Robert Lewis
8858 S.W. 214th Street ·
Miami, FL 33189 · (786) 293-5876 · Rchefl@mindspring.com
Profile
· Accomplished Executive Chef with passion for food
and 15 years of diverse food production and management experience in
high-volume and upscale dining establishments.
· Experience developing highly creative menus at
fine dining restaurants, exclusive clubs, four-star hotel, and varied catering
environments.
· Exceptional culinary skills; able to adjust menus
on the fly based on product availability.
· Keen understanding of cost control and food
quality in high-volume settings.
· Food production and menu development experience
with New World, French Classical, Asian, Continental, Caribbean, Mandarin,
Cantonese, and Mediterranean cuisines.
· Passionate about customer satisfaction; always
strive to exceed guest expectations.
· Excellent staff selection, training, and
development skills with experience in front- and back-of-the-house staff
management.
· Adept at using industry software to track and
manage food and labor costs; proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and Aloha
System.
Professional Experience
P.F. CHANG'S, Miami, FL 6/2001
– 2/2003
220-seat Cantonese and Mandarin casual fine
dining restaurant located at The Falls, South Miami.
Executive Chef
· Hired to restructure and turn around
underperforming kitchen operations in one of the oldest restaurants in the
chain; increased food quality; brought labor costs under control; resolved
sanitation, repair, and maintenance issues; and increased customer satisfaction
and repeat visits.
· Managed food production and supervised up to 35
kitchen staff (including 25 cooks) in a high volume environment; oversaw menu
development, hiring, scheduling, ordering, inventory, and sanitation.
· Trained and motivated kitchen staff; directed
front-of-the-house staff as needed.
· Helped increase food sales by 10% through
increased customer satisfaction and higher table turns due to increased kitchen
efficiency.
VANDERBILT MANSION AT FISHER ISLAND,
Fisher Island, Florida 1/1997
– 6/2001
145-seat fine dining facility for a private
island resort, hotel, and residential community.
Executive Chef
(9/1999 – 6/2001)
· Managed all kitchen operations including a la
carte services and catering for the entire island; oversaw food production and
assisted with event planning. Trained
and supervised a staff of 40.
· Developed menus based on New World, French
Classical, Continental, Mediterranean, Asian, and American Regional
cuisines. Developed themed menus and
increased variety.
· Achieved food cost expectations and exceeded
budgeted revenues with record years in catering and a la carte. Tailored varied banquet menus while keeping
food costs between 20% and 22%; (ala carte: 30-35%).
· Oversaw catering for a wide variety of groups
ranging from 5 persons onsite to 500-person events (up to $350 per person);
customers included private individuals and large corporations.
· Reduced labor costs at least 20% by eliminating
excessive staff; increased customer satisfaction in food quality and emphasized
customer service.
Chef de Cuisine
(9/1998 – 9/1999)
· Oversaw all staffing, menu development, ordering,
and inventory for a la carte services.
· Shared management of all kitchen operations with
the banquet chef. As a team, exceeded revenue and food cost expectations;
achieved highest a la carte revenue in 6 years.
Sous Chef
(1/1997 – 9/1998)
· Assisted Chef de Cuisine with all a la carte
duties including monthly menu development.
· Served as interim Chef in other restaurants
during respective Chef's absences.
GOURMET PRODUCTIONS,
Dania, Florida 7/1996
– 8/1996
Contracted by NBC Sports to provide all catering
services during the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.
Chef/Manager
· Served as Chef/Manager responsible for staff
supervision, onsite and offsite production, and meal distribution on a site by
site basis at virtually every Olympic venue in Atlanta.
· Duties included menu planning, scheduling,
ordering, and troubleshooting for various outlets.
· Managed production of 4 meals a day for 1000+
people at 9 venues around the city; venues ranged in size from 30 to 350 seats
and settings ranged from casual to fine dining.
CORAL RIDGE COUNTRY CLUB,
Fort Lauderdale, Florida 10/1994
– 2/1996
8000-square foot clubhouse containing two dining
rooms (260 seats), two 60-seat function rooms, an outside terrace dining area
and a satellite lunch pavilion. Cuisine consisted of French Classical,
Continental, and Caribbean.
Sous Chef
· Managed up to 25 kitchen staff and oversaw
operations for catering and a la carte services. Additional duties included ordering,
scheduling, inventory, banquet planning, and menu development.
THE FOUNDLINGS CLUB,
Miami Beach, Florida 6/1993
– 10/1994
60-seat private dining club serving a la carte
lunch and dinner menus that changed daily; cuisine was mainly New World and
Progressive American.
Chef Tournant/Pastry
Chef
· Managed all kitchen stations, including all
dessert and pastry production. Duties also included menu development and
supervision of onsite and offsite catering.
THE ISLAND CLUB AT WILLIAMS ISLAND,
Aventura, Florida 4/1992
– 5/1993
140-seat fine dining restaurant on Williams
Island's, a private residential community; cuisine consisted of Mediterranean
and French Classical.
Chef Tournant
· Served as Chef Poissonier and Chef Entremetier
for a dining room that averaged two turnovers each night.
· Managed onsite catering for up to 200 people as
well as offsite catering production and service.
THE WORTHINGTON HOTEL,
Fort Worth, Texas 7/1990
- 11/1990
500-room, four-star hotel with five food and
beverage outlets, including a four-star fine dining room serving French
Classical and Continental cuisines.
Externship/Roundsman
· Worked in Garde Manger, banquets, the bakery,
saucier, meat room, all stations in the four star restaurant, stations in two
other restaurants and receiving.
Education and Professional Development
CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA, Hyde Park, New
York
Associate Degree in Culinary Arts — 8/1991.