Heather Lakey
Chula Vista,CA
Summary
Seasoned 16+ year Four Season’s Veteran Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills ∙ Team player with leadership qualities ∙ Extremely organized, dedicated, and motivated ∙ Strong ability to multi-task and work well under pressure
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Pastry Chef
University of San Diego
07.2023 - Current
- Responsible for the desserts each day for The Pavilion (student dining) -1500 students+ per day
- Involved with Menu planning for the Restaurant as well as Banquets and Catering Events
- Collaborate with the Dean of Culinary, Chef de Cuisine and pastry team to execute VIP dinners with experiential components
- Manage, mentor and develop the pastry team in all aspects including restaurant prep, catering, and moving them into the next level
- Develop restaurant menus for special events within the restaurant outside of the normal restaurant menu: high tea, buffets, holiday parties, etc
- Facilitate inventory on a monthly basis, along with making sure costs stay low in all departments
- Communicate well with the catering front of the house team, along with the conference service team who book the events
- Work closely with the purchasing manager on a daily basis, to ensure food cost elements for each area
- Attend weekly Pavilion and BEO meetings, bi-weekly restaurant meetings
Executive Pastry Chef
Four Season’s Biltmore Resort Santa Barbara
07.2018 - Current
- Make, design and trained cooks on wedding cakes (average 100/yr), birthday cakes, anniversary
- Attended weekly labor meetings, BEO meetings, food cost, and various management trainings
- Responsible for all ordering for the pastry department in order to be in line with food cost
- Assisted in running the entire kitchen (pastry and culinary) in the absence of an Executive Chef and Executive Sous Chef
- Design menus for each food and beverage outlet for the resort: Bella Vista, Tydes, Coral Casino, Pool, Room Service and Banquets
- Able to adapt to food allergies by incorporating Gluten-Free and Vegan items to each menu
- Coordinating the Gingerbread Village in the lobby during the Holidays
- Expanding the amenity program within Room Service as well as Sales/Catering outlets
- Enjoy being able to use local ingredients whenever possible in all areas
Executive Pastry Chef
Omni La Costa Resort
11.2021 - 07.2023
- Lead pastry team with the execution of desserts for banquets, restaurants, golf, pool, spa, and marketplace throughout the 600 room resort
- Work closely with the Conference Services team with special menus, dietary restrictions for all of their banquet needs
- Change the Petite Fours, Danish/Pastries monthly for Marketplace (onsite market) along with seasonally inspired S’mores each month
- Responsible for the creation of each of the 7 Restaurant menus for every day as well as the Holiday offerings; assist in special pop up menus/dinners for the Vue Restaurant
- Hold activities and lunch or dinners for the members along with their families
- Help design the menus for banquets and speak with clients to determine their needs
- Assist with other outlets when needed: banquet plate ups, restaurants, spa cafe
- Attend daily BEO meetings
- Aid in monthly food cost, making sure our pastry inventory is tight
- Make sure payroll is up to date using Kronos, each day and help employees if needed with their time corrections
- Amenities execution along with R&D for new
Executive Sous Chef /Executive Pastry Chef
Cara Hotel
07.2020 - 10.2021
- In charge of the pastry program for the hotel and restaurant
- Lead AM team with production as well as running the line for breakfast and lunch/brunch service
- Work closely with the Executive Chef to execute menu items for both pastry and savory utilizing items from local farms (seasonally); change menus as farms dictate due to seasonality
- Assist in hiring cooks and dishwashers
- Worked closely with new hires to complete paperwork including new hire onboarding
- Helped implement a Food Bible for the front of the house incorporating each dish with pictures, descriptions, allergens, and the inspiration behind the dish
- Coordinate ordering with Local Farms
- Ordering for the entire kitchen keeping in mind food cost
- Responsible for monthly inventory with the Chef de Cuisine along with food costing for each menu item
- In charge of daily payroll/ time clock using ADP and ensuring proper pay for each kitchen employee on payroll weeks
Temporary Executive Pastry Chef
Beverly Wilshire Four Season’s
01.2020 - 02.2020
- Company Overview: Task Force
- In charge of their entire pastry kitchen operation for 3 weeks with no Pastry Sous Chef-January 2018
- Returned to help run their pastry kitchen for 2 months with Pastry Sous Chef
- Worked closely with Executive Chef Samir Roonwal and Executive Sous Chef Amir
- Helped put together the Valentine’s Display in the Lobby along with retail items
- Coordinated and assisted with Banquet functions of 500-1000 people
- Task Force
Pastry Sous Chef
Four Season’s Westlake Village
10.2017 - 06.2018
- Make, design and train wedding cakes (average 50/yr), birthday cakes, anniversary; have produced over 500 cakes
- Responsible for the weekly work schedule, labor meetings, BEO meetings, food cost, training
- Responsible for going to weekly labor meetings as well as daily banquet event order meetings, help maintain food cost
- Run all outlets for desserts alongside the Executive Pastry Chef
Pastry Chef de Partie
Four Season's Westlake Village
07.2016 - 10.2017
- 2nd in command helping with training, ordering and running the daily operations of the kitchen
Pastry Cook 1
Four Season's Westlake Village
01.2015 - 07.2016
- Ran the pastry kitchen for 6 months when there was no Pastry Chef
- Ordering, Banquet event meetings, restaurants, training
Pastry Cook 1
Four Season’s Resort Scottsdale
11.2013 - 01.2015
- Help design menus from start to finish; including execution, communication with management team as well as the wait staff, testing/implementing recipes for each new item; helped open new restaurant Proof from beginning to open
- Continue to be a vital part in running the restaurant line for dinner service encompassing In Casita Dining, Talavera, Crescent Moon, and Onyx Bar
- Have the responsibility to help train new employees within pastry and get them ready for every aspect of the kitchen
- Responsible for banquet functions; plated lunches/dinners; being the point of contact for banquet captain, and executing desserts in a timely manner; help with the design of banquet menus and plate up designs
- Assigned to be in charge of all safety aspects in the kitchen including main kitchen, pastry, banquet kitchen, and employee dining
- Make and design wedding cakes, birthday cakes, anniversary; working in fondant, butter cream, modeling chocolate-average 60 cakes per wedding season
- Completed Task force at Vail Four Season’s in Colorado -2nd in command
Pastry Cook 2
Four Season’s Resort Scottsdale
01.2011 - 01.2013
- Started wedding cakes, helped to start training new employees, kitchen safety representative for the entire kitchen
- Moved into banquet preparation, menu design
Pastry Cook 3
Four Season’s Resort Scottsdale
01.2009 - 01.2011
- Transferred to pastry kitchen and started running the restaurant line for desserts: fine dining, casual, and In Casita dining
- Learned each station of the pastry kitchen from morning bake to amenities
Education
Associate - Culinary
Arizona Culinary Institute
Scottsdale, AZ10.2008
M.B.A. - Global Management
University of Phoenix
Phoenix, AZ06.2003
B.S. - Communication
Arizona State University
Tempe, AZ06.1998
Skills
- 19 years experience in the Hotel/Resort Industry in many different capacities; notably Four Seasons
- Over 10 yrs Sales Experience (hotel, catering, etc)
- Instructor of Communication, Business and Human Resources at various community colleges-13 years
- Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills
- Team player with leadership qualities
- Extremely organized, dedicated, and motivated
- Strong ability to multi-task and work well under pressure
- Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher)
- Birchstreet
- Workday, Kronos, ADP, Hot Schedules
Accolades
- Nominated for employee of the month and won, 10/01/16, Four Season’s Westlake Village
- Finalist in the AUI Pastry Competition, 2017, Washington D.C.
- Nominated for employee of the month and won, 07/01/10, Four Season’s Scottsdale
- Involved in 3 competitions for pastry; Gingerbread Village in Prescott, 2010
- NACE Competition 2008-1st place and 2009-3rd place with people’s choice award
Community Service
- Luminaria Display at the Botanical Gardens, Phoenix, AZ, Winter 2008, Assisted the catering company with dinner preparations on the weekends during the Luminaria display; helped with the set-up of the dining room and décor
- Have had the opportunity to support local and give back by making desserts for various charity events and auctions
Accomplishments
Recieved employee of the quarter as well as nominated.
Opened new 2 hotels and restaurants
Top sales person for inside and outside sales.
Taught public speaking, human resources, communication at community and university level classes- received an award.
Timeline
Pastry Chef
University of San Diego
07.2023 - Current
Executive Pastry Chef
Omni La Costa Resort
11.2021 - 07.2023
Executive Sous Chef /Executive Pastry Chef
Cara Hotel
07.2020 - 10.2021
Temporary Executive Pastry Chef
Beverly Wilshire Four Season’s
01.2020 - 02.2020
Executive Pastry Chef
Four Season’s Biltmore Resort Santa Barbara
07.2018 - Current
Pastry Sous Chef
Four Season’s Westlake Village
10.2017 - 06.2018
Pastry Chef de Partie
Four Season's Westlake Village
07.2016 - 10.2017
Pastry Cook 1
Four Season's Westlake Village
01.2015 - 07.2016
Pastry Cook 1
Four Season’s Resort Scottsdale
11.2013 - 01.2015
Pastry Cook 2
Four Season’s Resort Scottsdale
01.2011 - 01.2013
Pastry Cook 3
Four Season’s Resort Scottsdale
01.2009 - 01.2011
M.B.A. - Global Management
University of Phoenix
B.S. - Communication
Arizona State University
Associate - Culinary
Arizona Culinary Institute
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