Stephen Smittle

About Stephen Smittle

Creative, well organized decision maker and hands-on operations professional with eye for detail and more than 25 years of improving the guest and employee experience. Comprehensive, hands-on knowledge of all aspects of a growing restaurant company, retailer, franchisor and manufacturer, including operations, franchising, procurement, brand marketing, manufacturing, distribution, and R&D. Dedicated to managing, monitoring and improving restaurant metrics such as same store sales, food cost, labor and ticket times, to exceed corporate goals of increasing customer traffic, average guest check, service excellence and store profitability. Proven success with hiring, training, developing, and retaining “best in class” teams, both directly and through mentoring of District and General Managers. Adept at balancing the financial investment of operations training and employee development with the fiscal responsibility of running the business. Possess experience, tenacity and passion necessary to develop, implement, and continuously refine all activities associated with maximizing restaurant sales and profit.Specialties:Director of operations, multi-unit operations management, strategic sales planning, new store openings, operations training, employee development, team building, cash management, loss prevention, budgeting & forecasting, profit growth, market expansion, trade area feasibility, quality assurance, franchise operations, restaurant audits, financial analysis, executive presentations, leadership presence, labor management, COGS analysis, food & beverage, capital budgeting, process improvements, consensus building, competitive benchmarking, project management, operating expense leverage, menu concepts, brand marketing.

Experience

1. Chief Operating Officer

   Boqueria Restaurant Group

   May 2024 — Present · US

Education

• Tulane University

  BA's, History and Classics

  1991 — 1995

Skills

• Hiring
• Brand Marketing
• Restaurant Audits
• Forecasting
• Leadership
• Market Expansion
• Strategic Sales Planning
• Team Building
• Multi-Unit Operations Management
• Cash Management
• Franchise Operations
• Loss Prevention
• Cogs Analysis
• Food
• Restaurants
• Employee Development
• Executive Presentations
• Profit Growth
• Catering
• Financial Analysis
• Process Improvements
• Quality Assurance
• Trade Area Feasibility
• Director of Operations
• Hospitality
• Operations Training
• New Store Openings
• Project Management
• Leadership Presence
• Menu Concepts
• Budgeting & Forecasting
• Capital Budgeting
• Multi-Unit
• Profit
• Food & Beverage
• Labor Management
• Competitive Benchmarking
• Benchmarking
• Consensus Building
• Menu Development