House Manager / Chef / Event Planner, 1995-Present
House Manager - 8+ years
My last post consisted of supervising and assisting with the organization
and maintenance of 13,000 sq ft house, a guest house & surrounding
grounds. It also included refurnishing & maintaining a condo, and
the maintenance & remodeling on the newly acquired second property
to be utilized as a trophy/entertainment house consisting of::
- Complete household organization, cleaning and maintenance
- inventory, organization and maintenance of household linens, plate,
silver, crystal and serving dishes.
- Inventory, maintenance and care of fine works of art.
- Maintenance of grand piano.
- Care and maintenance of large interior plants.
- Maintenance of large humidor.
- Working with interior designer.
- Design and arrangement of flowers for house.
- Managing and maintaining household budget and accounts.
- Supervising and assisting staff and keeping staff records.
- Scheduling appointments, organizing mail and running personal and
household errands, answered phones and forwarded messages.
- Purchasing of household and personal supplies.
- Maintaining personal wardrobes including laundry, ironing, dry cleaning
and footwear.
- Organizing, stocking and maintaining pantry and freezer.
- Organizing and maintaining dishes, cutlery and equipment in kitchen.
- Researching and preparing meals for family, guests and parties.
- Contacting and working with contractors for all building, mechanical
and esthetic maintenance and improvements.
- Grounds & landscape upgrading and maintenance.
- Upgrading and maintenance of trees and large outdoor potted plants.
- Pool, hot tub and patio maintenance.
- Deck, roof and outside furniture maintenance.
- Wildlife and pest control.
(see Personal Chef section)
Additional responsibilities included:
- Assisting in the organization, set up and landscaping of owners' parents'
new home.
- Organizing and supervising the temporary relocation of the household
during major remodeling of the estate, including storage of art, unneeded
furniture and personal possessions. Cleaning and set up of the
temporary housing and storage of furnishings from that house and the
moving of necessary and personal items to the temporary housing.
Organizing, setup and maintenance of the temporary housing.
- Organizing and supervising the move back into the newly
remodeled home including preparing the house, dealing with
contractors, movers and cleaners.
- Organizing, unpacking and
returning to functional order all furniture, household and
personal possessions.
- Follow up on all remodel projects to completion.
- Reorganizing and restocking of all closets, cupboards and
pantries.
- Full responsibility for the raising, health, beginner and
advanced training and grooming of three Border Terriers.
- Assisting the needs of owners' aged parents as called upon.
Personal Chef - 9 years (practical experience - 40 years)
Researched, designed and prepared meals catering to the owners'
specific tastes and dietary requirements.
(referrals available)
Purchased, prepared and packaged personalized meals for part time clients
concurrently or on a rotating basis [references available].
Designed, prepared and served for specific events (ie: birthdays)
and private dinner parties.
Designed and prepared special diets for the canine family members.
- Plan and prepare weekly meals, purchasing groceries, organizing
and stocking pantry and freezer and managing grocery budget.
- Research and plan menus for special health & dietary restrictions,
as needed.
- Prepare and package individual meals for lunches and dinners to
freezer.
- Coordinate, cooked and served multi-course dinner parties for 10-100.
- Planning intimate dining and special holiday meals.
- Planned, prepared and served buffets for special events (showers,
ladies clubs, football games).
Special Projects
- Society for Creative Anachronism Fall Crown Feast for 200
- Researched this four-course historic feast for more than a year
to ensure authenticity. Prepared a menu of roasted legs of lamb,
rabbit, peacock with plumage and a gilded boar's head accompanied
by homemade pasta, wine-pickled asparagus with wild leeks and
homemade sausage.
- Coordinated and directed the volunteer staff of 50+ for kitchen:
prep, serving and clean up.
- Designed and laid out the hall, created the invitations, decorations
and table settings, along with booking the entertainment.
- Photos
- Catered several weddings of 100 to 140
Planned the menu and purchased supplies, working within budget constraints;
prepared and served the wedding buffet.
- Bridal Shower for 30
- Luau birthday party for 80; Wellness Foundation Volunteers Dinner
for 50
Planned and budgeted menu; bought and prepared food; delivered, set
up and served outdoor buffet.
- Carved melons, squash and gourd to be illuminated with interior
lights for special events tables.
- Created Subtleties Table for a Buffet with carved swans, frogs,
turtles, fish, cattails, etc.
- Created a complete outdoor kitchen, planned, purchased and prepared
all the food to feed 60 to 100 people at an outdoor event for 6 days.
- Researched and redacted period recipes for a historical luncheon
buffet for 50. Prepared and served that luncheon in Feb 2005.
- Designed and created birthday cakes for owner in her favorite obsession.
Photos
- Compiling my own recipes for publication.
Personal Experiences
My background includes experience in all of the following:
- Dogs - 25+ years as a breeder, trainer, groomer, show handler, all
breeds.
- Animals - I’ve owned several horses, and ridden dressage and cross
country. I have owned a number of other kinds of pets and have handled
a variety of exotic and wild animals.
- Building, woodworking, painting, minor plumbing and electrical repair
& chain sawing and power tool use.
- Gardening and household plant care.
- Off the grid and alternative living styles including 25 years as
a practicing healthy vegetarian.
- Basic computer knowledge.
- Graphics and fine Arts .
- Small aircraft, motorized and non motorized boats, scuba diving,
snorkeling & swimming.
- Several martial art forms, firearms, fencing, archery, & thrown
weapons.
- Published writer, historical researcher.
- Sewing, costuming, crocheted lace, jewelry.
- Camping, hiking, free climbing.
- Yoga instructor, teacher, news paper editor, printer,
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