Cesar Castillo

Accomplished culinary leader with 35+ years of restaurant and dining services experience, including 28 years as Executive Chef, 5+ years as Corporate Executive Chef, and 4 years as Food & Beverage Director. Currently leading multi-outlet culinary operations at The Springs Country Club and previously managed a $12 million, 52-person dining operation for Sodexo Senior Living, helping move that location into the top 3 of 32 locations company-wide. Proven track record of directing high-volume, multi-outlet operations across private club, senior living, casino, and restaurant environments while consistently meeting food-safety, budget, and profitability targets.

Skilled in menu development across continental, Mediterranean, and South American cuisine; vendor negotiation and cost control; regulatory compliance (OSHA, HACCP, state and county audits); and building and mentoring high-performing culinary teams. Conversational in English and Spanish.

Executive Chef at The Springs Country Club (2024-09 – Present)

Lead culinary operations for the Oasis Café and Main Clubhouse kitchen, managing a team of 32 staff and a $2.3 million operating budget.

• Directing a kitchen remodeling project, coordinating design, equipment, and workflow planning to modernize production capacity and efficiency.
• Own menu development, food quality, and cost control across both outlets, maintaining consistent standards for members and guests.
• Hire, train, and develop kitchen staff, building a cohesive team culture across two distinct dining venues.

Food Services General Manager at Sodexo Senior Living (Covenant Living) (2022-04 – 2024-08)

Directed full-service dining operations across Skilled Nursing Care, Assisted Living, Independent Living, catering, and the Bistro Café, leading a team of 52 staff and a $12 million annual budget.

• Drove a dining service experience and food quality improvement initiative that helped move the location into the top 3 of 32 locations company wide.
• Improved employee retention and performance through structured training, coaching, and performance review programs.
• Led budget improvement efforts, tightening cost controls and P&L management to strengthen the location's financial ranking within the region.
• Owned all regulatory outcomes, including State, County, and Eco Sure audits — achieved deficiency-free State and County food-safety audits in 2023.
• Oversaw OSHA and HACCP compliance, weekly audits, 5-week cycle menus, recipes, mechanical diets, daily logs, and weekly P&L reporting.

Executive Chef at Sun City Palm Desert 55+ Community Association (2016-06 – 2022-04)

Built and managed the food & beverage department P&L, consistently meeting expense and margin targets.

• Directed inventory control, vendor purchasing, and kitchen staff training, disciplinary action, and performance reviews for a multi-outlet clubhouse operation.
• Planned and executed charter club events, corporate functions, social galas, and fine wine dinners tailored to members and guest requests.
• Verified delivery quality, temperature, and quantity to maintain consistent food-safety and quality standards.

Corporate Executive Chef at Café Sevilla LLC (2007-01 – 2014-11)

Created and adapted restaurant menus and led execution for external events of up to 4,000 guests while holding the line on quality, cost, and service standards.

• Planned, ordered, and costed daily restaurant service, maintaining strict flavor and technique standards and acceptable ticket times in a high-volume venue.
• Partnered continuously with front-of-house management to coordinate large-scale events, ensuring safety, legal, and insurance obligations were met at every stage.
• Owned department budgeting, staffing, and scheduling, and built kitchen teams through structured training and performance management.

Executive Chef at Woodhaven Country Club (2015-09 – 2016-06)

Managed food & beverage P&L, vendor deliveries, and food-cost controls for a private club kitchen and restaurant.

• Prevented cross-contamination for allergy-sensitive guests and maintained food-safety and quality standards across all deliveries and prep.

Executive Chef at Shadow Hills Golf Club (2014-09 – 2015-09)

Directed food & beverage budgeting, purchasing, and inventory control while training and developing kitchen staff.

• Maintained consistent quality and safety standards across deliveries, prep, and service.

Executive Sous Chef at Charles Town Races and Slots (2004-12 – 2006-02)

Oversaw daily food preparation across nine kitchens in a multi-outlet venue, ensuring consistent taste, presentation, and execution.

• Managed line operations, ticket times, and cooking temperatures, and led daily close-out procedures including sales reconciliation and next-day prep planning.

Food and Beverage Director at Lighthouse Restaurant (2001-11 – 2004-10)

Built and executed the food & beverage department budget and led catering for special events, golf tournaments, and private and member functions.

• Established purveyor contracts and led staff training on safety, food handling, and service standards.

Restaurant Chef at Barona Casino (1999-10 – 2001-11)

Facilitated menu-planning committee meetings that shaped standardized menus, pricing, and design.

• Managed daily production and staffing for restaurant and catering operations while controlling food and labor costs across seasons.

Executive Chef at Bear Creek Golf Club (1987-03 – 1999-10)

Sourced and purchased top-quality ingredients for a private membership club and directed food & beverage budgeting and cost control.

• Built recipe books, product specs, and inventory and ordering systems; supervised hiring, training, and scheduling for the full back-of-house team.

High School DiplomaOSHA certification ServSafe certification