Experience

Nissan of Melbourne

• United States
• Motor Vehicle Manufacturing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sales Consultant



W Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana

• Restaurant Manager

  • Feb 2010 - Mar 2011

  Manage the daily operations for a full service 3 meal restaurant, 24 hours In Room Dining, Mini Bar, Lobby lounge & Seasonal pool side Bar Manage the daily operations for a full service 3 meal restaurant, 24 hours In Room Dining, Mini Bar, Lobby lounge & Seasonal pool side Bar



Renaissance Arts Hotel

• Director of Restaurants

  • Jul 2003 - Jun 2006

  LA CÔTE BRASSERIE / RENAISSANCE ARTS HOTEL (Marriott); New Orleans, Louisiana• Managed all aspects of upscale dining restaurant operations for an award-winning street side establishment featuring Continental French Seafood and South Louisiana Cuisine, as well as Room Service operations and the Renaissance Arts Mini Bar. La Côte Brasserie is recognized as within the top street side concept dining restaurants within the entire Marriott Corporation, with the highest level of success and often copied by others.• Work closely with Executive Chef Chuck Subra, Jr. (protégé of Chef René at René Bistrot & The Grill Room at Windsor Court), a native Louisianan infusing New Orleans cuisine with global influence. Regularly provide tours of the restaurant to GMs of other hotels who wish to learn from the Success of La Côte Brasserie. La Côte Brasserie was voted “4th Best Brunch” in New Orleans and has received rave reviews from local and national food critics.• Intimately involved in the opened of La Côte Brasserie in the Warehouse District within the former Hurwitz-Mintz historical building, with innovative architectural and design elements throughout the restaurant. Located in the Renaissance Arts Hotel (a sister property of the Pere Marquette, see below), the restaurant has seating for 118, a private dining room that accommodates up to 10 people, and a 50-seat lounge.• Closed only for 4 weeks following Hurricane Katrina, personally contacted former employees, and spearheaded a successful restructuring, restaffing, and reopening of the restaurant. • Responsibilities include daily opening, handling and managing revenues, staff hiring, training, supervision, employee development, and review of service points with managers and staff on an ongoing basis. Additionally responsible for managing operations, reviewing menu selections, purchasing, labor and food cost controls, coordinating with room service, handling private party arrangements, and extensive guest relations.



Renaissance Pere Marquette Hotel

• Director of Restaurants

  • Apr 2003 - Jul 2003

  RENÉ BISTROT / RENAISSANCE PERE MARQUETTE HOTEL (Marriott); New Orleans, Louisiana• Served as Pre-Opening Manager and GM for a new street side upscale dining establishment in New Orleans’ CBD located within a Marriott Renaissance property. Coordinated closely with René Bajeaux (former Executive Chef at the world-renowned Grill Room at Windsor Court, Beverly Hills Hotel, and Four Seasons in Maui), and one of only 48 Master Chefs nationwide.• Successfully operated René Bistrot, Room Service, and the mini bar at the Pere Marquette Hotel. Responsible for coordination of all restaurant operations within a VIP and exclusive bistrot-style dining environment. Ensured the highest levels of customer satisfaction, served as guest advocate, wine list input, food presentation, and problem-solving as needed.• Introduced and managed tableside food and beverage service, and expedited rapid table turnover to maximize high-volume sales. Marketed and up sold restaurant products and services to a strong local clientele and corporate traveler business, developed menu selections and wine list items



New Orleans Marriott Hotel

• Specialty Restaurant Manager

  • Jun 2001 - Apr 2003

  NEW ORLEANS MARRIOTT HOTEL; New Orleans, Louisiana• Oversaw the Riverview Restaurant operation with the “Best View in the City” (42nd floor overseeing the Mississippi River) and dramatically transformed it from a traditional “hotel restaurant” style to a renowned fine dining venue.• Instituted various new programs and dramatic changes that led to major success for this marquee dining facility within Marriott’s 1,280-room hotel facility. Hosted the famed “Tom Fitzmorris Eat Club” as highlighted on radio programs and received accolades for outstanding food quality and service.



Adams Mark Hotels & Resorts

• Restaurant Manager

  • Aug 1998 - Jun 2001

  ADAMS MARK HOTEL; Dallas, Texas• Recruited by this 4-star hotel property during its final construction / renovation program that more than tripled available rooms, from 525 to 1,845, featuring banquet space ranked among the largest of all hotels throughout the U.S. Consistently achieved and exceeded revenue sales goals while controlling costs below budget.• Personally launched operation of the Pearl Street Café, a high-volume, full service, 3-meal restaurant, supervising 4 direct reports and a staff of 45 employees. Instituted operating procedures and performance tracking controls, participated in weekly hotel forecasting, assisted in personnel recruitment efforts, managed training and scheduling, and performed budget administration, payroll, regulatory compliance, and management reporting.• Additionally supervised operation of the Atrium Brasserie, a “Tex-Mex” theme casual restaurant and bar with a staff of 20 employees, as well as management of 2 overflow restaurants. Supervised Room Service operation during the initial expansion period.• Assisted with overall restaurant design and layout, construction oversight, equipment and furnishings selection and installation, menu development, inventory, training new staff on food and beverage knowledge, and Grand Opening promotional planning. Managed ordering and purchasing of supplies, maintained vendor relations, completed daily accounting, cost controls, and daily reporting.



Houlihan's Restaurants, Inc.

• United States
• Hospitality
• 500 - 600 Employee

• Restaurant Manager

  • Jul 1997 - Aug 1998

  HOULIHAN’S RESTAURANT; Jacksonville, Florida• Served as Manager at a high-volume, theme-based restaurant establishment, with supervisory responsibility for 75 front and back-of-the-house employees. Successful in generating staff enthusiasm, increasing volume, instituting cost controls, and successfully coordinating special events.• Managed $8 million in annual sales revenue for the highest volume store in the Houlihan’s Group, utilized the restaurant as a training venue for newly promoted managers throughout the Group, significantly reduced losses in china and silverware, and received corporate recognition as Designated Closer.• Responsible for motivating staff, opening and closing, training, scheduling, payroll, and related personnel duties. Assisted with interview screening during absence of GM. Monitored inventory and purchasing of food, supplies, and equipment. Coordinated vendor relations, facility maintenance, quality control, and cost controls for both food and labor.• Ensured food safety, compliance with corporate policies and procedures, quality control, as well as health regulations. Provided consistently high quality customer service and satisfaction, and worked to facilitate a clean, hospitable, and friendly dining experience.



Hilton Hotels & Towers

• Food And Beverage Operations Manager

  • Aug 1996 - Jul 1997

  HILTON HOTEL & TOWERS; Jacksonville, Florida• Managed all hotel F&B operations, including the American Grill, a casual, full-service restaurant, a full-service hotel bar, a pool-side bar and lounge (participated in opening) with nightly live entertainment, a yacht bar, 24-hour room service operations, and banquet bar services. Selected themes, promotional events, interviewed and selected entertainment, contracted with suppliers and subcontractors, and recruited and trained new staff. • Duties included hiring, firing, supervising, and training staff, reviewing P&L statements, overseeing F&B accounting and bookkeeping, management of individual outlet and department managers, budgeting and forecasting revenues and expenses, coordinating on sales strategies and yield management, maintaining quality assurance, maintaining staffing levels, and all other F&B issues.• Successfully and significantly increased revenues from previous years, enhanced productivity by decreasing employee turnover, implemented new cost and supervisory control procedures resulting in increased efficiency, assisted with various outlet renovation projects, improved guest satisfaction scores, and implemented new corporate programs.



Adams Mark River View Plaza Hotel

• Assistant Banquet Manager

  • Mar 1990 - Aug 1996

  ADAMS MARK RIVERVIEW PLAZA HOTEL; Mobile, Alabama• Responsible for providing the operational expertise and focus to successfully manage a $5 million banquet operation for 36,000 sq. ft. of banquet and meeting space, including ballrooms and meeting rooms accommodating up to 500 guests. Actively involved in a $3 million renovation project.• Ensured the highest levels of customer satisfaction for this 4-Star corporate, upscale hotel property during pre-event, event, and post-event phases. Managed Banquet Captains, Banquet Waiters, Banquet Housemen, and on-call staff.• Reported directly to Food & Beverage Director and interfaced closely with Guest Services, Sales, Concierge, Room Service, and other hotel departments. Created and implemented new operating procedures to ensure consistency in service. Participated in moving and reopening restaurants, kitchen areas, and room service operations. Served as client advocate while maximizing hotel interests. Conducted forecasting, menu review, food presentation, staffing, inspecting, and problem-solving as needed.• Organized, coordinated and managed large events, conventions and business gatherings, weddings, receptions, luncheons, dinners, and related special events for an impressive list of clients. Duties also include creating spreadsheets for banquet checks, supervising personnel, developing and reinforcing employee guest service skills, implementing schedules and logistics to ensure efficient operations, coordinating with kitchen on logistics and timing, and monitoring quality control.• Coordinated weekly staffing meetings, meeting room and banquet set-ups and tear-downs, assisted with VIP accommodations, developed creative set-ups for coffee breaks and cocktail parties, logistical planning, scheduled tasks and projects, ensured availability of all necessary equipment, and confirmed set up instructions.