General Manager
DOME Café, Almoayyed International Group
Total years of experience :28 years, 9 Months
Joined Almoayyed International Group in the last quarter of 2014 as Operations Manager/Head of Catering and was promoted as General Manager- Restaurant Division in May 2019. My main responsibility was to streamline the operations and processes and for developing the business opportunities in market and establishing a strong presence by aligning with the organizational mission and values.
Company owns the master franchise of DOME Café in Bahrain, Qatar and Oman. Dome Café is an Australian high-end brasserie cafe concept with a varied menu that reflects classic yet contemporary theme. Dome Coffees Group is a multinational company originally founded in Perth, Western Australia with their first café opened in Cottesloe in 1993.
Responsibility:
• As a Business head, I manage the restaurant division for proper positioning of our brands, developing, defining, negotiating & closing business relationships and prepare strategic plans/budgets for the expansion of the business.
• Continuous coordination with the franchise owners with regards to brand standards / policies / new menu / LTO’s implementation and suggesting regional requirements.
• Conducting monthly meetings with the Area Manager, Kitchen Ops. Manager, Café & Kitchen Managers on the performance of all units.
• Oversee the business of all cafes in order to promote business, attract new customers, and maintain financial success in addition to many other day to day activities.
• Developing and managing the departmental budget & establishing and monitoring productivity goals. Monitoring the PnL of each outlet and taking actions in advance to increase the profitability.
• Handle marketing of the brand regionally in order to maintain consistent brand presence.
• Serve as a troubleshooter for any café that is experiencing certain operational, management, and marketing problems.
• Supervise, evaluate and regular reporting on the performance of entire operations to the directors with regards to the performance in terms of profitability, sustainability, production quality, service quality and employee’s performance.
• Grow revenue by strategically positioning our brand quality of food/beverage & services.
• Effectively follow-up with prospects to develop business with diverse nature.
• Respond promptly to customer inquiries & handle/resolve customer complaints.
• Direct, communicate & coordinate with internal departments at the head office level especially with Finance, Human Resource and IT.
• Recruitment of qualified personnel- locally and internationally.
• Resolve product or service problems by clarifying the guest complaints, & determining the cause of the problem. Coaching the best solution to the problem & expediting correction or adjustment to avoid reoccurrence.
Was responsible for providing strategic direction to restaurant operations in order to support brand's organic growth and unit development across the business. Managing the overall operations of two fast food international brands ‘Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen’ and ‘Vanellis’, the Canadian Pasta concept within the Eastern province, currently having a total of 19 operational restaurants and 9 new restaurants in the pipeline that were due to open within the first quarter of 2015.
Department that were under my direct supervision included Human Resource, IT, Marketing, Purchasing & Logistics, Central Kitchen and Maintenance with a team of specific department heads, Area Managers and a team of 174 team members ranging from unit managers, assistant managers, supervisors and FOH & BOH crew.
Handled the projects department and the call center set up for the prospective home delivery launch in the coming months.
• Provided strategic inputs to the company’s leadership team to drive shareholder value.
• Lead cross functional projects to ensure proactive planning and seamless delivery.
• Drove business development through creation of market development strategic plans, market mapping, retail trade zone studies, site selection approval processes and remodel plans.
• On-boarding of new franchisees/licensees and supported the establishment of the new brand and future development criteria.
• Drove franchisee profitability through efficient productivity initiatives.
• Profit & Loss responsibility to deliver on company sales and profitability rankings.
• Establishing restaurant excellence thru compliance and performance measurement systems.
• Building people capability through development programs, HR processes and training interventions.
• Promoting the brand culture, ethos and values.
Bahrain’s leading Industrial, Institutional & hospital catering company.
Responsibility:
• Developing & implementing new business strategies & plans. Negotiating the catering supply contracts with favorable terms that enhance the profitability of the company. Evaluating new catering contracts based on the client’s requirements and forecasting the business feasibility.
• Contribute to the overall business improvement by undertaking specific projects/contracts as identified and agreed with the General Manager/Directors of the company.
• Developing and managing the departmental budget & establishing and monitoring productivity goals.
• Ensure profitability of operations and manage all aspects of multi-site operations including compliance with quality & hygiene standards.
• Meeting all the existing business clients on a regular basis to understand their expectations and foreseeing their future requirements and meeting their demands.
• Highlighting individual training needs and impart appropriate training to all operations and support staff. Assist in the effective and efficient management and delivery of all the F&B activities within the Catering operation.
• Ensure the use of current standard operating procedures, safety, security & quality procedures by all managers, supervisors & team members within the department.
• Responsible for managing the time keeping records for all team members in each locations.
• Ensure company’s facilities comply with all relevant legislation relating to health and safety, food hygiene regulations and implementation of HACCP system.
• Motivating the entire catering team personnel in achieving the targets through product knowledge & regular trainings.
• Analyzing results and trends to prepare action plans, leverage the store’s strengths and address areas of opportunity.
Joined Jawad Business Group as “Restaurant General Manager” in March 2007 to initiate the project and serve for “The Great Kabab Factory”, an Indian Casual Dining restaurant.
Jawad Business Group is the leading restaurant division company with many international restaurant brands under its flagship like, Chili’s, Papa John’s, Dairy Queen Chill & Grill, Burger King, Thai Express, Romano’s Macaroni Grill, Camille’s Side Walk Café, Costa Coffee, Hakisushi & many more.
In the year 2008, was transferred to manage “Romano’s Macaroni Grill”, as ‘Restaurant General Manager’ after successfully undergoing an extensive 3 months training in Dallas, State of Texas, US, at the “Brinker International’s Training Store” located at Addison, Texas.
Responsibility:
Operating the restaurant by taking care of all the operational functions. Maintaining food and beverage cost, labor cost and other controllable expenses as budgeted. Conducting monthly meetings with the managers, supervisors and team. Shift handling on a daily basis which includes effective staffing, shift meetings, training of the staff and guest interaction. Maintaining high standards of hygiene and sanitation.
Gathers customer’s feedback and judge’s trends, patterns and initiates action to continuously improve customer satisfaction. Maintain good guest relation to promote and ensure upcoming business.
Delegation of responsibilities to Manager/Supervisor, development of people, and implementing marketing strategies.
Involved in the project from the initial stages and was an active member of the New Store opening team. Have been responsible for setting up the systems in the kitchen & restaurant that includes complete organization, operational formats, procurement of the equipment, products, staffing and forming the research & development team for developing the products according to the local taste.
Worked as “Executive Lounges Supervisor” and was looking after the day to day operations of all the First & Business Class lounges at the airport with a team of 38 personnel under my supervision and directly reporting to Head of Terminal Catering. Was involved in day to day operation which requires maintaining highest sets of service standard’s with complete guest satisfaction, menu planning according to the airlines specifications, maintaining accounts & food costing, stock control, staff allocations, training, coordinating between management and airlines officials.
Responsibility:
• Compiling & creating menus for the first & business class lounges according to airline specifications.
• To manage the operations with highest standards of quality services with total guest satisfaction.
• On the job training of staff to maintain the standards and keeps staff focused on guest needs.
• Ensure a high level of appearance and high personal standard of hygiene of staff.
• To ensure accurate stocks of misc-en-place in food and beverage stores & to ensure that all the outlets are set up to correct standard. Ensure all operational resources are in adequate supply & replaced as and when necessary.
• Ensure staff awareness on food hygiene, health and safety. To implement & review as necessary all opening & closing procedures.
• To forecast weekly revenue and compile weekly roster in conjunction with forecasts.
• To make sure that good communication is taking place at all levels and ensures all staff understands all the duties instructed to them.
Undergone HACCP training as per the airlines policy.
Participated as an active member in opening of the “Dilmun Lounge”(first & business class lounge for many airlines like British Airways, KLM, Emirates, Qatar Airways, Indian Airlines etc. and also for priority card holders).
Participated in the opening and setting up of the new refurbished “Sky Restaurant & Bar” at the airport.
Worked as Bartender in the Food and Beverage Department. Completed Food Hygiene Course, an inhouse program conducted in the hotel. Responsibility was to requisite the Bar stuff from stores deptt., keeping good relation with guests & satisfying them with high standards of service.
Worked as Bar Captain in the busiest Public Bar of the town, which has prominent sales figures.
Responsibility was to look after the bar, inventory, staffing and balancing daily sales reports.
Responsibility was to setup the dining area, greeting and seating the guest, taking the orders, serving food & drinks, making the cocktails, & setting up the Bar in banquet functions.
Completed Phase-1 Beginnings Training Program, under the subjects of product knowledge, first impressions, health hygiene and safety at work, fire safety, telephone courtesy, can do - guest relations, selling skills for frontline staff & food hygiene.
Under gone On the Job Training in the various food and beverage outlets.
Was awarded as the most outstanding trainee of the year.
Under gone extensive On the Job Training in food production, especially in Bakery and Confectionery Department.