Dennis Wasko Email and Phone Number

Provided private catering services for groups of 20 to 1200 people including upscale dinner for the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation Trust (sponsored by Jaguar Motors and Veuve Clicquot) (May 2006) menu planning, costing, preparation, supervision of staff.

Author of the popular weekly food column "The Jewish Palate".

Beyond The Kitchen Wall is a Food Blog dedicated to the art of fine cuisine. It is an account of my experiences as a Professional Chef and as a lover of great food. I offer recipes, techniques, advice, and a lot of opinion. My cooking is influenced by the great Cuisines of the world, but my true passion is for the regional Cuisines of France.

Responsible for weekly menu planning, daily preparation of meals, for local family in the North Shore of Chicago. Duties included shopping for meals and the household, inventory, and pantry upkeep. Traveled with the Family and performed the same duties when they traveled to their other residences. Worked as the Chef for the crew of a sailing yacht in the Antigua Regatta Classic, and cooked in a motor home in the desert for an off-road truck racing team. While in residence at the main estate, assisted the House Manager in day-to-day operations. Designed, planted, and maintained a large Organic "Chef's Garden" on the premises which made the household practically self-sufficient. Proficient in canning, preserving, and jam making.

Responsible for menu preparation, ideation, and planning, extensive prep and line cooking on every station, menu consultation, training and supervision of BOH staff, inventory and ordering, oversee production, setting up new kitchen in The Lodge (an additional dining room on the club's grounds), establishing procedures for sanitation, ordering and inventory, helped reduce food costs by implementing modern culinary practices, increased sales by adding daily specials, frequent menu changes and modern menu selections.

Spearheaded all aspects of kitchen services, overseeing production, staff training and supervision, working all stations on the line, performed other duties including: menu consultation, purchasing, inventory, menu and food costs, waste prevention, sanitation management, computer POS programming, quality control, and general maintenance, tracking daily menu sales, training wait staff, wine training, preparing daily reports for accountant, wage and tip calculation.

Part of opening team. Oversaw production, working all stations on the line, and performed other duties including: menu consultation, purchasing, inventory, waste prevention, sanitation management, computer POS programming, quality control, and general maintenance. Large and small scale catering.

Provided menu consultation and training to staff. Worked various line stations in kitchen. Extensive travel involved to help establish restaurant according to Chicago-based Shallots restaurant.