Jonathan Ridpath Email & Phone Number

Worked alongside a talented management team with a seasoned staff of professionals in constant competition to be the best restaurant in DenverResponsible for ordering, inventory, meat and seafood fabrication, culinary workshops, food production, training, staffing, and feature dessertsPreparation and execution of dinner service for celebrities and sports figures on my busiest shift was 105k, however we studied the trends daily to staff and prepare accordingly to run seamless shifts in fluctuating sales ranging from 100k- 300k a weekBecame an expert at running expo on 6 stations while handling special requests, specific and rare allergies, all while executing catered events on different menus on and offsiteSpearheaded facility walk-throughs ensuring systems in place, maintaining a clean and organized restaurant I was ranked as 3rd best in the company for health inspection scores, also ranked number one in the company for open table food reviews

Maintained a consistent 29% food cost and 12% labor cost in all locations, adjusting as needed to accommodate high or low salesBegan as the Executive Chef at Yaya’s and quickly oversaw three other locations using a limited staff to open Elevated Q and Laws Chophouse simultaneously running Yaya’s profitablyRecruited trained and led 11 salaried Chefs with constant delegation and follow up, moving people to the most productive and effective positions best benefit the companyDesigned and built the menu for Law’s Chophouse maximizing efficiency and offering scratch cooking to WestminsterOpened Elevated Q with 25 percent of the staff needed by creative scheduling, persuasiveness, and thinking outside of the box

Created 18 new menu items that proved to be lucrative and popular, focused on fresh seasonal vegetables and current food trendsMentored other Executive Chefs in the company, holding workshops focusing on pastry proceduresDiligently and responsibly maintained an accurate and appropriate food cost and labor cost, speaking to my numbers in person weekly with the CEO of the companyDemanded a culture of comradery and respect that unified associates and made them happy to come to work, even on their day offInstilled integrity in every dish, every storage area, every corner of the kitchen; training cooks to take pride in everything they do

Led the Flagship of the company, a 7 million dollar a year restaurant with two days of training and half the staff required and budgeted to get the job doneManaged weekly sales that fluctuated from 100k-150k depending on airport trafficUpdated 75% of the menu in one single roll out, increasing quality, variety, and drastically improving profitabilityResponsible for managing two Sous Chefs, menu tastings, creating plate specs, costing menus, revising recipe books, and creating training programsConducted manager, supervisor, and staff reviews, setting goals and following up

Controlled costs in three different locations, I effectively worked with management teams of 8-12 people, setting goals, and tracking resultsI was 1 of 51 chefs selected worldwide for the Emerging Leaders Project, receiving special training in Beverly Hills to grow my network and protect the future of the brandMaintained food and labor budgets on sales that fluctuated from 6-12 million dollars depending on locationLed a kitchen staff of up to 30 people at a time, coordinating breaks, and making labor adjustments daily, in constant communication with my regional teamCreated pars and wrote production daily for 5-prep stations and 7-line stations, I specialized in food production, ordering, inventory, staffing, and health inspections

Worked alongside an extremely seasoned management team and a very ambitious Banquet Coordinator executing a very busy dinner service in conjunction with many large events dailyResponsible for all staffing and training, ordering and inventory, station workshops, and controlled the tempo, of this busy open kitchen meticulously teaching and coaching from outside an inside expoMaintained at or below food cost and labor cost budget by effectively planning and purchasing ahead of the curveProudly ran the features program at 25% cost introducing a daily soup, salad, appetizer, and entrée specials, showcasing seasonal items keeping up with current food trendsImproved brunch buffet sales by 200% in 6 months by producing a new and exciting menu every week, focusing on variety and consistency of quality

Led a crew of 2 Sous Chefs and 15 line cooks at a busy location older than me at the time serving breakfast, lunch, and dinnerHired, developed, and cross trained cooks to operate all stations minimizing labor costs and boosting moralSourced food locally, and created new systems to hit food cost and quality goalsrenovated 60% of the previous menu, keeping up on current food trends, and maximizing profitability