contact & resume | danon-gale

Resume

Chef Danon Gale

719-217-5054

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Qualifications

Culinary Arts Graduate with an extreme passion for cooking. Certification in Garde Manager, Catering, Nutritional Cooking, Baking, Hospitality, and Business Management, Sanitation and Food Safety. Extensive expertise in food costs, prep, presentation and recognition for having a clean and well-organized kitchen. Chosen for out of state openings and training teams. Consistently ranked in the top ten of ninety stores for excellence in food costs. A proven organized leader and extreme professional who welcomes new challenges.

Background

Over thirty years of experience working in the food industry from the “back-of-the-house to the front.” An opener for multiple restaurants, managed catered events, conducted training, assisted in cost control, menu planning and recipe development. As personal chef for title ranked professional boxers/Olympic medal athletes, I have traveled with teams throughout the states and different countries developing nutritional menus and meal plans to meet the requirements of their personal physical goals. I truly enjoy every aspect of this industry. Through my experiences I continue to enhance my skills and look forward to what lies ahead!

Employment

Corporate Chef

current

Food Service Director / Executive Chef - Creative Dining Services

Focus on the Family / Ozark Christian College / DCC

2012 – 2020

Actively involved in all aspects of the kitchen. Menu preparation, planning, and execution. Maintaining an organized, clean, productive kitchen. Staff retention as well as delegation. Assist other Creative Dining accounts as needed and providing organizational training and time management training to maximize culinary productivity. Daily interaction with guests, with a focus on providing excellent food and customer service to ensure repeat guests. Catered event with 800 + guests. Recipe development.

Essential job duties and responsibilities:

Create and direct the expenditure of the food service budget.
Ensure the food service operates within established budgetary guidelines.
Assign, direct and supervise food service workers.
Assist in the hiring, transfers, promotions, demotion, dismissal and retention of food service workers.
Follow proper receiving, storage, and preparation techniques to insure that all food items are maintained at a high quality until consumed.
Plan, implement and review all breakfast, lunch and dinner menus.
Maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and safety in the kitchen.
Prepare all local and state reports as directed or required.
Implement strategies to create an atmosphere that will attract and retain guests.

Accomplishments:

2013-2014 Food Safety & Sanitation Award
2014 1st Place People’s Choice Award, Culinary Classic competition, Holland, MI
2014, 3rd Place Award 1st Annual Culinary Classic Competition, Holland, MI
2014 Creative Dining Services Volunteer Service Award Nominee
Actively involved in a successful dining hall renovation for a new client
2016-2017 Food Safety and Sanitation award, best annual scores throughout the company for Health Department visits.
2017 Superior Performance Award nominee
2017-2018 Back to back 100% Colorado State Health Department score's
2017 Recognized by El Paso County Health Department for excellence in food and safety
Certified Safety Coordinator for Colorado & Nebraska facilties
Gordan Food Service food show coordinator/demonstrator

Franklin Technical College Culinary Arts Instructor

2014-2015

As a Culinary Arts Instructor I facilitate meaningful learning of the course competencies in the curriculum and proactively support all facets of the learning environment. Providing education through learning-centered instruction that enables graduates to fulfill the evolving needs of the marketplace. Encourage a culture of learning that values mutual responsibility, respect, life-long learning and ethics in addition to personal and professional development.

Key job elements:

Design and deliver class instruction through the development of instructional plans to meet course competencies and the development of activities which support lesson objectives.
Enable the achievement of pre-described exit competencies for student achievement and evaluation of learning by providing instruction which fosters competencies and establish student performance criteria and evaluation.
Deliver learning-centered instruction by establishing a classroom environment conducive to learning and student involvement as well as effectively planning and preparing for classes and student success.
Promote student success by showing flexibility in style and work schedule as well as exhibiting a passion for teaching students and engaging students in the learning process.
Manage the learning environment through keeping accurate records, submitting grades and other reports on time, and enforcing school/campus academic and attendance policies.
Contribute to a learning culture by participating on curriculum and system task forces, supporting local campus events such as orientations and graduations. Participating in various other workshops and meetings.
Relate professional/life/industry experience to learning by the continuation of professional/technical skills development, the introduction of industry perspective into courses and the active awareness of professional/industry trends and opportunities.

ServSafe Proctor
Manage First Proctor

Skills:

Excellent verbal and written communication skills including the ability to build successful relationships with clients and student population
Outstanding conflict resolution skills
Demonstrated time management and detail-oriented skills
Computer based skills
Proficient public speaker with strong leadership skills

Personal Chef

Current

In home food preparation for clients. Catered events such as weddings, graduations, and Holiday parties. Cooking classes, and intimate dinners for two.
Able to execute any type of function exceeding the expectation of the guest/client.
Recently my staff and I executed a party with a guest count between 850-1000 people at Word of Life Christian Center, Lone Tree Colorado.

2008

Personal chef for Evander Holyfield and his training team.

This experience allowed me to travel to Europe and prepare three meals a day for the four-time Heavy-weight champion of the world as well as his training team.

2001-2005

Al Haymon Personal Chef

Purchased, prepared and cooked all meals daily for title ranked professional boxers and their training teams, including the Welter Weight Champion and the Light Middle Weight Champion of the world. Created desirable menus to cater to each boxer’s taste and nutritional needs. Traveled with the teams throughout the states and provided on demand meals, needs and support.

ESPN Zone Executive Sous Chef

2001-2003

A member of the opening team, in charge of maintaining quality and professionalism into all aspects of the back of the house. Planned and prepared food for corporate catering events, hired and trained kitchen staff, arranged work schedules and reviewed food and operational costs for profit. Responsible for details in overseeing daily operations to include food, prep, cleaning, sanitation, paperwork, and guest service.

Carrabba’s Italian Grill Kitchen Manager

1998-2001

Responsible for training, hiring, and staff retention. Prepared prep list, staff scheduling, daily pars, daily specials, food orders, weekly inventory, labor budget, food costs, cost control, building maintenance, marketing/event planning (on and off site) and oversaw catering events. Actively involved in all aspects of the restaurant. Involved in management training and new store openings throughout the states.

Education

Art Institute of Colorado - Denver, CO, Graduate 1998

La Junta High School - La Junta, CO, Graduate 1994

School of Hard Knocks - Street graduate with high honors

danongale@yahoo.com

Tel: 719-217-5054