Juanita Eparaima
Rotorua,BOP
Summary
Seasoned Chef de Partie with solid background in high-pressure kitchen environments. Notable experience includes menu development, food presentation, and time management. Known for leadership skills, creativity in the kitchen, and deep knowledge of food safety standards. Made substantial contributions to enhancing customer satisfaction and boosting restaurant reputation in previous roles.
Overview
5
5
years of professional experience
Work History
Sole Chef
Expedition Boat
01.2024 - Current
- Menu Creation and Customization: Design and develop comprehensive menus for both guests and crew, ensuring variety and quality
- Adapt menus on short notice due to logistical constraints or unavailable stock
- Procurement and Logistics: Collaborate with the management team to order all necessary food supplies
- Coordinate with logistics to receive supplies via helicopter, managing challenges of isolation and supply chain disruptions
- Dietary Accommodations: Cater to diverse dietary needs, including celiac, gluten-free, and nut allergies, ensuring all meals meet specific dietary restrictions without compromising on taste or quality
- Meal Preparation and Service: Solely responsible for preparing and serving meals for up to 24 people, three times a day
- Offer a continental and full hot à la carte breakfast, a light lunch, and a 3-4 course dinner with options for proteins and seafood, alongside set soups, entrees, and desserts
- Stock Management and Control: Maintain meticulous stock control due to limited storage space on the boat
- Conduct thorough stock takes before disembarking to ensure seamless transitions for incoming chefs, enabling them to efficiently plan and order necessary supplies
- Adaptability and Problem-Solving: Demonstrate strong adaptability and problem-solving skills in dynamic and often unpredictable environments, ensuring continuous delivery of high-quality culinary experiences
Chef De Partie
The White Tiger Restaurant and Bar
Rotorua, NZ
01.2023 - 12.2024
- Hotline Station Management: Ran the hotline station, ensuring efficient and timely preparation of all menu items
- Dessert Station Expertise: Created and executed Asian-inspired desserts, including weekly production of crème Brulés, cheesecakes, and crepes
- Steamer and Grill Operations: Managed a 5-tier electric steamer, daily preparation of dumplings, and all grill menu items
- Additionally, responsible for running the grill while managing the steamer station
- Fryer Chef Responsibilities: Prepared and cooked all deep-fried foods, such as chicken nibbles and tempura prawns, adhering strictly to food safety and hygiene practices
- Team Collaboration: Worked closely with the hotline team to ensure all dishes were timed and delivered efficiently
- Assisted other line chefs during high-volume periods and trained new chefs
- Kitchen Maintenance: Maintained cleanliness of workstations and conducted deep cleaning of the entire kitchen twice a week
- Front of House Experience: Covered front of house shifts as needed and continue to do so when I am not on the boat
- As front of house this is my main role and experience
Prep Chef and Catering Chef
Fat Dog Cafe
Rotorua
01.2024 - 06.2024
- School Lunch Preparation: Managed the mass production of lunches for 500 students, ensuring adherence to dietary requirements
- Catering for Firefighters: Prepared hot lunch buffets and packed lunches for NZ fire station trainers and staff, tailored to their offsite needs
- Baking: Served as the main baker for Fat Dog Cafe, creating a variety of sweet and savory cabinet foods daily
- Prep Chef Fainting Goat: Prepared all items needed to support the hotline, including cold larder items (dressings, sauces, marinades), salad bar ingredients, pizza toppings, and cooked meats such as brisket, ribs, and chicken breasts
- Stock Management: Reported inventory needs to the head chef for ordering
- Catering Logistics: Delivered and set up hot and cold stations for offsite catering events, managing setup, service, and breakdown
- Equipment Proficiency: Experienced with brat pans and large convection ovens
Subcontractor Chef
CT Club
Rotorua
10.2022 - 01.2023
- La Carte Station Management: Prepared, set up, and operated the à la carte station, ensuring the smooth delivery of menu items
- Kitchen Leadership: Managed the kitchen independently during the primary subcontractor’s days off, overseeing all culinary operations
- Stock Management: Responsible for ordering stock from suppliers such as Food Chain and Bidfood as needed
- Event Catering: Catered private functions, including weddings, birthdays, and Christmas events
- Managed buffet preparations for special events as required by club owners
- Team Collaboration: Worked alongside a kitchen support person to maintain efficiency during busy periods
- Reason for leaving- Sub contractors trial contract expired
Assistant
Ka pai kai school lunch program
, Rotorua
02.2020 - 12.2022
- Expeditor/middleman Coordinate front and back
- Packer Prepare correct lunch numbers daily
- Dietary meal planning Prepare all dietary meals
- Logistics requirements Deliver lunches to schools in a safe and timely manner
- Health and safety adhere to health and safety
- Admin operations
- Kitchen support to head chef
Education
NZ Diploma in Cookery Level 5 - Cookery
Toi Oho Mai Rotorua
12.2023
NZ Certificate in Cookery Level 4 - Cookery
Toi Oho Mai Rotorua
12.2022
Certificate In Nail Technology Level 3 - Nail Technology
Surmanti Studios
06.2011
Mangakino High School
01.1993
Skills
- Works well in a team
- Excellent listener
- Friendly, courteous, & service oriented
- Poised under pressure
- Quality assurance
- Solid written & verbal communicator
- Always willing to learn new things
- Dish preparation
- Purchasing
- Regulatory Compliance
- Cost Control
- Menu development
- Menu Planning
- Grilling Techniques
- Food safety and sanitation
- Knife Skills
- Cooking techniques
Personal Information
Date of Birth: 12/14/77
Sex: Female
Hobbies and Interests
- Skydiving
- Cooking
- Dancing
- Ziplining
- Travel
- Great food
- Autism awareness advocate
Accomplishments
- Ronald Mcdonald house advocate. Fundraised, created and executed dinner service for families staying in Ronald Mcdonald house Auckland 2013-2015
- Chairperson Heart Kids Rotorua branch 2014-2016
- Support chef for Supper Club Rotorua 2023
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Sole Chef
Expedition Boat
01.2024 - Current
Prep Chef and Catering Chef
Fat Dog Cafe
01.2024 - 06.2024
Chef De Partie
The White Tiger Restaurant and Bar
01.2023 - 12.2024
Subcontractor Chef
CT Club
10.2022 - 01.2023
Assistant
Ka pai kai school lunch program
02.2020 - 12.2022
NZ Diploma in Cookery Level 5 - Cookery
Toi Oho Mai Rotorua
NZ Certificate in Cookery Level 4 - Cookery
Toi Oho Mai Rotorua
Certificate In Nail Technology Level 3 - Nail Technology
Surmanti Studios
Mangakino High School
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