Derek A. Chance - Your Personal Chef

“The food
 was beyond outstanding.”

-Larry Suiter

“The staff and food exceeded excellence.”

-Betty

Work experience

PRESENT * Private Chef – Aptos, CA. /  Lake Tahoe, CA.

Working for several families in the Aptos and  Lake Tahoe area. Cooking up to 7 course dinners for 2 to 40 people at a time. Off premise catering for meetings, weddings and holidays. Traveling to states like Michigan, Texas, Alaska and Nevada. Specializing in 5 star cuisine.

04/04 – 07/05 * Interim Executive Chef – Garwoods Restaurant, California

Duties included managing a staff of 35 cooks, prep cooks and dishwashers, while sustaining strict budgets. Managed Sunday brunch and numerous other functions resulting in high profits. I lowered food cost from 26.5 percent to 25.4 percent. I ran an 11 percent labor cost and received all bonuses for controlled costs, budget goals, kitchen moral and presentation.

11/02 – 02/04 ( winters) * Private Chef – Rancho Santa Rosa, Texas

Managed all kitchen operations in a private deerhunting ranch, which included daily meal preparation, budgeting, sanitation and organized weekend functions.  Served seven course meals to up to 20 guests per night and cooked using local original ingredients.  Offered exceptional communication and time management skills and other duties as requested.

“…the food (Chance you are the best) was fabulous”

-Vicki Barklow

“After visiting Alaska for 11 years we have finely found the best food.”

-Wayne Cecil

05/02 – 10/02, 03, 04 (summers)* Executive Chef – Baranof Wilderness Lodge, Alaska

Responsibilities included designing and producing a menu for up to 18 quests per week, in this very remote seasonal, fly-in fishing lodge. Prepared four star cuisine; salmon, halibut, clams, crab, complemented with fine cuts of beef and pork; focal preparation when serving banquet style buffets.  Offered fresh daily bread and desserts from scratch and incorporated locally grown mushrooms, blueberries, and salmon berries into the menu.

04/98 – 09/02 * Route Sales Representative / Driver – Odwalla, Inc., - Truckee, CA

Responsible for servicing, ordering, and delivering premium natural juice to thirty accounts. Maintained and balanced $10, 000/week sales routes.  Responsibilities included problem resolution, marketing and sampling; increased route by 10%.

“Please thank Chance for the wonderful meal.”

-Carol Bockmon

06/97 – 01/99 * Executive Chef – River Ranch – Tahoe City, CA

Planned, prepared, set-up and provided excellent service in all culinary areas. Managed restaurant using fine cuts of beef, fresh fish and a cornucopia of wild game.  Seasonal modification of daily promotions, price structuring and lowered food/labor cost in fiscal year. Coordinated banquets, high volume summer barbeque, and served daily continental breakfast. Designed bonus plans for kitchen crew, setting a very high standard in dining and quality service.

09/95 – 09/96 * Opening Chef – Plumpjack Café – Squaw Valley, CA

Hired a staff of 30 to served lunch and dinner in a 4 star upscale - Award Winning restaurant.  Developed appealing breakfast lunch and quality dinner menus.  Bi‑monthly modification of dining menu using fresh fish and local valley vegetables allowing the exploration of wild game.  Remediate challenges during banquets and room services.

09/94 – 09/95 * Sous Chef – River Ranch – Tahoe City, CA

Managed and operated kitchen, responsible for promoting nightly specials and assisted with managing crew and line production in high volume dinner house.

Training / education 

-      Apprenticed with Certified Master Chef Milos Cihelka, Golden Mushroom in Southfield, MI

-      Apprenticed with Executive Chef Peter Loren of Opus One in Gross Pointe, MI.

-      H.S. Diploma from Redford, Michigan – 1985

-      98% Score on Certified Serve Safe Class 

Television

-      News Channel 10 ( Sacramento & Co. ) for cooking segments ( 4 appearances )

-      Reno, Channel 8, for KOLO ( 7 appearances )

References

Ted Tordi
Balboa Cafe, Olympia Valley – CA
(530) 386-0839

Mike Trotter, Owner
Baranof Wilderness Lodge
(530) 582-8132 - www.flyfishalaska.com 

Doug Kreidler, Executive Chef
Graham’s, Olympic Valley – CA
(530) 525-9108