Lawrence Yonda
Scottsdale
Summary
With 30 years of experience across various sectors of the culinary industry—including restaurants, hotels, and healthcare—I have developed a specialized skill set in advanced culinary management, strategic retail branding, and operational innovation. My executive leadership plays a pivotal role in enhancing client relationships, driving organizational growth, and expanding market reach. By implementing targeted strategies, I have consistently increased revenue and reduced client costs, thereby improving overall financial performance while ensuring the delivery of sustainable and high-quality programs tailored to client needs.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
Work History
Vice President of Operational Excellence
Aramark
05.2025 - Current
- As Vice President of Opx, my responsibilities included systemizing efforts across the organization and managing food costs for the entire corrections sector.
- In this role, I manage a team of twenty-five support staff and strategically deployed them based on events or client concerns.
- My team handled all mobilization and demobilization for Aramark’s corrections sector.
- I also oversaw seventeen dietitians, assigning them tasks according to openings and clinical needs, as well as supporting new menu development.
- Executive budget analysis
- Regional product compliance support
- Contract management and negotiation
- Kitchen design/construction management
- National menu development
- Retail branding and innovation
- National cost reduction programs
- Executive project management
- Cross segment sales and growth
- Culinary innovation
- AI innovation Culinary Copilot
Regional Vice President (RVP)
HHS
08.2021 - 10.2024
- As Regional Vice President, I managed a wide range of operations, including onsite audits, budget planning, and client retention across five states, ensuring compliance with HHS standards and regulatory requirements.
- I successfully launched several 24-hour, employee-less convenience cafes, each driving an additional $10,000 to $20,000 in monthly revenue, while improving employee satisfaction with expanded night service options.
- By optimizing operations, I boosted café sales by 10%.
- Additionally, I excelled in contract amortization, strengthening client-vendor relationships to foster mutual value and ensure long-term account retention.
- Executive budget analysis
- Regional product compliance support
- Contract management and negotiation
- Kitchen design/construction management
- Retail branding and innovation
- Executive project management
- Regulatory audit compliance
- Environmental services (EVS)
- Cross segment sales and growth
- Employee and management retention over 90%
- Culinary innovation, patient, and retail
- 100% client retention
- Account Retention 100%
Regional Director of Culinary
SODEXO
05.2001 - 08.2021
- In my previous role at Sodexo, I oversaw the operational process of all culinary, patient, and retail operations across more than 40 hospitals in Texas.
- My responsibilities included providing strategic leadership in culinary management and media marketing, overseeing construction projects, and driving key operational initiatives.
- I led the implementation of retail brand strategies, conducted comprehensive analyses of food costs and budget allocations, and ensured full compliance with food safety and regulatory standards.
- Additionally, I successfully designed and managed the buildout of over twelve kitchen facilities, including both remodels and new construction.
- I also played a key role in the continuous development and regional customization of programs, tailoring them to meet the specific needs and budget considerations of Sodexo, and the clients.
- Culinary research & development
- Food cost analysis
- Menu deployment
- New hospital openings
- Budget analysis
- Regional product compliance support
- Contract management and negotiation
- Executive client management
- Kitchen design/construction management
- Account retention and sales growth
- Product development and deployment
- Retail branding and sales growth
Area Executive Chef
Canyon Café
09.1999 - 04.2001
- As Area Executive Chef, I oversaw all culinary operations and food cost management for the Canyon Cafés.
- My responsibilities included conducting in-depth analyses of inventory usage and procurement strategies to minimize ingredient costs, enforcing portion control, and developing menus that balanced culinary excellence with financial objectives.
- I also supervised daily restaurant activities, maintaining high-quality standards, ensuring adherence to health and safety protocols, and optimizing all resources to achieve financial goals.
Executive Chef
Crocodile Café
03.1997 - 09.1999
Kitchen Manager
Houston’s Restaurant
04.1995 - 03.1997
Education
AAS - Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management
Scottsdale Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu
Southwest Cuisine and Culinary Deployment, Foundations of Kitchen Management
Culinary Institute of America
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie Course
Executive Negotiation, Strategic Planning, Executive Project Management, Financial Management for Leaders, Critical Thinking, Expanding Your Influence, Understanding the Psychology of Persuasion
American Management Association
Skills
- Executive leadership and mentoring
- Strong financial acumen
- Technology and development
- Annual retail sales growth
- Food cost management and controls
- Contract management and negotiation
- Kitchen design/ project management
- Retail branding and innovation
- Executive client retention
- Culinary innovation
- Clinical regulatory audit compliance
- GPO and contract rebate
- Environmental services (EVS)
- Construction value engineering
- TV marking and appearances
- Account retention and sales growth
- Purchasing compliance
Timeline
Vice President of Operational Excellence
Aramark
05.2025 - Current
Regional Vice President (RVP)
HHS
08.2021 - 10.2024
Regional Director of Culinary
SODEXO
05.2001 - 08.2021
Area Executive Chef
Canyon Café
09.1999 - 04.2001
Executive Chef
Crocodile Café
03.1997 - 09.1999
Kitchen Manager
Houston’s Restaurant
04.1995 - 03.1997
AAS - Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management
Scottsdale Culinary Institute Le Cordon Bleu
Southwest Cuisine and Culinary Deployment, Foundations of Kitchen Management
Culinary Institute of America
How to Win Friends and Influence People
Dale Carnegie Course
Executive Negotiation, Strategic Planning, Executive Project Management, Financial Management for Leaders, Critical Thinking, Expanding Your Influence, Understanding the Psychology of Persuasion
American Management Association