Gary Smith

Experience

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  Food Service Manager Contract Positions

  Jul 1991 - Sept 1996

  Food Service Operations Manager

  I directed operations of the main dining facility and four additional satellite outlets (fine dining, concessions, vendor trucks) servicing 3,000+ personnel while working on contracts with Marriott International, Raytheon, and Johnson Controls World Services. A few of my responsibilities and accomplishments included: • Managed all aspects of operations, including staff hiring/training/development, scheduling, budgeting, cost/inventory control, purchasing, and vendor relations. • Developed and administered a food sanitation, service quality, and procedure compliance training program. • Analyzed operations and performed employee scheduling to adequately accommodate shift requirements and control labor costs; reduced additional expenses through more effective inventory management. • Improved employee skill levels by evaluating performance and making recommendations or providing additional training to help convert staff weaknesses into strengths. Show less

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  US Army

  Apr 1997 - Sept 2004

  Food Service Operations Manager

  I initially began as a Shift Leader before earning multiple promotions ultimately into the Food Service Operations Manager role overseeing a 65-person/1,200-seat upscale casual dining facility serving 8,000 civilian and military personnel. Some of my most significant awards that I received included: • Won numerous culinary competitions, competing against as many as 30 other culinary teams from across Europe; took first prize in categories including Entrée, Pastry, and Plate Presentation. • Won several Army Achievement and Commendation Medals for quality of performance, as well as the Army Excellence Medal for an outstanding safety record. • Won the Connelly Award for Excellence in U.S. Army Food Service. Show less

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  Kellogg, Brown & Root

  Dec 2004 - May 2010

  Food Service Manager & QA/QC Inspector

  I worked on two different occasions for this base life support services contractor and I was successful for turning around underperforming operations of four dining facilities supporting ~30,000 personnel on a 24/7 basis. • Led a 12-person management team over 270+ contract personnel from 6 different nations in food service operations for the 10,000-seat fine dining venue at Baghdad International Airport; held additional responsibility for managing 3 satellite venues with a total capacity of 4,000 guests. • Managed a large base of 4 F&B vendors and a $2.5M F&B inventory. • Prevented potential loss of contract and significantly improved customer service and food quality by streamlining operations, retraining staff, establishing accountability measures, and developing/implementing new processes. • Reduced annual food costs by more than $6M without impacting quality by negotiating improved contract terms and identifying more cost competitive vendors. • Continuously improved customer satisfaction by implementing a table feedback system to identify preferences, refine/tailor menus, and identify/resolve service or quality issues. • Planned and managed VIP banquets for high-ranking government officials and dignitaries, including Donald Rumsfeld, Condoleezza Rice, senior Pentagon officials, and corporate presidents. • Recognized through numerous formal distinctions, including: - Multiple awards for earning “Excellent” rankings and a score of 98% on the client’s Fee Evaluation Boards (comprehensive quality, safety, and cleanliness evaluations that determine contract award fee) - U.S. Air Force Coin of Excellence and Taking Care of Customers Right Awards - U.S. Army Mission Accomplished Medal (awarded by senior commander in Iraq, General George Casey) Show less

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  Furrs Buffet

  Jun 2010 - Mar 2011

  Food Service Manager

  I managed approximately 25 employees in a high volume 200 seat restaurant with up to $500,000 in monthly sales. During this time, I earned recognition for a consistent record of results for exceeding performance expectations that included: • Led the location to #1 sales volume restaurant in the region; earned quarterly bonuses based on utility, food, labor, maintenance, and marketing costs and achieving profit goals. • Maintained strict compliance with food safety regulations, communicated the importance of food safety compliance to employees, and achieved scores above 95 on each health department inspection. Show less

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  DynCorp International

  Mar 2011 - Oct 2014

  Food Service Manager

  I fulfilled similar roles with the above two contractors while I was working in Afghanistan. I started with Supreme Group from 03/2011 to 11/2011 and then I went to work for DynCorp International from 11/2011 until 10/2014. During this time, I directed all food service operations for these two private military contractors that provided the full spectrum of life support services to government clients worldwide. Some of my key responsibilities and achievements included: • Supervised all food service operations (including staff hiring, training, and development) on several bases that included 360+ employees and 6+ dining facilities serving 6,000+ civilian and military personnel. • Developed and managed financial and operational plans to support corporate goal attainment. • Leveraged detailed knowledge of AFMIS (Army Food Management Information System), STORES (Subsistence Total Ordering and Receipt Electronic System), and Prime Vendor applications to ensure compliance and drive performance, product, and service quality. • Ensured compliance with food service SOP, policies and procedures, PWS (Performance Work Statement) elements, and food service SOWs (Statement of Work); prepared and reviewed dining facility SOWs. • Implemented and managed the company’s food safety program ensuring proper staff training and understanding of corporate and industry standards. • Ensured compliance with OSHA and DHEC regulations and passed all DCMA and QA QC Inspections as well as COTR and Preventive Medical Inspections. Show less

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  DynCorp International/ACCL International

  Dec 2015 - now

  Executive Chef