aland portillo

Leading managed food service provider serving student body of 4,000 at York University’s Glendon campus. Effective human resources management including recruitment, selection, training, and performance management of 25 full-time employees improving employee training by 50 % through employee development and team morale building. Implemented brand new food services concept and new menus for 6 different food stations (rotisserie, vegan, wok, grill, pizza and sandwich bar) within campus cafeteria to meet the market needs of existing clientele, as well as new markets with more healthy eating habits. Cultivated and maintained vendor relationships successfully negotiating low pricing, expediting orders, and ensuring the highest quality of products. Coordinated campus catering services/events management for groups of up 400 managing menu planning, theme development, decorations/flowers, and linen and china services.

* ¬Effective human resources management including recruitment, selection, scheduling, training, and performance management of the dietary department including cooks, servers and dishwashers. Improving food quality, as per resident’s preferences and building a strong dietary team in order to create a friendlier environment, to fulfill the residents expectation and needs.. * Working with a limited budget, scheduling according seniority, following the rules in a unionized environment. * Creation of 5 cycles week menu, elaborated as resident’s preferences covering the Canadian Guide line. * Cultivated and maintained vendor relationships successfully with major purveyors in Canada, negotiating low pricing, searching for new protein alternatives but always ensuring the highest quality of products. * Coordinated special events, catering, family and relatives parties, as well as social events in special function, in association with the Activity Coordinator Manager and Marketing Manager.

Prestigious catering company providing catering services for private and corporate events. Oversaw all kitchen staff, food preparation and culinary activities ensuring food safety and handling practices, food presentation and quality control standards were consistently achieved. Created recipe book with photographs to create a standard for visual presentation and quality control resulting in significant improvement in quality, productivity, and operational efficiency of catering services. Maintained a motivated workforce of 15+ staff who exemplified second-to-none customer service delivery during a busy calendar year of executing the menu development, tasting and production for large weddings, and corporate functions and events. Benchmarked a record-setting improvement in staff retention by recognizing employee talents and appropriately assigning work and roles that best suited their abilities and growth reducing staff turnover by 50% and increasing productivity of underperforming team by 30%.

* THE RITZ CARLTON SARASOTA, FL 2002-2005 * Garde Manger Chef on Charge-Trainer-Chef de Partie * Prepared and served French, Continental, and Caribbean Cuisines * train, and manage six cooks * Prepare cold Appetizers, Terrines and micro-dishes. Accurate menu quantities, assured quality control, and minimized waste while providing exceptional cuisine for all functions at the hotel and Club Level.

* Ave Maria Latin Cafe & Catering, Toronto, ON May 2011 – Present * ¬Executive Chef - Owner * Upscale Catering, and personal Chef service; creation of a catering company. * ¬Effective human resources management including recruitment, selection, training, budget, costing and performance management of 3 full time employees and 5 on call servers. Implemented brand new food services concept and new menus for outside banquets in Toronto, with Latin fusion cuisine as a trend, as well marketing customers with more healthy eating habits. * Cultivated and maintained vendor relationships successfully negotiating low pricing, expediting orders, and ensuring the highest quality of products. * Coordinated take out and catering services/events management for groups of up 100, managing menu planning, theme development, decorations/flowers, and linen and china services. * Community Service in Harbour Front Toronto, serving more than 3000 people in during the weekend.