Sara Charuni
Mt Albert,Auckland
Summary
Dynamic Front of House Professional with expertise in high-volume service, consistently managing operations during peak traffic and serving over 150 customers. Increased pastry attachment rates by 22% through effective suggestive selling, fostering a loyal customer base with personalized service and memorized preferences.
Overview
2
2
years of professional experience
Work History
Front of House
The Daily Grind Cafe
Cuba Street, Wellington
01.2024 - 07.2025
- Spearhead all front-of-house operations during peak morning traffic (6:00 AM – 10:00 AM), consistently serving 150–200 customers with average ticket times under 90 seconds.
- Increased pastry attachment rate by 22% through strategic suggestive selling (like pairing specific roasts with complementary baked goods) and seasonal menu storytelling.
- Cultivated loyal customer base by memorizing names and "usual" orders of 40+ regulars, contributing to 15% increase in repeat foot traffic.
- Onboarded and trained 4 new hires on POS systems, espresso calibration, customer service scripts, and health/safety protocols during busiest holiday season.
- Managed end of day till reconciliation with 100% accuracy over 18 consecutive months; responsible for daily cash drops and deposit preparation.
- Implemented new pastry case merchandising system that reduced product waste by 12% through optimized visual rotation and strategic day-old placement.
Pop-Up Event Barista
Harbourside Farmer's Market
Te Aro, Wellington
03.2023 - 11.2023
- Operated mobile espresso cart at weekly farmers' markets and private corporate events, serving over 100 customers in 3-hour windows.
- Educated customers on bean origins, roast profiles, and brewing methods, achieving 40% increase in whole bean coffee sales.
- Prepared coffee beverages according to established recipes and customer preferences.
- Maintained cleanliness and organization of work area throughout the shift.
- Operated espresso machines and brewing equipment efficiently during busy hours.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Hospitality Management / Communications
Lincoln University College
Malaysia06-2022
Certificate - Specialty Coffee & Barista Skills
Specialty Coffee Association
MalaysiaSkills
- Guest Relations & Retention
- High-Volume Service (200 daily)
- Espresso & Milk Steaming
- Guest retention
- Pastry Production
- High-volume service
- Cash Handling and Reconciliation
- Inventory Management
- Order memorization
- Merchandising & Visual Display
- Dietary allergy knowledge
- Conflict resolution
- Opening procedures
- Product Freshness Management
- Team mentoring
- Promotional Strategies
- Advanced Baking Techniques
Timeline
Front of House
The Daily Grind Cafe
01.2024 - 07.2025
Pop-Up Event Barista
Harbourside Farmer's Market
03.2023 - 11.2023
Bachelor of Arts - Hospitality Management / Communications
Lincoln University College
Certificate - Specialty Coffee & Barista Skills
Specialty Coffee Association