CONNOR SAFSTEN
Glendale
Summary
Experienced Food Service Manager with a proven track record of overseeing and optimizing food service operations. Proficient in managing staff, inventory, and budgets to ensure efficient and profitable operations. Skilled in maintaining high standards of food quality, safety, and customer service.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Assistant Restaurant Manager
Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant
Peoria
08.2024 - Current
- Delegated work to staff, setting priorities and goals.
- Reviewed employee performance data regularly to identify areas needing improvement.
- Supervised food preparation, ordering of supplies, and inventory control.
- Promoted safe working conditions by monitoring safety procedures and equipment.
- Stayed abreast of federal, state and local regulations and upheld strict food safety standards. Including being the MOD during a health inspection, and earning an 'A' grade.
- Maintained entire look of restaurant, keeping it clean and inviting at all times.
- Facilitated communication between waitstaff and kitchen staff during peak hours.
- Prepared monthly financial reports for upper management review. Including P&L.
- Resolved customer complaints in a timely manner.
- Interviewed and hired new workers offering great personalities, fantastic restaurant experience and desire to work hard.
- Communicated with vendors on service requests and estimates.
- Ran payroll and input invoices.
- Utilized Microsoft Excel to keep track of large party reservations, training, and staff contests.
- Utilized crunchtime netchef and hotschedules.
- Ran multiple LTO menus and rewards promotions, including ordering specific items through multiple vendors and coordinating launches with upper management and staff.
Broil Cook/Inventory Manager
The Capital Grille
Phoenix
10.2023 - 07.2024
- Company Overview: Full-Service, Fine Dining Steakhouse.
- Preparation of multiple meats and seafoods via plancha, traditional grill, oven, and broiler.
- Cooked-to-temp steaks.
- Butchered daily stocks of exotic meats
- Prepped seafood, steak rubs, and sauces.
- Inventory and prep lists, including weighing dry-aged logs.
- Yield and sales tracking.
- Communicated effectively with wait staff regarding patron food allergies and dietary restrictions.
- Monitored product freshness and rotation of stock to maintain quality standards.
- Prepared food items consistently and in compliance with recipes, portioning, cooking and waste control guidelines.
Broil Cook/Inventory Manager
Stockyards Restaurant
Phoenix
02.2023 - 03.2024
- Company Overview: Full-Service, Fine Dining Steakhouse.
- Preparation of beef, chicken, and exotic meats on a traditional grill.
- Cooked-to-temp steaks.
- Butchered daily stocks of steaks.
- Conducted inventory and created prep lists.
- Yield tracking.
- Ordering with Shamrock Foods.
- Prepped steak sauces (signature whiskey-peppercorn demi-glace).
- Cut prime rib to order.
- Requested supplies and equipment orders, explaining needs to managers.
- Checked out the entire line, key holding on special occasions.
- Communicated ticket times, items, and status to team members verbally.
Interim Training Coordinator
Texas Roadhouse
Happy Valley
06.2022 - 02.2023
- Company Overview: Full-Service American Restaurant.
- Planning and running meetings.
- Creation of training agendas.
- Direct training and supervision of training.
- "Train the trainer".
- Ran content tests.
- Planning employee advancement training and cross-training.
- Participated in and attended meetings to obtain information for use in training programs.
- Devised programs to develop executive potential among employees in lower-level positions.
- Developed targeted plans to achieve company training objectives and enhance skills of new employees in leadership roles.
Kitchen Manager
Huyer Club Concepts - The Cantina at Presidio
Goodyear
09.2021 - 06.2022
- Company Overview: Full-Service Mexican-American Restaurant.
- Launched two new menus, including an operation schedule, kitchen redesign, and employee training.
- Developed and implemented kitchen policies, procedures and quality standards.
- Placed orders with Peddler's Son, Sysco.
- Created employee schedules.
- Cost/benefit analysis and yield tracking.
- Sales tracking.
- Conducted inventory, and created prep lists.
- Inspected equipment regularly to identify necessary repairs or replacements.
Kitchen Supervisor
Huyer Club Concepts - Lakeside Grill Estrella
Goodyear
08.2021 - 09.2021
- Company Overview: Full-Service American Restaurant with Italian Influences.
- Ran specials.
- Key-holding, opening, and closing of the kitchen.
- Saute, catering.
- Launched a new menu, including kitchen redesign and employee training.
- Created prep lists and conducted inventory.
- Prep and line cooking.
- Maintained food costs by using seasonal ingredients, setting standards for portion size and minimizing waste.
- Developed menus for special occasions and events as requested by management.
Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, Assistant Swim Coach
City of Surprise Aquatics
Surprise
03.2021 - 09.2021
- Company Overview: Community Pool - Two Locations.
- Taught over 300 kids.
- Pool and pool deck maintenance.
- Emergency protocols.
- State safety guidelines.
- Agenda planning.
- Won the 'SSI of the Month' and 'SSI of the Season.'
- I was selected to help lead the debut of the Michael Phelps Program.
BOH Team Member (Line Cook) and Certified Trainer
Texas Roadhouse
Surprise
11.2020 - 07.2021
- Company Overview: Full-Service American Steakhouse.
- Dish, salad, fry, expo, point, broil. Cold, hot, and bake prep.
- Prepared menu items during various stages according to the restaurant's recipes and guest specifications.
- Responded to feedback from customers and front of house staff, making adjustments to food preparation as needed.
- Trained new back of house team members, sharing knowledge and best practices for kitchen operations.
FOH Team Member and Certified Trainer
Texas Roadhouse
Surprise
04.2020 - 11.2020
- Company Overview: Full-Service American Steakhouse.
- Server assistant, host, to-go host, silver roller.
- Stocking, changing soda nozzles, various cleaning, and closing tasks.
- Phone orders and seating, guest relations, Aloha POS, and seating board use, including reservations and special requests.
- Monitored dining area to ensure optimal guest satisfaction and address any needs or concerns.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of the front-of-house area, including the lobby and restrooms.
- Assisted servers with foodservice and cleaning needs to optimize guests' dining experiences.
Education
Bachelor's Degree -
Glendale Community College
Glendale, AZ04.2025
High School Diploma -
Paradise Honors High School
Surprise, AZ05-2022
Skills
- Inventory management
- Promotions and events coordination
- Performance evaluations
- Food safety compliance
- Opening and closing procedures
- Meeting leading
- Cost/Benefit analysis
- Yield tracking
- Sales tracking
- Restaurant promotion management
- Staff training and development
- Line Checks
- Shift management
- Kitchen oversight
- Employee retention
- Recruitment and hiring
- Aloha POS
- Purchasing (Shamrock Foods, Peddler's Son, Sysco, Ed Don, Willie Itule Produce)
- Crisis management
- Delegating assignments and tasks
- Expense tracking
- Vendor relations
- Guest relations
- Scheduling and labor control
Accomplishments
- Trained over 50 employees.
- Brought The Cantina at Presidio to 'the cleanest its ever been' - Forrest Williams (owner).
Certification
- Servesafe.
- Food Handler's.
- Title 4.
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Assistant Restaurant Manager
Abuelo's Mexican Restaurant
08.2024 - Current
Broil Cook/Inventory Manager
The Capital Grille
10.2023 - 07.2024
Broil Cook/Inventory Manager
Stockyards Restaurant
02.2023 - 03.2024
Interim Training Coordinator
Texas Roadhouse
06.2022 - 02.2023
Kitchen Manager
Huyer Club Concepts - The Cantina at Presidio
09.2021 - 06.2022
Kitchen Supervisor
Huyer Club Concepts - Lakeside Grill Estrella
08.2021 - 09.2021
Lifeguard, Swim Instructor, Assistant Swim Coach
City of Surprise Aquatics
03.2021 - 09.2021
BOH Team Member (Line Cook) and Certified Trainer
Texas Roadhouse
11.2020 - 07.2021
FOH Team Member and Certified Trainer
Texas Roadhouse
04.2020 - 11.2020
Bachelor's Degree -
Glendale Community College
High School Diploma -
Paradise Honors High School
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