Sami Elbahja

Experience

• 

  Mississauga Grand Banquet & Event Centre

  Apr 2014 - Mar 2017

  Hospitality Manager

  Hospitality Manager Mississauga Grand Banquet and Event Centre located in Mississauga city south of the 401 is a family owned. Banquet and Event Centre is equipped to accommodate functions from as little as 90 people up to 550 guests of social and corporate function. • Responsible for managing functions for up to 550 guests• Responsible for meeting with the client to discuss their needs and wants for the event/occasion• Responsible for ensuring client and their guests are enjoying their time and experience• Liaison with internal and external services, such as Bar manager, Chef(s), DJ’s, MC’s, catering, and designers• Leadership and mentoring of up to 20 staff per function• Preparation and setup of tables, décor by creating schematics of table displays. • Prepare staff schedules and delegate duties to each staff member• Responsible for organizing setup of antipasto, buffet, dessert, cake and seafood displays• Assisting the Business Owner in hiring wait staff • Providing suggestions and recommendations for each function when requestedHead Waiter Mississauga Grand Banquet and Event Centre February 2014 – April 2014Pearson Convention Centre, Brampton, ON 2012 - 2014• Promoted to Head Waiter within two months of employment • Worked closely with wait staff to ensure proper setup and cleaning of tables for each function• Ensuring that guests were having an enjoyable experience • Setup of buffet, antipasto, dessert, and cake tables• Reported directly to Hospitality Manager • Described menu items in details and provided recommendations when requested Show less

• 

  Cambridge Beaches

  May 2017 - Jul 2017

  Food & Beverage Captain

  Cambridge Beaches Resort & Spa is famous resort in Bermuda, outside the city of Hamilton. It is also part of the resorts in the Fairmont chains and has over 400 rooms.DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:• Responsibilities Include supervising multiple workstations, maintaining a professional work environment.• Assisting guests and team as needed,• Assisting with opening and closing procedures.• Assisting with outlet inspections including the team’s uniform compliance.• Responsibility to answer questions and complaints promptly and appropriately. • Checking supplies are adequately stocked, tables are set/reset as needed.• Responsible for taking room service orders using computerized system and serving food and beverages efficiently.• Checking guest satisfaction through service and taking appropriate action to correct any problem, maintaining a safe, clean, tidy, organized, well stocked work area including assigned guest charges and cash transactions are processed accurately.• Other duties as required. Show less

• 

  Chateau Le Jardin

  Jun 2018 - now

  @ Understand and be able to communicate catering menu details.Lead a team in providing exceptional guest services in preparation, during and following events@ Interview, select, schedule, train, coach, counsel, and evaluate the performance of the Banquet and porter team@ Review, maintain and stay up to date with upcoming events, communicating regularly with Catering@ Order linens and necessary supplies for service for all events. Keep in contact with all vendors.Supervise staging of meeting space, food service banquets and special events, including appropriateequipment, to meet client and contractual expectations per the Banquet Event Order, assistBanquet Captains to ensure proper pull sheets and that the staging of venues for events arecompleted properly@ Oversee clearing and cleaning of all venues; returning, cleaning and restocking of equipment@ Graciously and quickly manage any employee or client issues; report issues to Director of Food and Beverage@ In collaboration with the Director of Food and Beverage and venue supervisor(s), develop andmanage staffing plan for all Catering and Meeting Room teams and create weekly team schedules@ Engage and/or take the lead in regular, consistent meetings with employees, from one-to-one check-ins to daily huddles, team and department meetings@ Oversee and implement employee training and development adhering to Fort Worden and Foodand Beverage objectives, obtaining employee satisfaction standards and high-quality guest experience@ Ensure cleanliness of the event by maintaining to specified standards, passing Health Department@ Safely drive and maintain vehicles available for transporting meeting materials@Step in for staff as needed in urgent circumstances@ Attend staff and management meetings as needed@ Other duties as assigned by supervisor or other management Show less

  • Operations Manager

    Jul 2021 - now

  • Assistant Manager, Banquet Operations

    Jun 2018 - now
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  Florence University of the Arts

  Mar 2021 - now

  Restaurant Manager
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  Hyatt Place

  Nov 2022 - Oct 2023

  Assistant Food Beverage Manager /Banquet Manager

  • Led F&B team by attracting, recruiting, training, and appraising talented personnel• Managed all F&B and day-to-day operations within budgeted guidelines and to the highest standards• Discussed and organized details of events with the Sales Director and Head Chef, including timing of meal courses• Worked closely with the Event Coordinator in design and décor and layout of Banquet events• Ensured set up of flatware, chairs, tables and food stations were set up as per client’s request• Prepared weekly schedules for waitstaff and key banquet personnel, and completed documentation for external staff• Liaised with external 3rd party vendors, such as AV, Catering, or Decorators• Ordered food and supplies, including purchasing specialty items to meet the client’s needs• Identified customer’s needs and responded proactively to all of their concerns• Ensured all health and safety standards and regulations are followed for the safety of all• Established targets, KPI’s, schedules, policies, and procedures Show less