Shane Katsuno

Oversee culinary operations at Biogeoscience Institute, delivering meals for conferences, researchers and educational groups. Collaborate with onsite educators to crate inclusive dining experiences. Manage menu planning, food costing, scheduling, purchasing and hiring. Ensure high standards of food quality and service.

• Execute diverse meal plans for groups up to 100, enhancing guest satisfaction and ensuring adherence to health and safety regulations.
• Streamline food purchasing and inventory management processes, reducing waster and optimizing costs.
• Lead quality control initiatives, maintaining high standards of food presentation and taste.
• Train and supervised kitchen staff, fostering a collaborative environment.
• Develop menus aligned with university dietary guidelines.

Led culinary operations at the Tundra Lodge, managing full daily menus for 35 guests. Oversaw ordering, inventory control, and logistics for food transport from Winnipeg. Established high-end dining standards in a challenging remote environment.

• Developed and executed a food and beverage program for Base Camp Greenland, navigating international suppliers and communication barriers.
• Ensured delivery of nutritious meals despite logistical challenges in remote locations.
• Facilitated staff training events in Colorado for 100+ employees, enhancing team skills and sharing culinary expertise.
• Optimized ingredient usage through meticulous waste tracking procedures, significantly reducing overall food waste levels within the establishment.
• Collaborated with guides and field staff to implement a food program that complimented guest's field experience, and company itinerary.

Oversaw culinary operations at CMH Bugaboo Lodge, serving 80 guests in a back country heli-skiing environment. Ensured high standards in flavour and presentation, catering to both new and long term clientele. Managed ordering, controlled food costs, and engineered weekly menus. Supervised and trained kitchen staff, enhancing cooking skills and food safety protocols.

• Maintained quality standards, resulting in high guest satisfaction.
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• Streamlined menu planning, improving efficiency in food preparation.
• Trained staff in fundamental cooking techniques and food safety practices.
• Monitored line processes to maintain consistency in quality, quantity, and presentation.
• Collaborated with management to establish service goals and implement strategic initiatives.
• Managed food costs effectively with careful menu planning, accurate portion control, and utilization of seasonal ingredients.

Oversaw garde manger kitchen operations in a strict kosher environments across Arizona, Nevada and Las Vegas. Delegated menu preparation and organized daily menus for 1000+ Jewish guests during Passover, annually. Collaborated with a team of chefs to uphold exceptional standards in flavour, tradition, presentation and selection.

• Coordinated large-scale catering for Passover, ensuring menu adherence to cultural and religious expectations.
• Enhanced food presentation, elevating client satisfaction.
• Streamlined kitchen processes, improving efficiency in food preparation.
• Fostered team collaboration, promoting a high standard of culinary excellence.

• Oversaw culinary operations at Juniper Bistro & Lounge, a boutique hotel restaurant offering a la carte and banquet services. Managed restaurant and event functions, ensuring seamless execution of weddings and private events. Handles ordering, scheduling, inventory control, and menu engineering. Led food costing, hiring, and training of kitchen staff while remaining hands-on in cooking and expediting.
• Spearheaded menu development, enhancing guest satisfaction.
• Streamlines inventory processes, reducing waste by 15%
• Trained and mentored a team of 10 kitchen staff, improving efficiency.
• Executed successful banquet services for up to 150 guests.

Supervised kitchen operations at a 40-seat French/Italian restaurant. Developed daily changing market menus, emphasizing scratch cooking techniques including butchery, saucier and pastries. Executed unique tasting menus with wine pairings, tailored to individual tables. Fostered a disciplined work environment, supporting 80-90 hour work weeks. Achieved sixth place on En Route's 10 Best New Restaurants in Canada.

• Supervised kitchen staff to ensure smooth operations and quality food preparation.
• Trained and mentored junior kitchen staff on culinary techniques and methods.
• Enhanced guest experiences through personalized menu offerings.
• Developed seasonal menus, incorporating local ingredients and innovative culinary trends.

Executed a la carte cooking across multiple stations, including entremetier, saucier, garde manger, hot appetizers and pastries at the Bow Valley Grill; a 200-seat restaurant delivering high-volume Canadian cuisine. Managed cooking operations at the Waldhaus restaurant, a Swiss/German find dining venue, ensuring quality for both restaurant and private functions linked to the hotel's golf program. Responsibilities encompassed meat preparation, sauces, cold dishes, pastries and expediting service.

• Initiated kitchen operations across all stations, achieving consistency in high volume service for 450-500 guests per night.
• Helped craft diverse menus, enhancing guest dining experiences.
• Coordinated catering for private events, boosting restaurant revenue.
• Maintained high-quality standards by consistently preparing dishes according to established recipes and presentation guidelines.

Oversaw daily operations for hot breakfast and lunch buffets at the Portobello restaurant. Assisted with private dinner functions and supported the hotel banquet kitchen. Ensured high-quality service for ski traffic and hotel guests.

• Managed buffet presentation and food quality.
• Coordinated with kitchen and service staff for seamless breakfast and lunch services for 150 guests per meal.
• Assisted in menu planning for high-end private events up to 75 guests.
• Implemented effective time management strategies, prioritizing tasks based on urgency and complexity during busy shifts.