Annmarie O'Neill

As a Corporate Catering Manager, I developed expertise in leading cross-functional teams, managing high-volume catering operations, and delivering exceptional client experiences. I gained strong skills in budget control, vendor negotiations, and service optimization while learning to balance profitability with quality. My role enhanced my abilities in client relationship management, event logistics, and strategic planning, equipping me to drive operational excellence and sustain long-term business growth.

• Ensured compliance with health, safety, and food service regulations - focusing on staff training as part of our PPM plan
• guided change management initiatives, including staff training, communication planning, and cultural alignment while the company was in the process of TUPE to compass group
• Work closely with the operations manager to identify areas in need of support and any growth opportunities
• Maintain a strong client relationship as the main point of contact
• Execute HR responsibilities, appraisals, training and performance management
• Compiling of monthly budget reports, forecasting
• Generated the highest spend per head on private events to date

Managed diverse venue operations, adapting to corporate events, weddings, and dining services.

Served as Covid compliance officer, training staff and ensuring daily inspections.

• Transitioned reservations system to online platform, OpenTable, enhancing efficiency.
• Generated minimum spend reference by analysing daily financials and external factors.
• Identified PLU allocation issues in new POS system, Vectron, improving gross profit.
• Facilitated inspections with HMS, addressing negative findings promptly to ensure regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities:

• Constantly up selling to achieve weekly targets set by head office
• Attending constant beverage training sessions, all staff are educated by a WSET instructor from the Dublin Bar Academy.
• Consulted guests, and other members of staff, on wine and food pairing
• Assisting in the organization and delivery of high profile events
• Achieving guest satisfaction goals
• As a hotel restaurant we are involved in working closely with all other hotel departments on a daily basis
• Attending monthly staff meetings
• Knowledge of all menu items to responsibly advice customers on all allergy and dietary requirements
  
• Followed all health and safety policies when handling food and beverages to uphold proper standards.
• Consistently provided professional, friendly and engaging service.
• Routinely supported other areas of the restaurant as requested, including answering telephones and completing financial transactions for other staff.

In my two years here I assisted the GM in the daily running of the restaurant, which sat 150 guests.

• Attended weekly meetings with the kitchen team to evaluate previous menu performance, giving insight to possible changes of menu items or price. Such as eliminating poor performing, and therefore wasteful products.
• Dealing directly with suppliers for all FOH ordering and building relationships with the reps to gain better value for the business.
• Efficient use of MICROS to : update all menu item & price changes/generate itemized product reports/ produce all sales figures.
• Insuring that the building met all fire and safety requirements, organizing fire safety training for all staff and security camera training for management.
• Responsible for daily and weekly banking : calculating lunh and dinner spend per head/daily financial reconciliation/petty cash balancing/cash drops at the bank
• Confirming & reconfirming all reservations. Replying to all email queries & ensuring customer satisfaction.

At first I was employed on a part-time basis, after 2 years I had went full time and promoted to General Manager

During those years I achieved and was responsible for the following:

• Implemented a stock control system for all FOH items
• Maintained a 66%-69% GP on beverage by minimizing waste i.e using wine in tap for all wines by the glass
• Responsible for all HR aspects over all departments: trials, inductions and appraisals
• Weekly rosters and organizing holiday requests
• Implemented the redevelopment of the website and created all social media profiles
• Created marketing strategies to increase revenue and presence. This was supported by meeting with local businesses event managers and applying my college marketing knowledge to the strategy.
• I also completely revised the wine menu where I attended many tastings with suppliers, trying to ensure that the menu was dynamic and at the best price.
• Organised special events in the restaurant, including receptions, promotions
• Attended weekly meetings with our accountant to review wage percentages and P&L reports.
• Effectively maintained to minimize wage cost each week
• Worked directly with the head chef on new menu development and pricing