Skills profile

Pastry & Baking - Bake completely from scratch; develop and test new recipes for custom requests; Design, plan, bake, decorate, and deliver wedding cakes; Bake breads, rolls, quick breads; Create and execute other desserts including petit fours and dessert buffets
Cooking & Catering - Emphasis on authentic cultural flavors; Create and execute menus and recipes; Create and execute production schedules for kitchen staff; Conduct tastings for clients; Incorporate client feedback and preferences; Manage and lead kitchen and front of house staff during banquets
Staff Management - Hire staff for kitchen, front of house, and office, including full-time staff, temporary staff, and interns; Managed timesheets; Mentorship; Other HR necessities
Business Operations - Marketing and networking; Inventory ordering and management; Financial operations including forecasting, client invoicing, payables, taxes, and payroll; Manage kitchen rental business and tenants
Culinary Instruction and Morale Events - Manage and direct classes with enrollment ranging from 8-60 guests; Teach guests techniques and flavor, both hands-on and demo style

Education and training

Private 1-on-1 culinary apprenticeship - Culinary Communion - 11/2004 - 8/2005
Continuing education culinary classes - Chiang Mai, Thailand, 3/2002; Bali, Indonesia, 9/2005; Paris, France, 10/2007; Hoi An, Vietnam, 2/2009; Siem Reap, Cambodia, 3/2014

Work history

The CoffeeWorks Project

Pastry sous chef

August 2017 - Present

Created daily pastries, cakes, tarts, and other desserts for four retail locations
Revised and expanded existing menu with Head Pastry Chef
Designed and developed original recipes and improved existing house recipes
Fulfilled special catering and event pastry orders

Mange Catering

Head pastry chef and consultant

October 2015 - Present

Created pastries, cakes, tarts, and other desserts using house and personal recipes
Assisted with general catering prep and event services

Claire's Chefs staffing agency

Pastry chef

September 2015 - Present

On-call pastry work for a variety of clients and venues, including Mustard Catering, Lords Cricket Ground, St James Palace, Tate Modern
Created pastries, cakes, tarts, and other desserts using house and personal recipes

L'Atelier de Chefs

Chef instructor

September 2015 - Present

Taught classes on a freelance basis, covering topics including French, Street Food, and Chef's Challenge

St. Luke's Community Center

Chef instructor

September 2015 - Present

Taught classes on a freelance basis, covering topics including Baking, Italian, Christmas Dinner, and Healthy Home Cooking for Children

Ottolenghi

Pastry chef

May 2015 - August 2015

Created pastries, cakes, tarts, and other desserts
Decorated and finished dessert items for custom catering orders
Managed and maintained Ottolenghi "signature" dessert window display

A la Mode Pies

Chef consultant

June 2014 - February 2015

Created ice cream product line: recipe development, documentation, costing, training
Created hand pie menu item: recipe development, documentation, costing, training
Business consulting services: including production plans, staffing and management guidance, purchasing and costing systems, and facility layout.

Tallulah's

Pastry chef

June 2014 - November 2014

Responsible for all daily pastry and baking production, including various brunch items
Optimized and streamlined daily production
Recipe documentation, conversions, and standardization
Self-managed production schedule and pars
Designed and created weekly dessert specials
Collaborate with Executive Chef for seasonal dessert menu changes

FareStart

Catering sous chef / Chef instructor

June 2012 - June 2014 (on-call as needed June 2014-February 2015)

Provided "on the job" training for hundreds of FareStart students and graduates.
Prepared and produced food (including a wide range of pastries, petit fours, and plated desserts) for catered events ranging from 5-850 guests.
Managed and directed catering chefs and cooks: provided daily prep lists, communicated priorities, maintained production standards.
Inventory management, ordering, and food costing.
Documented production recipes.

Starry Nights Catering & Events

Executive Chef and Owner

January 2006 - May 2012

Conceived, financed, and launched catering company based in Kirkland, with annual receipts exceeding $450K.
Specialized in authentic world cuisine, pastry, wedding cakes, and corporate cooking classes
Created and executed recipes
Marketed business through traditional and social networking methods
Inventory management, ordering, and food costing
Financial management of business, including forecasting, payroll, billing, budgeting, kitchen space rental, and taxes
Hiring of full-time and temporary staff, interns, management of kitchen rental tenants, and mentorship of younger chefs

NuCulinary

Cooking class instructor

July 2012 - Present

Taught classes on a freelance basis, covering topics including Dessert, Mystery Basket, and Asian cuisines

Dish It Up!

Cooking class instructor

October 2007 - March 2012

Taught classes on a freelance basis, covering topics including Mexican, Thai, Vietnamese, Greek, Italian, and Party Planning

Community

FareStart Guest Chef, 2007-2011
FareStart's Guest Chef on the Waterfront vendor, 2007-2011
Donation of services and product to local charities including: Woodland Park Zoo, FareStart, NARAL's Chocolate for Choice, Humane Society of Seattle/King County, Bicycle Alliance, Fred Hutchison, and over 20 others
Guest instructor at Issaquah's Pine Lake Middle School culinary program, 2008

Professional awards / Accomplishments

Sous chef for a private dinner for Anthony Bourdain, featured on The Travel Channel's "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" Seattle episode, 1/2007
Starry Nights Catering & Events represented as a pastry competitor on 2 episodes of The Food Network's "Cake Challenge!", 2/2011 and 8/2011
1st place (Desserts) at Chocolate for Choice, Seattle's Qwest Event Center, 1/2010
The Knot's Voter Pick "Best Of" Award, 2010 and 2011
WeddingWire's Bride's Choice Award, 2010 and 2011