Aaron Tankersley
Hickory
Summary
Food and beverage director with 20 years of experience in a high-volume hospitality and restaurant industry. Proficient in all aspects of the food and beverage department, including front of house, conference services, concessions, culinary, and quick service outlet operations. 12 years of experience overseeing all food and beverage culinary operations in a managerial role. Consistently led a staff of 50-75 employees. Continually striving to build upon the foundation of quality and exceptional service to deliver the most meaningful experience to the guest.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Director of Dining Services
Aramark
Hickory
04.2024 - Current
- Developed dining program strategies to enhance guest satisfaction and engagement. Utilization of social media to garner attention around the dining program and upcoming themed events. Open feedback forum to continually improve and evolve the dining options in real time based on structured feedback.
- Trained and mentored culinary staff on best practices and safety protocols. Consistently maintained a food heath score of 98 or better across departments.
- Implemented cost control measures to optimize budget management and reduce waste. Increased EBIT 20% YOY by focusing efforts on accurate ordering parameters, training of staff to decrease prep waste as well as looking for high revenue low cost revenue streams that could add to the bottom line.
- Worked in close collaboration with team members to ensure customers received high-quality service. Daily on the spot “micro-training” to continue development of employees and build best practices as it relates to food safety, preparation and guest service.
Executive Chef
Great Wolf Resorts
Concord
07.2022 - 11.2023
- High-level engagement in product procurement and inventory management decreasing the overall cost of goods from 46.8% prior year to 30.3% current year.
- Set goals and expectations for direct reports using a performance review process and holding staff accountable.
- Assess and evaluate business procedures and implement structure to improve day-to-day operations.
- Assist corporate leadership with implementing processes to increase back of house productivity in multiple outlets leading to increased departmental revenue generation of $1 million annually.
- Analyze data across a variety of sources to identify trends, patterns and areas of opportunity. Utilizing guest feedback to strategically focus on area's of opportunity. Focus on speed of service and guest interactions has shown improved guest satisfaction taking the department from 20th to 8th place in the brand out of 21 properties.
- Organize and oversee the work schedules of department managers, sou chefs, and supervisors.
- Directed financials and budget including labor and capital to fund operations in addition to maximizing investments.
Executive Chef/Assistant Director
Great Wolf Resorts
Traverse City
02.2010 - 07.2022
- Create new menu items, managed food expenses,and supervised quality to ensure adherence to standards.
- Monitor compliance with health and fire regulations regarding food preparation and serving, and building maintenance in lodging and dining facilities.
- Schedule and receive food and beverage deliveries, checking delivery contents to verify product quality and quantity.
- Monitor budgets and payroll records, and review financial transactions to ensure that expenditures are authorized and budgeted.
- Maintain food and equipment inventories, and keep inventory records.
- Organize and direct worker training programs, hire new staff, and evaluate employees' performance in dining and lodging facilities.
- Profit and loss analysis.
- Review work procedures and operational problems to determine ways to improve service, performance, or safety.
- Perform financial analysis and recommend effective methods to cut costs.
- Supervised 50-60 staff members and delivered mentorship to strengthen skills.
- Supervised preparation of specialty items and customer requests to verify accuracy in production.
- Liaised with vendors to purchase optimal recipe ingredients at cost-effective rates.
Kitchen Supervisor/Purchasing Assistant
RLK & Company
Timberline Lodge
05.2005 - 11.2009
- Research and evaluate suppliers based on price, quality, selection, service, support, availability, reliability, production and distribution capabilities, and the supplier's reputation and history.
- Confer with staff, users, and vendors to discuss defective or unacceptable goods or services and determine corrective action.
- Maintain and review computerized or manual records of items purchased, costs, deliveries, product performance, and inventories.
- Train workers in food preparation, and in service, sanitation, and safety procedures.
- Supervise and participate in kitchen and dining area cleaning activities.
- Purchase or requisition supplies and equipment needed to ensure quality and timely delivery of services.
- Assign duties, responsibilities, and work stations to employees in accordance with work requirements.
- Maintained optimal inventory levels and kept food costs in line with budget limitations.
Education
High School Diploma -
Sandy High School
Sandy, OR01-2006
Skills
- Budgeting and cost control
- Food preparation techniques
- Purchasing
- Regulatory compliance
- Resource management
- Staff leadership
- Training & Development
- Recruitment and hiring
- Financial records analysis
- Profit and revenue-generating strategies
- Food Prep Planning
- Kitchen Staff Management
- Vendor Relationship Management
Additional Information
- Serv Safe Certified Trainer and Proctor- Training and re-certifying line level and management staff.
- Profit and Loss Analysis- Consistently evaluating cost control. Assessing areas of concern as well as potential profit increase based on line of business.
- Employee Retention and Recruiting- Hiring and onboarding employees for all front-of-house, retail and back-of-house operations.
- High Volume Production Competency- Oversee preparation and production for all areas of a multi-million dollar food and beverage department while maintaining quality and consistency in product goods and services.
- Successful training and development done at multiple Great Wolf Lodge locations.
- Successfully oversaw the dynamic change in catering offerings by focusing on the perceived value of events. Heavy focus on display techniques and execution to provide a truly one of a kind experience at each event.
Certification
- Serv Safe Manager Certification
- Servesafe Allergen Certification
- Servesafe Alcohol Certification
- Certified Servseafe Instructor & Proctor
- Dunkin Donuts Train the Trainer
- Star of the Quarter- 2014
- Manager of the Year Silver- 2014
- Manager of the Year Gold- 2015
- Star of the Second Quarter 2021
- Leader of the Quarter 2021
- Key Talent Program graduate
Timeline
Director of Dining Services
Aramark
04.2024 - Current
Executive Chef
Great Wolf Resorts
07.2022 - 11.2023
Executive Chef/Assistant Director
Great Wolf Resorts
02.2010 - 07.2022
Kitchen Supervisor/Purchasing Assistant
RLK & Company
05.2005 - 11.2009
High School Diploma -
Sandy High School