1. BRENT HODGE
Executive Chef and Culinary Professional
Japanese | Northern Italian | Creole | Thai | AmericanContemporary
3428 14th Ave.West Seattle, WA | 312-848-5359 | bdhodge32@gmail.com
Energetic, results-driven culinary professional offering quality services and first class
dedication to your business or establishment. I have over 20 yrs experience cooking and
running kitchens and MOD position. I have 7 yrs experience as a manager. I have
cooked and been trained in northern Italian, Thai, Creole, and American Contemporary.
After 2 years in management I moved on into upper and senior management. I have
experience with many industry-leading American restaurants, as well as small business
and Mom & Pop type concepts. I have had a lifetime of trade jobs here and there
including painting houses, carpentry and woodworking. I am also a professional
photographer and wood carver.
Experience:
August 2016 to Present
Sous Chef
Five Spot Restaurant || Queen Anne Ave. || Seattle, WA
(206) 285-7768
I am currently employed at the 5 Spot as the pm sous chef. I bring to this neighborhood
joint my expertise and training I received from both corporate and the small high-end
seafood restaurant I started out in.
Responsibilities include inventory, ordering and par adjustments on daily basis, BOH staff
development, hiring, firing and screening/interviews for new positions. I have created and
implemented 3 new systems to help minimize waste, lower food cost and improve cooks
recipe retention with a twice daily food review program. Worked to develop the pm team
into an efficient team which resulted in comp percentage trending down on evening shifts.
2. 2
October 2012 to august 2013
Executive Chef
Hard Rock Café || Chicago, IL
(312) 943-2252
I oversaw all culinary operations including BOH financials, inventory, purveyor and
product ordering on a daily basis. I designed a catering menu to clients specifications and
tastes. I personally took and cooked allergen-sensitive orders which often required me
doing table visits, research and cooking in a designated sauté pan on a designated prep
table. I oversaw and managed twenty-five plus staff members including schedules, staff
development and career path mapping, DOK skill audits and workshops for new menu
rollouts. I worked as a FOH manager and had a minimum of one MOD shift a week which
involved me doing all staff pre-shift meetings, making 4 drawers a day for retail and
bartenders, three safe counts a day and labor planning to minimize overtime. I was also
responsible for closing out bartenders and waitstaff's financials.
April 2009 to October 2013
Senior Kitchen Manager
Cheesecake Factory || Chicago, IL
(312) 337-1101
Managing all culinary operations in a busy $19M kitchen with a 400+ floor seating plan.
Developed cooks and dishwashers, prep cooks, cleaners and napkin folders. I wrote
schedules for all work groups on a rotating basis. I wrote prep list in according to market
trends, a product trend report or (P-Mix) and seasonal influx of cliental to minimize waste
and achieve maximum product yield. I conducted weekly inventory, I enforced strict
sanitation practices to ensure the highest food quality standards in the industry. I
organized food workshops to improve staff DOK skills, create phase plans to maximize
profit and achieve higher productivity shifts. I was known to recognize when stations need
bailing before they’re impacted and expedite between servers and cooks to stay ahead of
the pop and be pro-active as opposed to bailing a station after they have gone down. I
was often told I was a favorite manager among staff BOH & FOH.
3. 3
January 2007 to April 2009
Sous Chef
Thai Spice Restaurant || Chicago, IL 60660
(773) 973-0504
Managed a small Thai kitchen under chef Vasanna.
I worked on weekly inventory, made schedules and upheld proper sanitation practices. I
often worked solo with two woks, a 6 burner stove and a 2 well fryer. At the peak of
business me and the Chef held down the kitchen with one dishwasher that often needed
bailing. I was paid little,but the recipes and Chef’s techniques were more valuable than
the pay. I became good friends with the chef/owners and still stay in touch to this day.
March 2004 to December 2005
Sous Chef
Nuvolari's Restaurant || Mandeville, LA
(773) 973-0504
As the sous chef at this neighborhood Northern Italian Restaurant, I helped create a fresh
daily specials menu while utilizing local produce and seafood. I would meet with the Chef
and pair wine, create menus around wine dinners and cater private events during normal
business hours. menus for private wine pairings.
I worked all stations from pastry to broiler to sauté.
Special Skills:
I have worked 18 years in the industry from small 4 star Italian steakhouse to a 12 and
19M restaurants. I have done personal Cheffing, event catering , menu development and
allergy-specific menu conception.
I enjoy the menu conception, personal chefing and working in culinary consulting
positions the best.
Interests: Woodworking, photography, drawing, playing piano and guitar, learning about
new cultures and exploring our world and cooking for loved ones
