar, a Swedish hospitality group located at 281 Park Avenue South in New York. Most recently, I worked with the Tokyo-based Japanese company I’m donut? as Director of Operations / executive pastry chef. After extensive training in Japanese pastry techniques in Tokyo, I opened the company’s flagship Times Square location in New York, transforming the space from an unfinished site into a fully operating nama-style sensation donut shop. I hired and trained employees across culinary and management roles while ensuring high standards for product quality, operational consistency, and daily production. I am now seeking an opportunity to contribute my experience, passion, and dedication to a team that values creativity, precision, and exceptional hospitality. EXPERIENCE
Executive Pastry Chef & Director of Operations – I’m donut ? Times Square – Tokyo Jul. 2024 to May 2026
154 W 45th Street, New York, NY, 10036
Role & Tasks: Head of Operations, Executive Pastry Chef, General Manager, Director of Brand Operations.
· End-to-End Operations: Full P&L ownership from vendor selection & purchasing to production scheduling & crew management.
· R&D & Localization: Adapted recipes for the US palate while leading new product development.
· HR & Labor Management: Hiring, training, employee planning/scheduling, and direct oversight of all staff.
· Brand Marketing: Executed limited-edition collaborations with Uniqlo, % Arabica, and Oishii.
· PR & Media Production: Organized photo shoots and product prep (nama-style) for Press: for New York Post, New York Times, Colbert Late Show, Good Morning America, Dancing with the Stars, New York Live TV, Kelly & Mark Show, Fox 5 News, News 12 New York, Neatorama.
· Daily Operations: my expertise ensures that the shop’s signature nama-style donuts meet the highest standard of quality and consistency, leading and responsible for the team during all shifts. Executive Pastry Chef – Fotografiska New York – Chapel Bar – Verōnika – Neuehouse Dec. 2022 to June 2024
281 Park Avenue South, New York, NY, 10010
Managed and supervised a Large Pastry Team, including 1 Pastry Sous Chef, 12 Cooks, 4 Porters. Develop new Seasonal menus, menu Planning for Restaurant’s Dessert, All Private Banquets, Weddings, Special Events, Fotografiska Cafeteria, and A La Carte Menus (Updated Monthly). Purchase and Approve All Pastry Food & Beverage Items with Steady Emphasis on Freshness & Quality, while Meeting Monthly & Annual Food Cost Goals. Updated Pricing and Specs on Entire Pastry Inventory, Hiring, Placement & Scheduling of All Kitchen Pastry Staff. Conduct Tastings As Needed for Special and New Desserts. Upgraded Quality and Diversity of Food Program while still Reducing Food Cost. Personally Prepare Ganaches, Tart Shells, Chocolate Bonbons and Petit Fours, Laminated doughs, Viennoiseries, Desserts & More. Meet with Dining Room Staff Weekly to Review Menu Changes and Conduct Q+A. Conducted Individual Assessment/Training Sessions with Each Staff Member. Attend Member Committee Meetings to Improve Member/Staff Relations, Obtain Feedback and Review Menu Changes. Reduced Payroll Costs by Re-Structuring Placement
& Duties of Current Staff While Striving For Minimal Loss of Jobs and Better Production. Research
& Development with New Food Ideas,
Executive Pastry Chef – Sweetbriar Restaurant THRST Group – GG Tokyo – Roof at Park South New York
Nov. 2020 to Dec 2022
127 East 27th Street, New York, NY, 10016
Role & Tasks
Chef K is involved in all aspects of her kitchen, from concept, design, menu, staff selection and training in an ongoing effort to create an experience that is both timely and enduring. Role & Tasks
Covering all pastries, desserts, petits-fours, pizza’s sourdough, breads for service, events and private parties; Make the Best Use Of Fresh; Seasonally Available Ingredients; Continually Update & Improve Menus; Emphasis on Freshness & Quality; Assist General Manager meetings to review Profit & Loss; Work with Controller on Budgets; Inventory and Monthly Food & Labor Projections; Met with Dining Room Staff Weekly to Review Menu Changes and Conduct Q+A; Personally Prepare Laminated Doughs; Sourdough Pizza’s Doughs; Bread for service; Ganaches, Sauces, Petits-Fours, Desserts from Scratch; Covering all pastries and Petit-Fours for events and private parties; Research & Development with New Food Ideas. Pastry Chef – L'Avenue at Saks
Jan. 2019 to Oct. 2020
8 East 50th Street, New York, NY, 10022
Role & Tasks
Responsible for the Pierre Hermé boutique and restaurant production, dessert, inventory and daily service. Technique and methods of tempering chocolate quality control cooking and production of macarons and specific order desserts for events. Assisting in the supervision, preparation, and cooking of various desserts, developing daily menu items and their preparation and garnishment. English to French translation of forms and contracts for Culinary Operations at Restaurant Associates Senior Manager, L'Avenue New York.
Executive Pastry Chef – Montammy Golf Club
Jun. 2017 to Jan 2019
Montammy Drive, Alpine, NJ 07620
Role & Tasks
-Executive Pastry Chef at Montammy Golf Club 45,000 sq/ft clubhouse
• Responsible to produce desserts, menu, purchase and inventory, presentation of plates, production of desserts in volume for private events • Responsible for setting up large parties, catering and chef tasting • Supervising four employees, Pastry cooks, all baking and desserts are made on premises. • Responsible for all purchasing related to desserts for the Club. • Create weekly new desserts for brunches, catering, à la Carte menus for lunch & dinner, private events, weddings, anniversaries and special celebrations. • Establish all desserts plating, designs and presentations. • Bake all products such as pastries, cakes, breads and desserts for the restaurant. Awards
First Prize NJ Peach Pie contest 2018. SJC Program In Urban Sustainability 2019, Hospitality Excellence Recognition Award Restaurant Associates 2020, Forbes article 2023, Michelin 3-star Restaurant Guide 2023. The Bread Bakers Guild of America Award Grant Winner “The Science Behind Sourdough”, USA.
Pastry Chef – Choc-O-Pain Bakery
330-332 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City, NJ, 07307
2015 to June 2017
Role & Tasks
Expert in dough lamination for croissant dough cutting on dough sheeter machine and manually roll out various Viennoiseries. • Supervise stocks organization and daily communication for production. • Daily production: 1,500 croissants and 1,200 pain-au-chocolat per day. • Responsible for tray out production of a variety of pastry goods for the night shift and next day baking. • Bread department, process involving ingredient mixing for different formulas, shaping, proofing, baking, cooling, packing to different wholesalers, restaurants, and other store branches. • production of different breads
(baguettes, brioches, Poilânes, sourdoughs • In charge of preparing large bulks of various recipes on daily basis when products were low in stock. • Production of puff pastry and rolled dough per day. Pastry Chef – Liberty National Golf Course
2014 to 2015
100 Caven Point Rd, Jersey City, NJ 07305
Role & Tasks
Baked pastries, cakes, breads and desserts for the restaurant.Coordinate, organize and execute for private parties, catering function, and conference dining. EDUCATION
AAS Culinary Arts Baking and Pastry – Hudson County Community College 2014 to Feb. 2016
AAS Baking and Pastry Degree, GPA: 4.0
70 Sip Avenue, Jersey City, NJ, United States
Award:
Summa Cum Laude
Others:
Master degree in Politics Science & International Relations - University of Belgrano (Buenos Aires - Argentina)
SKILLS
Culinary & Kitchen
Coordinate with savory tasting menus and plate flow, conceptualize and refine desserts menus, quality control, R&D, allergens charts.
Business Operations
Management, employee hiring, training, planning, scheduling, purchasing, inventory/stocking, food cost management, enforce strict sanitation (HACCP), food safety, equipment maintenance logs, build food cost budgeting, negotiate with purveyors, forecast production based on covers, banquets, and holiday rushes.
Additional Skills
Tempering chocolate, macaron baking, breads, viennoiseries, ice cream, patisseries, creams and custards, fermentation,
CERTIFICATIONS & COURSES
-A.A.S degree in culinary arts
-Qualifying Certificate in Food Protection – New York City Department of Health & Mental Hygiene.
-NYC Food Handlers Certification
-ServSafe Certification
-Nutrition Certification
-Diploma from The Bread Bakers Guild of America, "The Science Behind Sourdough", USA
-SJC Certificate Program In Urban Sustainability
ORGANIZATIONS & VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY
INTERESTS
Board Member – Riverview Community Garden (Member) 2017 to Present Description
The objective is to educate the community in organic practices, by engaging youth and offering access to fresh organic produce. Our mission is to give all citizens of Jersey City a beautiful place to reflect, meditate, relieve stress, and to build a relationship with nature. The programs include: Community Food Share—providing fresh organic vegetables free to the public; Green Ambassadors
—inviting city kids to grow food and become garden stewards; Community Composting—offering food scrap drop off to reduce waste to landfills; Beekeeping—maintaining hives of bees to pollinate trees and plants and produce local honey.
Travel, Mountain climbing, Reading
LANGUAGES (fluent)
English, French, Spanish
LINKS
Website – www.karenfodere.com
Contact this candidate