Michele Wood
Carpentersville
Summary
Dynamic operations leader with extensive experience at Nothing Bundt Cakes, excelling in food safety and preparation. Proven track record of setting new sales records and fostering community relationships. Adept at managing teams and creating innovative marketing strategies. Strong leadership and communication skills, ensuring exceptional service and operational efficiency.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Operations Manager
Nothing Bundt Cakes
09.2017 - 08.2020
- Guide front of the house staff to meet and exceeds all guest’s needs
- Create work schedules within labor cost and food cost guides provided
- Provide leadership and support to all staff members, including owners
- Order all ingredients needed for baking, plus all corporate items needed for franchise bakery
- Hire and train all front of the house staff
- Execute daily delivery and event schedules
- Create and execute all high production holiday and guest orders
- Created new bakery sales records year after year with motivation
- Create weekly marketing plan for managers to follow, helping create ongoing working relationships with local business and Chambers
- Be the forefront manager of all fundraising events within the community
- Create yearly local event calendar for the bakery participation
- Laid off due to Covid
Food Specialist
La Petite Academy Inc.
05.2023 - Current
- Develop and implement nutrition plans for children, ensuring compliance with dietary guidelines.
- Solely cook all meals daily for entire center, implementing federal food program guidelines.
- Ensure all food allergen students are served an appropriate food substitution for each meal.
- Document weekly inventory, for both front and back of house, including stock needed for each classroom.
- Create weekly nutritional menu, following federal food program guidelines.
- Create weekly US Foods order, following very strick budget
- Upkeep prestige clean kitchen, including all equipment and food service areas per classroom.
- Housekeeping duties, including stocking cleaning suppliers for each classroom, ensure public washrooms are supplied and clean, sweep and mop main hallways, including entrance.
- Step into classrooms as a teach, when needed, creating a personal relationship between chef and student.
Bakery Manager Trainee
Jewel Osco Food Store
01.2023 - 05.2023
- Oversaw daily bakery operations, ensuring product quality and freshness.
- Enforced health and safety regulations within the bakery environment consistently.
- Collaborated with management to create seasonal product offerings aligned with market trends.
- Maintained a clean and safe work environment by enforcing strict adherence to food safety guidelines and regulations.
- Arranged bakery displays to showcase baked goods, cakes, and pies to drive product sales.
- Managed inventory levels, coordinating orders to meet customer demands efficiently.
- Implemented process improvements to enhance production efficiency and reduce waste.
- Developed and maintained positive customer relationships to drive sales.
Kitchen Supervisor / Pastry Chef
Elder + Oat Bakery and Coffee Shop
06.2021 - 01.2023
- Oversee daily Back of House operations, create production schedule, cleaning schedule
- Maintain daily inventory numbers, par stock numbers, daily sales product numbers
- Work closely with Front of House maintaining daily par stock of product throughout the day
- Oversee weekly catering orders with FOH owner, ensuring all product is ordered and in-house
- Meet with current and potential wedding couples to customize their wedding menus and cake
- Create / co-create with BOH owners seasonal rotating menus, to include holiday menus
- Maintain and uphold formulas utilizing organic, sustainable and local ingredients
- Cross-trained in FOH operations, POS system and barista
Adjunct Culinary Member, Pastry Arts
Elgin Community College
01.2011 - 01.2020
- Instructing classes: Pastry Techniques, Baking I, Baking Fundamental I, Advanced Pastry I,
Yeast Breads and Culinary Bakeshop - Following curriculum, create objectives, lectures, and reviews for each subject of study
- Create and present demonstrations to guide students from formula to finished product
- Create full inventory of daily classroom ingredients and place orders for daily class
- International Culinary Leader of the 2015 Austrian Exchange Program
Kitchen Manager
Heaven on Seven
12.2016 - 08.2017
Pastry Supervisor, Pastry Chef
Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
07.2009 - 01.2016
- Oversee and supervisor the bakeshop area with maintaining day to day production
- Skillfully develop production charts for a staff of five to eight bakers
- Responsible for all new hires and training of pastry staff, and weekly pastry schedule
- Research and create seasonal menus for the fine dining and casual dining restaurants
- Create standardized formulas, food and labor cost analogies, and inventory control
- Work closely with Sales, Events and Operation Teams for perfect execution of events
- Custom design all specialty cakes made in-house
- Work with clients to create custom dessert menus, from 10 up to 1,000 people
- Participate in the continual growth of the Lincolnshire Chef's Farm & Apiary: planting and harvesting herbs, vegetables, fruit, and extracting honey from the two million bee apiary
- Responsible for the Kitchen Department's payroll adjustment program, ensuring to be under budged labor cost
- Cross trained in garde manger, restaurant line and savory side for banquets
- Cross trained in Operations
- Over 8 years management experience
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Pastry Arts
Elgin Community College
Elgin, IL05-2009
Bachelor of Arts - Graphic Design, Fine Arts And Art History
Dominican University
River Forest, IL05-1996
Skills
- Positive leadership values set with leading by example
- Food preparation and safety
- Marketing and catering experience
- Safe food handling
Certification
ServSafe Management Certificate
Timeline
Food Specialist
La Petite Academy Inc.
05.2023 - Current
Bakery Manager Trainee
Jewel Osco Food Store
01.2023 - 05.2023
Kitchen Supervisor / Pastry Chef
Elder + Oat Bakery and Coffee Shop
06.2021 - 01.2023
Operations Manager
Nothing Bundt Cakes
09.2017 - 08.2020
Kitchen Manager
Heaven on Seven
12.2016 - 08.2017
Adjunct Culinary Member, Pastry Arts
Elgin Community College
01.2011 - 01.2020
Pastry Supervisor, Pastry Chef
Lincolnshire Marriott Resort
07.2009 - 01.2016
Associate of Applied Science - Pastry Arts
Elgin Community College
Bachelor of Arts - Graphic Design, Fine Arts And Art History
Dominican University