Sous Chef - Physical Risks Solutions - International Guest House - Nairobi, Kenya
(2016-12)
Working closely with lead Chef in creating and executing daily fine dining food, menus and food presentation for international clients.
- Garnishing of food in dispatch area, ensuring compliance with portion sizes guidelines, menu and clients special requests.
- Estimating, purchasing, and ordering of daily production needs to ensure service continuity and eliminate stock outs and disruption of production and service delivery.
- Creating weekly menus to ensure adequate variety, ensuring compliance with internal and international food preparation standards for different menus and cuisines to improve customer experience and satisfaction.
- Checking raw ingredients for maturity or stability for processing and finished products for safety, quality, and nutritional value while ensuring proper maintenance and storage of kitchen equipment, supplies, and food inventories.
- Memorizing and utilizing serving portion sizes and all basic meal preparation procedures used in the kitchen in line with internal policies and guidelines and industry standard operating procedures.
- Maintaining and cleaning kitchen area, storage areas, work tables, machines and equipment to reduce the risk of food contamination and adhere to food safety guidelines.
- Overseeing the maintenance of equipment and tools and reporting any malfunctioning to ensure longevity and efficient functioning.
- Checking periodically expiry dates and proper storage of food items in section and following all relevant health, safety and hygiene standards.
Chef De Partie - Zehneria Portico (International Guesthouse) - Nairobi, Kenya
(2016-06 - 2016-12)
- Oversaw consistency of various preparations within kitchen to ensure quality products and adherence to standard recipes.
- Made a wide variety of meals and servings, including salads, pancakes, and omelets as per order during breakfast buffet and other meals.
- Checked quality of food, including all temperature appliances especially in hot, cold line and buffet as well to ensure adherence with internal and international food storage, handling, and safety standards.
- Checked kitchen supplies and prep list, ensuring all items were prepared in a timely manner and as per customer requests and menu.
- Verified quality and quantity of prepared foods and monitored wastage and over production, and utilized leftovers, and ensured proper rotation and quality control.
- Maintained sanitation, health, and safety standards by understanding and complying with all departmental policies, procedures and standards.
- Operated large-volume cooking equipment such as grills, deep-fat fryers, or griddles in line with food preparation needs and provided guidelines.
- Assisted sous chef in overseeing weekly and monthly inventories, and ordering of food and supplies to ensure availability of all essential supplies and continuity of service delivery.
- Monitored multiple food orders at a time and helped read new orders as they arrive to reduce waste times and improve on service delivery.
- Assisted in supervising, motivating, and training junior chefs and commis to bridge service gap and improve service efficiency, quality and delivery.
Head Chef (African Cuisine) - Almis Restaurant - Nairobi, Kenya
(2015-11 - 2016-08)
- Oversaw roasting, grilling, pastry and cold kitchen section, ensuring service standards are maintained to drive customer satisfaction and business growth.
- Developed and implemented standard food menus, African cuisines and food items to ensure hotel break-even through increased satisfaction and experience and consequent patronage.
- Oversaw proper food preparation and production, ensuring food safety, sanitation procedures were followed at all times.
- Filled out chillers recording log as per temperature reading and ensured food is in right temperature and properly rotated to avoid spoilage.
- Measured and used right quantity of ingredients to cook a wide variety of menu items as per customer requests, menu guidelines, and African cuisines standards.
- Received and stocked all food items and ensured proper storage according to Refrigerator Storage Chart to maintain quality standards and improve shelf life.
- Marinated, thawed, defrosted, trimmed, deboned, sliced, and seasoned all kinds of meats and food items and timely handed over prepared food items to cooking team according to instructions.
- Supervised restaurant and kitchen staff to ensure all protocols and procedures are followed and service standards are met and maintained.
Commis II - Best Western Hotel (formerly Meridian Nairobi) - Nairobi, Kenya
(2012-10 - 2015-11)
- Maintained safe working environment by ensuring proper food handling, cleaning cooking and working surfaces, refrigerators, trolleys, and utensils.
- Prepared mise-en-place in advance of cooking process while reviewing menu recipe and confirming measurements as set out in food preparation guidelines and procedures.
- Assisted in reading of food order slips and received verbal instructions on food required by guest and prepared it according to instructions.
- Ensured that all products received for assigned section were of good quality and were stored in correct location, temperature and appropriate levels.
- Assisted in label checking, correct tagging, cleaning of freezers and disposing of expired products without life expansion.
- Measured portions and prepared fruits, vegetables, salads, and handled other foods according to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines, standard operating procedures and recipe.
Commis III - Best Western Hotel (formerly Meridian Nairobi) - Nairobi, Kenya
(2011-11 - 2012-10)
- Observed different kitchen chefs' preparation of sauces, breads, and other items to gain knowledge in diverse cooking and baking techniques.
- Measured high demand spices and commonly used ingredients to prevent overages and waste, ensuring compliance with set guidelines and standards.
- Prepared all foods according to customer needs, including accounting for special dietary needs while adhering to internal and external food preparation standards and procedures.
- Received and stored deliveries, controlled food stock, reconciled inventories received with purchase orders and reported damaged goods or discrepancies.
- Maintained and cleaned kitchen area, storage areas, work tables, machines and equipment to reduce risk of food contamination and adhere to food safety guidelines.
- Measured portions and prepared fruits, vegetables, salads, and handled other foods according to Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) guidelines, standard operating procedures and recipe.
- Monitored product freshness and rotating out old product based on a schedule created by restaurant to prevent food spoilage.
- Answered, reported to and followed sous and head chefs' instructions in food preparation and serving in line with standard operating procedures and internal guidelines.
- Oversaw maintenance of equipment and tools and reported any malfunctioning to ensure longevity and efficient functioning.
- Checked expiry dates and proper storage of food items in section and following all relevant health, safety and hygiene standards.
