We have moved to serve you better!
New location at 4620 McWillie Drive
Call us at 601-713-4040
Fax 601-713-4030
 

RICHARD BROWN

A VIP GRAND EVENT, Inc. Jackson, Mississippi
Vice President

A VIP GRAND EVENT,  Jackson, Mississippi
Vice President
    • Focusing on profitable business growth by developing strong client relations.
    • Expanded business by executing a contract with the Homebuilders Association of Jackson.
    • Created and implemented marketing plans directed toward corporations and consumers.
    • Promoted the business through special appearances and by conducting classes and workshops
       for employees.
    • Purchased and maintained inventories.
    • Planned and executed events ranging from a candlelight dinner for 2, to heavy hors' deurves
       for 7000.

Sodexho USA, Education Division Gaithersburg, Maryland, MD
Gaithersburg, MD District Culinary Specialist
    • My primary duty was Executive Chef at Mississippi Collage
    • Developed and planned menus for catering and food court.
    • Managed and coached over 50 hourly employees on a daily basis.
    • Guided, developed and coordinated a team of 8 managers and supervisors on a daily basis.
    • Maintained the profitability of kitchen working with gross budgets of up to $2,600,000.
    • Assisted with financial projections on a monthly basis.
    • Assumed GM responsibility for up to three weeks at a time while GM was not on location.
    • Coordinated and managed concessions for sporting events.
    • Responsible for production of Food Court, serving on over 2000 meals daily.
    • Responsible for catering, serving seated meals with up to 1000 guests.
    • Assisted in opening a banquet hall that consisted of more than 14,000 sq. ft.
    • Responsible for training of production staff at 16 Sodexho units in Mississippi, Alabama and
       Louisiana consisting of hands on training for up to 16 people at any one time.
    • Coordinated with Regional Vice President, District Manager and Regional Systems Specialist in
        implementing company wide Culinary Planning Systems.
    • Responsible for implementation of Sodexho HACCP guidelines and systems in 13 units in Mississippi
       and Louisiana.
    • Assisted in the remodeling and opening of 3 units in Mississippi.

Emporium Cafe' Jackson, MS
Operator/ Owner
• Planned all daily menus as well as developed all recipes for the menu.
• Trained all kitchen staff, as well as implemented all staff duties for the restaurant and catering.
• Directed all sales of catering and event planning.
• Preformed all daily and monthly accounting duties and prepared all accounting for the accountant.

Education
Culinary Institute of America - August 2000
Was chosen out of 212 Executive Chefs to attend CIA with a group of 18 other participates to attend and obtain Teachers Certification on training basic culinary skills to hourly employees. Spent 80 hours in classes designed to assist in training skills.

Sodexho  -1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
Attended over 182 hours of extended education classes with other Sodexho Professionals designed to broaden our skills needed to advance in our careers. These classes consisted of Implementing HACCP Programs, Client Profiling, Culinary Production Systems, Implementing Sodexho Culinary Planning Process, How to Coach Teams Effectively, Implementing Safety Prevention Systems, Basic Life Skills, Leadership Effectiveness, Unit Safety, Humans Recourse Planning and Performance Management, Client Relations, One on One Coaching with Staff and How to Improve Client Relations.

Zenger Miller Seminar  -  2000
Frontline Leadership was developed to empower the following skills: Interpersonal Relationships, Basic Communication Skills, Giving Constructive Feedback, Gathering Good Information From Others, Getting Your Ideas Across, Dealing with Emotional Behavior and Recognizing Positive Results.

The time spent at this seminar was most helpful in broadening my communication skills with others in my professional life as well as my personal life.

Special Events  1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1994
Over 108 hours of training on was spent on significant courses including Event Planning, Food Presentation, Sanitary Procedures for Food Service, IRS (do's and Don'ts), Staff Management, Organization Skills, Marketing and Sales.

Michael Roman Seminars  1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1993, 1994, 2002, 2003
Areas of concentration: Sales and Marketing, Menu Planning, Cost Control, Quality Control, Management of Large Events, Effective Cold Calling and When to say no to catering event.

Awards:
    • First Place: "Taste of the Nation" festival. Best Entree, 1995
    • Second Place: "Taste of the Nation" festival. Best Presentation, 1994, 1995
    • Selected to be in the Who's Publication for Most Successful Young Executives.

Affiliations:
    American Culinary Federation, CEC
    Gulf Coast Chef’s Association, President – Dec. 1999 thru May 2002
    Ridgeland Chamber of Commerce
    Jackson Chamber of Commerce
    National Federation For Independent Business
    National Restaurant Association
    Mississippi Restaurant Association
    National Caterers Association
    Caterers Roundtable
    CaterSource
    Make a Wish Foundation
    Easter Seals Society