Cuzinna

(301) 919-2069 | Email: [email protected]

EDUCATION:

Certificate in Culinary Arts, Madrid Cooking Institute, Madrid, Spain

Apprenticeships:

• Villa de Foz Restaurant – Maestro Manuel Tabares

o Seafood & fish preparation new cooking techniques (sous vide, molecular)

• Penas Arriba & Cava del Almirante Restaurants – Maestro Javier Otaduy

o Mastered paella and rice dishes, elaboration and working with the new culinary techniques

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

2021 – Present Dolce Vita – Coastel Mediterranean REstaurant Washington D.C

•

• Directly responsible for creating and developing Daily Menus of Creative Cuisine

• Haier and Training all BOH staff, including one Executive Sous Chef, a Chef de Cuisine, three Sous Chefs

• Create a Standard Operation Book for BOH

• Develop Book Recipe Menu

• Develop Book Food Cost Book

• Create a SOP HCCP

• Teach BOH Staff to use technologic equipment (Paco Jet, Thermomix, Vacuum Machine, Sous Vide etc)

•

2019 – 2021 IADB/ISS Guckenheimer Washington D.C.

E.D.R. Executive Chef

• Directly responsible for creating and developing Daily Menus of Creative Cuisine for the VIPS who come to the IADB and require a sophisticated and High Quality Food

• Helping the Corporative Chef of the rest of the ISS Guckenheimer Unit with the ordering, inventory, SOP sanitary rules

• Participate in the MOD, helping people to make better job

• Meeting every week with the Manager Team

• Develop new recipes adding to the Net Menu

• Helping the staff to keep the best quality food

• SOP Covid 19 for all departments of the IADB kitchen

• Helpin the MG to develop SOP Covid 19 for all the staff

• Helping the GM to develop new innovation ideas

2017 - 2019 Delmar Washington D.C.

Executive Chef

• Directly responsible for creating and developing Daily Menus

• Developing menus, recipes, SOP’s, training all BOH staff.

• Develop new way to work with the Paella station Developed and rolled out new recipes / dishes for the restaurant

• Trained and developed staff in new culinary techniques, e.g., sous-vide and molecular gastronomy

(Reason for leaving: Moved Burtonsville MD, to fare a way from Delmar and I have to care my 5 year old son)

2013 – 2017 Picasso – Bellagio Resort Las Vegas, NV

Chef de Cuisine

• Annual Sales Volume: $10 Million

• Chef de Cuisine for this highly acclaimed, 2 Michelin Star, French-Spanish restaurant by Julian Serrano

• Awards include:

o 2 Stars - Michelin

o Five Diamond Award – AAA

o Grand Award: Best Wine List – Wine Spectator

o Outstanding Restaurant – James Beard Foundation

o 5 stars - Forbes Travel Guide

• Developed and rolled out new recipes / dishes for the restaurant

• Trained and developed staff in new culinary techniques, e.g., sous-vide and molecular gastronomy

• Standardized and created recipe book

• Consistently maintained 26% food cost

• Managed very high volume, doing almost $35,000 per dinner service

• Managed 22 staff

(Reason for leaving: Moved to Washington D.C. for family reasons)

2009 -2013 Julian Serrano Tapas Restaurant – Aria Resort Las Vegas, NV

Executive Chef

• Annual Sales Volume: $12 Million

• Opening Executive Chef for Julian Serrano’s Spanish restaurant, winning many awards, including

o Best of Award of Excellence (2011) - Wine Spectator Magazine

o Best Tapas, Best of the City Award (2010, 2011) - Desert Companion

o Best New Restaurants of The Year (2010) - Esquire Magazine

o Best Tapas, Best of the City Awards (2010) - Vegas Seven

• Developed menu and recipes with Julian Serrano

• Responsible for all BOH, including 7 stations, training staff, menu planning, food and labor costs

• Consistently maintained 25% food cost, 47% labor cost

• Managed 54 staff

(Reason for leaving: Transferred to Julian Serrano’s 2 Michelin star Picasso restaurant )

2007 - 2009 Windows Catering Company Arlington, VA

Research Chef / Catering Chef

• Annual Sales Volume: $30 Million

• Catered events for up to 8,000 guests, including the Obama inauguration at Dulles Airport

• Responsible for working with clients on menus, recipe development, staff training and hiring, production, quality control

• Developed new dishes, including many Spanish Tapas and a Molecular menu

(Reason for leaving: Moving to open the new Tapas Restaurant “Julian Serrano” in ARIA Resort and Casino)

2005 - 2007 Mienyu/Kyma DC/Annapolis

Chef de Cuisine/ Executive Chef

• Annual Sales Volume: $6 Million

• Creation new Menus, support the Mienyu Executive Chef

• Opening Executive Chef for Kyma Greek/Spanish restaurant in Annapolis

• Developed menu and recipes

• In charge to select and buy all silverware, plates, all restaurant equipment

• Responsible for all BOH, including 7 stations, training staff, menu planning, food and labor costs

• (Reason for leaving: Back to DC, I had three car accidents because long drive for me everyday)

1998 - 2005 Jaleo DC – Jaleo Bethesda – Jaleo Crystal City DC/Bethesda/Crystal City

Sous Chef

• Annual Sales Volume: $6 DC $6 Million Bethesda $3 Million Crystal City

• Assitance Jose Andres develop new ideas.

• Working how Paella Master 1998/1999. Promotion Sous Chef

• Working in the line cook sending the Menu for 600 customer daily

• In charge ordering and quality food control.

• Participate in the develop of the new Jaleo in Bethesda

• Participate in the develop of the new Jaleo in Crystal City

(Reason for leaving: I had the opportunity to work as a Chef de Cuisine in a Fusion Kitchen that I wanted to know