Exceptionally creative, detail-oriented, and dependable Chef
with 20 years experience in the field. Highly educated and
proficient in numerous cooking techniques and cuisines.

 

  CHEF 

Exceptionally creative, detailed oriented, and dependable Chef with 20 years experience in the field. Highly educated and proficient in numerous cooking techniques and cuisines. Extensive experience in multiple areas of food preparation including: fine dining, high turn-over casual style dining, small and large scale catering, and high volume batch cooking. Well developed leadership skills with experience training staff in all areas of food service.

EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION

THE CULINARY INSTITUTE OF AMERICA — Hyde Park, NY

AOS, Culinary

2006–2007

Externship at Passion Food LLC in Washington, D.C.

 

 

 

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

CLYDE'S TOWER OAKS LODGE — Rockville, MD

Sous Chef

May 2016–Current

  • Collaborate with the chef team on the seasonal menu. Creating delicious food that is executable for our staff on both sides of the line.
  • Primary department is the dish station. Hiring, evaluating, and promoting from within is the main focus.
  • Main duties include: Direct supervision of all menu preparation, line execution, and training of staff. Also responsible for expo, quality of food, plating, and execution.

TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF COURSE — Sterling, VA

Sous Chef

November 2014–April 2016

  • Organization of two championship golf courses with half-way houses, swimming pool eatery, and indoor tennis facility that is serviced with our off-premise catering.
  • Management of the Grill Room, the main restaurant serving 300+ full-time members and their guests. Direct supervision of the Grill Room staff, also required to execute member events in the banquet facility capable of serving 250 people.
  • Responsible for three prix fixe menus during the week as well as daily specials in the Grill Room. Involved in menu creation and recipes of current lunch and dinner menus.

FIRESTONE’S CULINARY TAVERN — Frederick, MD

Executive Chef

October 2013–October 2014

Line Cook/Sous Chef

October 2009–October 2013

  • Duties included organizing and preparing for all lunch and dinner services. Responsible for all culinary creativity, savory and sweet.
  • Responsible for all aspects of ordering, purchasing, inventory, and costing.
  • Organized and executed the following events: In the street, Hospice: “Taste of Gourmet,” Restaurant Week, Farm to Fork, and Beer N’ Bacon music festival.
  • Firestone’s Market on Market: Responsible for the Market menu consisting of daily soup, salads, and sandwich menu. Created rotating menu of sides and house made ice cream. Oversaw baking of house bread, challah, and croissants.
  • Supervised 15 employees including day to day training for a varied skill set including;    garde manger, baking, grill, and sauté. Other executive duties included scheduling, hiring, and managing daily kitchen operations.
  • Worked with the Commercial Foods Program at Frederick High School mentoring students through work study.

CLASSIC CATERING PEOPLE — Owings Mills, MD

Chef

April 2009–October 2009

  • Duties included planning, preparation, and execution of a wide variety of cuisines for a primarily off-site catering company.
  • Ensured all necessary food, equipment, and dry goods are packed in a timely fashion for transport, set up off-site kitchen, and execution of menu.
  • Special duties included: leading a team of seven at Camp Louise located in Cascade, MD, where over 1,800 meals were served daily with four buffet lines, two salad bars, and a vegetarian entrée. Responsible for preparation and oversight of special dietary menu for a medical study at Johns Hopkins University.

ABIGAIL KIRSCH AT PIER 60 — New York, NY

Lead Line Cook

August 2008–April 2009

  • Worked as a team member in a professional, high volume catering operation with emphasis on menu planning, portion control, and precise recipe execution.
  • Assisted Sous Chefs with a diverse array of menus and events ranging from small weddings of 125 to corporate events of over 1,000.
  • Served as lead for assembly lines with oversight of preset plated appetizers, set up and execution of themed stations, hors-d’oeuvres, and entrée assembly.

CLUSTERED SPIRES LLC — Frederick, MD

Executive Chef

October 2007–June 2008

  • Duties included oversight of kitchen maintenance and sanitation in addition to working and training all stations; Grill, Sauté, Sandwich, Salad, Fry, and Expediter.
  • Responsible for managing 10-member back of house team to include interviewing, hiring, scheduling and training functions. Hands on supervision of line operation as well as opening and closing kitchen duties.
  • Standardization and costing of recipes, creating and executing daily specials, maintaining food and labor cost, as well as ordering of all food and supplies for back and front of house.
  • Service ranged from 250–550 cover of casual family dining in American cuisine.

BREWERS ALLEY — Frederick, MD

Executive Sous Chef

April 2004–January 2006

  • Duties included management and training of 15 staff members for all stations: Grill, Sauté, Salad, Pizza Oven, Expediter, and Banquet Kitchen.
  • Responsible for opening and closing kitchen duties, scheduling, ordering of all food, and inventory control, in addition to working/supervising line operations and overseeing banquet events for up to 100 people.
  • Creating and executing daily specials and oversight of menu development.
  • Service ranged from 400–900 cover daily of casual family dining with an emphasis on New Orleans style Cuisine.

CLUSTERED SPIRES LLC — Frederick, MD

Kitchen Manager/Line Cook/Prep Cook

August 2001–April 2004

  • Duties included working and training all stations; Grill, Sauté, Sandwich, Salad, Fry, and Expediter.
  • Responsible for scheduling, ordering front and back of house, supervising line operation, opening and closing kitchen duties, standardization and costing of recipes, creating and executing daily specials, and maintaining food cost and labor cost.
  • Service ranged from 250–550 cover of casual family dining in American cuisine.

DAVID RUSK

301.748.5881