Barb Starchman
Food and Beverage Manager
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About
Results-driven Food & Beverage Leaders with 10+ years of progressive management experience across Casino, bar, and restaurant operations consistently delivering YOY sales growth, profitability improvements, and elevated guest experiences. Successes leading beverage and food service operations, including oversight of multi-venue environments, large frontline teams, inventory management, vendor negotiations, staffing, training, scheduling, and operational performance. Strong background in cost control, beverage purchasing, menu and product optimization, labor management, reducing food and beverage waste while maintaining service quality and compliance with health and alcohol service standards.
Effective team builder and coach recognized for developing high-performing staff, improving operational efficiencies, and creating service focused cultures that drive retention, guest satisfaction, and financial results.
Experience
Beverage Manager - Downstream
(2020-08 - 2025-12)
- Directed and developed a team of +50 employees across cocktail service, bartending, bar backs, bars support and supervisory roles, while responsible for staffing, training, performance management, scheduling, and guest service standards.
- Served as lead beverage buyer and vendor liaison, managing purchase strategy, product selection, inventory optimization, and supplier relationship to improve beverage margin, increased inventory turns and align offerings with customer demand.
- Maintained strong profitability within a traditionally low-margin business by controlling costs, optimizing pricing and product mix, driving YOY sales growth through operational efficiencies and promotional execution and elevated guest experience initiatives.
Food & Beverage Manager - Grand Lake Casino
(2017-08 - 2020-08)
Managed 4 Venues: 2 restaurants and 2 bars. Manage Chef, kitchen/bar staff, and Cocktail service team of 32. Manage 2 Supervisors: Back/Front of House, 1 Assistant Manager. Managed, training, equipment/food ordering, corrective actions, and payroll.
- Increased sales YOY 2018 vs. 2017 by 10.3%; 2019 vs. 2018 projected +16.9%.
- Improved Food and Liquor profits by 5% driven by rebid of suppliers.
- Decreased food waste by 3.8% driven by introducing portion control.
- Decreased payroll, driven by increased headcount and reduced overtime.
- Led menu redesign based on Northeast Oklahoma customer market.
Food & Beverage Supervisor - Cherokee Casino
(2016-02 - 2017-08)
- Supervised servers, bartenders and wait staff of 45 for 1 restaurant and 1 bar.
- Ordered supplies, managed inventory, food and drink costs, staff scheduling and ensured food and drink presentation met standards.
Food & Beverage Supervisor - Indigo Food & Beverage
(2015-08 - 2016-02)
- Supervised servers, bartenders, wait staff of 50 for 1 fine dining and 1 sports bar.
- Ordered supplies, managed inventory, food and drink costs, staff scheduling and ensured food and drink presentation met standards.
Cocktail Supervisor - Indigo Sky
(2009-10 - 2015-08)
- Managed 20 Cocktail servers, 6 bartenders and oversaw administrative tasks including: scheduling, corrective actions, and customer service.
Bartender Supervisor - Indigo Sky
(2008-09 - 2009-10)
- Oversaw administrative tasks scheduling, corrective actions, and customer service.
Cocktail Server - Indigo Sky
(2008-03 - 2008-09)
Education
Associates of Arts - Crowder, Neosho, MO (1999-05)
