Ronald "Wayne" Poythress Jr.
Matthews
Summary
Accomplished hospitality and food service leader with extensive experience managing food and beverage operations for hotels and resorts up to 393 rooms and 22,000 sq. ft. of event space. Proven ability to lead teams, optimize operations, and drive profitability while ensuring exceptional guest satisfaction and strict compliance with food safety standards. Strong background in business ownership and high-volume event execution.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Business Owner
Poythress food llc / Poythress Consulting / Edielane LLC
Charlotte, NC
01.2007 - Current
- Demonstrated leadership and problem-solving skills by managing daily operations and ensuring customer satisfaction, resulting in efficient business performance
- Delivered high-quality customer experiences by providing excellent service and maintaining organized, sanitary workspaces
- Handled transactions accurately and collaborated with team members to achieve business goals, supporting a positive and efficient workplace
- Ensured compliance with food safety standards, contributing to a safe and reputable business environment
Executive Chef
Hilton / GF Hotels
Charlotte, NC
08.2024 - 11.2024
- Hired, trained, and managed kitchen staff to maintain high culinary and service standards, improving team performance
- Developed and managed staffing schedules, ensuring proper coverage for restaurant, banquet, and hotel operations, which optimized labor efficiency
- Created and developed menus, recipes, and plating presentations, enhancing quality, creativity, and consistency across outlets
- Oversaw food purchasing and vendor relationships, controlling costs and ensuring ingredient quality
- Assisted with financial planning, budgeting, and food cost control, maximizing profitability for a 393-room full-service hotel
- Managed 22,000 sq. ft. of meeting and banquet space, supporting large-scale events and increasing event revenue
- Supervised Edgewater Bar & Grill and internal Starbucks market, ensuring brand standards and product quality
Executive Chef
Embassy Suites by Hilton / Sree Hotels
Charlotte, NC
08.2023 - 08.2024
- Led all culinary operations for a 274-room full-service hotel, ensuring consistent production of high-quality cuisine and maintaining the hotel’s reputation
- Recruited, trained, and developed a high-performing kitchen brigade, fostering professionalism and teamwork to achieve exceptional guest satisfaction
- Oversaw daily kitchen operations and enforced strict adherence to food safety standards, resulting in efficient service and cost control
- Directed menu development, banquet production, and food presentation standards, collaborating with hotel leadership to enhance guest experience and profitability
Executive Chef/Manager
Silver Grill Of Denver / Hill Billy Philly Food Truck
Denver, NC
07.2020 - 01.2022
- Assisted new ownership in transforming and repositioning the food and beverage program, improving operational efficiency
- Collaborated with vendors to source high-quality products while controlling food costs, enhancing menu value
- Trained and mentored culinary associates on best practices and presentation standards, consistently delivering high-quality food
- Refined and optimized operations for the Hill Billy Food Truck, increasing efficiency and menu execution
- Leveraged the food truck concept during COVID-19, generating strong revenue and maintaining business continuity
Food and Beverage Director
TIMBERLINE FOUR SEASONS RESORT
Davis, WV
09.2016 - 04.2019
- Directed all food and beverage operations for a four-season mountain resort, maximizing profitability and operational efficiency through effective budget and inventory management
- Led and developed teams by recruiting, training, and evaluating employees, fostering teamwork and exceptional guest service
- Planned and executed food and beverage operations for large-scale resort functions, ensuring seamless event operations and memorable guest experiences
- Ensured compliance with health regulations and implemented inventory controls, improving profitability and operational consistency
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop seasonal promotions and revenue-generating initiatives, consistently delivering strong financial performance
Executive Chef
Embassy Suites by Hilton / John Q Hammond
Charleston, WV
03.2013 - 09.2014
- Oversaw full-service restaurant with bar, room service, and 14,000 sq. ft. banquet space for 253 guest rooms, ensuring high-quality service
- Managed contracted banquet operations for Clay Center with 38,000 sq. ft. space and a small cantina, expanding event capabilities
- Designed menus for restaurants and banquets, and managed event scheduling, hiring, and termination of employees to maintain operational standards
- Directed daily operations of banquet, catering, restaurant, and bar services, ensuring efficiency and guest satisfaction
Education
Bachelor's degree - Hotel restaurant management
La academy de cuisine
Bethesda, MD01.2002
Associate - Arts
La academy de cusine
Germantown, MD09.1998
Skills
- Customer service
- Customer relations
- Attention to detail
- Driven and determined
- Entrepreneurial personality
- Employee training
- Work Planning and Prioritization
- Relationship building
- Business planning
- Purchasing and planning
- Business administration
- Business development
- Project management
- Performance improvement
- Team collaboration and leadership
- Strategic Decision-making
- Issue resolution
- Professional networking
- Budget control
- Operations management
- Food safety
- Menu planning
- Cost control
- Menu development
- Strong work ethic
- Hospitality service expertise
- ServSafe certification
- Team leadership
- Hiring, training, and development
- Inventory control
- Kitchen management
- Safe food handling
- Kitchen operations oversight
- Kitchen staff management
- Food prep planning
- Vendor relationship management
- Special events
- Catering and events
- Coaching and mentoring
- Staff training
- Creative thinking
- Food pairing
- Hygiene policy implementation
- Banquets and catering
- Inventory management
- Staff scheduling
- Dietary restrictions
- Food presentation
- Food plating and presentation
- Recipe creation
- Recipes and menu planning
- Staff management
- Recruitment and onboarding
- Fine dining
- Menu supervision
- Food service safety training
- Allergy awareness
- Resource management
- Forecasting and planning
- Order management
- Policy development
- Waste reduction
- Recipe development
- Workflow optimization
- Sanitation standards
- Customer retention
- Fine-dining expertise
- Restaurant operations
- Purchasing management
- Performance assessments
- BOH operations
- Equipment maintenance
- Problem and complaint resolution
- Quality assurance
- Process improvements
- Plating and garnishing
- Food spoilage prevention
- Vendor relations
- Food stock and supply management
- Order delivery practices
- Recipe management
- Productivity optimization
- Regulatory compliance
- Meal preparation
- Presentation management
- Sanitation guidelines
- Kitchen equipment operation and maintenance
- Performance review
- Ingredients selection
- Staffing
- Purchasing
- Signature dish creation
- Delegating work
- Decision-making
- Verbal and written communication
- Nutrition
- Menu pricing
- Culinary techniques
- Food and beverage pairing
- Dish preparation
- Business operations oversight
- Sanitation coordination
- Budgeting and cost control
- Food preparation techniques
- Food preparing, plating, and presentation
- Staff supervision and coordination
- Operational oversight
- Team collaboration
- Quality control
- Vendor relationships
- Food production
- Vendor sourcing
- Kitchen equipment operation
- Team Training
- Portion and cost control
Timeline
Executive Chef
Hilton / GF Hotels
08.2024 - 11.2024
Executive Chef
Embassy Suites by Hilton / Sree Hotels
08.2023 - 08.2024
Executive Chef/Manager
Silver Grill Of Denver / Hill Billy Philly Food Truck
07.2020 - 01.2022
Food and Beverage Director
TIMBERLINE FOUR SEASONS RESORT
09.2016 - 04.2019
Executive Chef
Embassy Suites by Hilton / John Q Hammond
03.2013 - 09.2014
Business Owner
Poythress food llc / Poythress Consulting / Edielane LLC
01.2007 - Current
Associate - Arts
La academy de cusine
Bachelor's degree - Hotel restaurant management
La academy de cuisine