Portfolio&CV
Professional experience
For those who are interested, here is a brief description of my professional path to date
Under this link you will find information about my professional experience in addition to what I have presented in my resume. If you do not feel the need to do so, I invite you to follow the link next to it.
Portfolio Developer
Under this link you will find projects I had the opportunity to do during my learning to create websites
In addition to this, there are four websites that I have made, but currently only one of them is available on the web. These appear to be simple applications, but they illustrate the stage I am currently at.
Shortly about me
Occupational summary
All of my professional life, I have spent in food service. I started my work already in college as an employee of the McDonald's Polska chain. Then I worked in the Water Park in Cracow in the Aqua Burger restaurant.
Directly from Aqua Burger I found my way to the Rooster chain, where I worked at first as a shift leader, then as a person opening new establishments. Over time I became a managing manager of this chain.
In six years I opened 14 establishments, all over the country, from Zakopane to Trójmiasto. I managed a chain of Casual Dining establishments (plus a production facility). I recruited and organized the training of employees, I was the author of work standards for waitresses, kitchen, room and future restaurant management.
Adding the meat cutting plant, which prepared semi-finished products for the chain, I supervised a team of about 400 people. I also created designs, based on which the interiors of the restaurants were decorated, as well as the kitchen equipment, and took an active part in the investment process.
For 10 years I ran my own restaurant on Grodzka Street in Cracow under the name City Lunch Cafe. (Unfortunately, Pandemic forced me to abandon this business).
Currently, I have completed several courses related to website preparation, as evidenced by the website you are currently viewing.
Selected skills.
Gastronomy:
Working knowledge of AUTOCAD software (for the purpose of planning the layout of the premises), basic knowledge of Photoshop, which was useful for the initial design of flyers and posters.
I prepared documentation including labor standards and HACCP for the Rooster chain, the InVito chain. Also later, I prepared HACCP documentation for several other companies (Fresh Jasnogórska 1 Cracow Restaurant, Vegetable Confectioning Plant in Wodzisław, “Kanapki mojej mamy” shop-café at 68a Karmelicka Street (now closed)). Preparing training cards for crews, based on established work rules and image of premises.
Organizing the work of the premises before opening, leading in the initial period, until the manager is able to do it independently. Management of a restaurant chain of up to 20 locations. I supervised the settling an account of the premises, analysis of the profitability of the chain's premises. I implemented and created procedures for achieving results. I also created billing files in Excel, for the premises. I am a responsible person therefore I feel responsible for my own decisions. I take care of details, you can rely on me. I like to plan, in advance, before I proceed with the task. I focus on building long-term and positive relationships with business partners. Management and direct operation of a catering establishment under my own business, inventory, calculation, concession documents, garden, etc.
Web Development:
The courses I completed included: HTML, CSS to an advanced degree, JavaScript, Node.js to a degree related to front-end development work, also. Webpack (organization of front-end work in modules), SASS preprocessor, BEM, GSAP. This page is a representation of the range of skills I currently have.
Education:
2000 - 2002
Academy of Economics in Cracow (now University of Economics). Faculty of Management and Marketing. Major: Business management, obtained master's degree.
1996 - 1999
Academy of Economics in Cracow (now University of Economics). Faculty of Management and Marketing Major: Marketing, obtained bachelor's degree.
Web-development courses:
1. “Front-End Basic” by Mr. Bartek Borowczyk (Software Samurai)
2. “Front-End Advanced” by Mr. Bartek Borowczyk (Software Samurai).
3.“Complete Course in JavaScript Programming” by Mr. Bartek Borowczyk (Software Samurai).
4. “Advanced Projects in CSS and JavaScript” by Mr. Bartek Borowczyk (Software Samurai)
5. “Vanilla JavaScript from scratch” author Mr. Kuba Wąsikowski
6. “Bootstrap from Zero to Master” author Mr. Kuba Wąsikowski
As you can see above I also went through a course on Bootstrap 5, which allows to create cool pages, although in the case of this site, I did not use its advantages. The site was created entirely in CSS and JavaScript, with partial use of Webpack, (homepage and Axewa page). I also use, animations in GSAP (first tab, “SuperNova” project), and CSS animations, (all later animations, “At the seaside” project). JavaScript is, the movement of panels in the Gastro section, opening, etc., and of course, most of the projects enclosed to the site. Also, all components (pages, designs), I adapted to mobile screens, so they are responsive. (I'll admit that RWD makes it hard to decide what looks nice and what doesn't). Currently I want to finish the course “Node.js, Express and MangoDB” author Mr. Bartek Borowczyk (Software Samurai), then React. The course I already have so necessarily this is the next step, although I feel that the direction of AI is upon me, which is currently impossible to escape from, these days. In any case, I plan to process more topics in the future.
Experience informations
Click a panel to open
Chapter I: FastFood
What is FastFood, probably does not need to explain to anyone, we all know it, we like, we don't like, we eat...
McDonald's Polska...
Aqua Burger...
McDonald's Polska: 1997-2000
Restaurants: Floriańska st., Pilotów st., temporarily on Jasnogórska st.
Period of 3 years, after one year I became an instructor, after another year shift manager.
Responsibilities: shift management, orders, schedules, training, inventory, night shifts (cleaning).
Aqua Burger: 2000-2003
Restaurant located in the Aqua Park in Cracow Dobrego Pasterza street.
During the entire period of work I held the position of Shift Manager.
Duties: not too different from the previous ones, but due to less standardization, work that required responding to changing conditions. In addition, responsibility for crew training. I was already beginning to write instructions.
Aqua Burger was originally intended to be a chain restaurant, a menu was typical of fast food, hence the current burgers, fries, plus pizza, a little of McDonald's, a little of Pizza Hut, but also partly a patisserie. A mix of three types of gastronomy. Unfortunately, for some reasons, the idea was abandoned.
I moved smoothly from Aqua Burger to the Rooster chain, as it was the same company...
Chapter II: Casual dining
A type of gastronomy that is something intermediate between FastFood and something better, but accessible to the common man.
Rooster...
City Lunch Cafe...
Rooster: lata 2003-2010
Representatives of Casual dining in the Polish market include Sphinx, Sioux, The Mexican, there was also.... Rooster chain for which I had the opportunity and pleasure to work. After transferring from Aqua Park, I was a shift leader in the restaurant for 7 months, during which time I prepared calculations and tastings, sometimes, analyzed some external data or made simple designs for flyers in photoshop. Then for about six months, I was head of marketing, but generally I was assigned the role of the person in charge of opening. I participated in building the chain from scratch, and opened each location. I participated in the entire investment process from the creation of operating principles, to the selection of the premises, and ending with the opening and guiding managers.
Seven years , countless kilometers driven and hours spent at work. Ten open Roosters, a meat cutting plant, and nine InVito pizzerias.
InVito: the second chain of the company to which Rooster belonged.
City Lunch Cafe: 2010-2020
Restaurant located in Cracow Grodzka Street.
I was the owner of the restaurant, located in a hotel. I classify it as Casual-dining, due to the service, large portions and, for the conditions of the center of Cracow, decent prices.
The restaurant offered dinners, but also breakfasts, both for people from the street and breakfasts for the guests of the hotel, in the form of a so-called buffet. I present a sample photo next to it. I started with a menu including pizza, pasta, salads, but quickly reorganized the menu to classic dinner dishes. (The downside of pizza from a vendor's point of view is, unfortunately, its divisibility into pieces, which, in a location with a large rent, is quite a burden).
Responsibilities, concerning everything that functions in a restaurant: accounting, managing the team, cost optimization, inventory, payments, deliveries, contacts with sanitary authorities, the tax office plus everything else. Working in the kitchen, but as needed also in the hall as a waiter, of course. Unfortunately, the recent pandemic prompted (forced) me to close the business.
Chapter III: Investment
The basis is to prepare a plan. It allows you to anticipate and avoid possible obstacles...
Preparing
Using
Procedures
In the planning phase of the chain, I was responsible for preparing documentation.This was a set of documents that I briefly called the HACCP book for the Rooster chain. However, the book did not contain only HACCP. The book included the HACCP Book proper, a set of instructions for so-called work standards for each position. (Manager, Shift Chief, Cooks, Waitresses), Rules of conduct during emergencies. A set of step-by-step instructions for the preparation of each dish in the premises, also in a wall version. Therefore, I was responsible for proposing new dishes and organizing tastings, and later for the menu card. All instructions, were available in the premises not only for review, but they were on the walls of the kitchen before opening. This made it easier for employees, especially new ones. Along with the instructions, went tests, which were used to test the knowledge of employees, and in later years were to be part of the bonus system.
An additional addition to the Book were the restaurant service instructions (where is the main valve, where to call, who to repair, etc.), which were made after the premises opened.... Of course, a set of contacts to, office, and cooperating companies , suppliers, offices. Complemented by billing files in Excel, which facilitated cost control and counting the number of hours of employees. I prepared a similar ledger, also for the nascent InVito chain...
The goal was to make it as simple and quick as possible without perturbation, with minimal cost, to implement a new employee, manager, or transfer into the hands of a potential franchisee. He was to receive a complete set of everything needed for a smooth start. An inventory of elements related to the premises, covering every area of work from the menu, through training, knowledge control, and finally the release of the finished product. Wall manuals, allowed for the quickest possible deployment of rank-and-file employees, greatly reducing costs.
Preparation
Before opening, my task was to inventory the new premises and prepare a preliminary design (based on regulations) in terms of: Layout of the room (where, what in which place), Layout of the kitchen (where, what machines, what dimensions, where the refrigeration chamber, etc.).
Preparing the training plan and organizing it, making sure it is effective in the face of the set opening date.
Based on the previously prepared project (conquered by Sanepid), prepare the order of the total equipment for the kitchen and see to its delivery and installation.
I prepared, also, files for the chain, being the basis for performing a quantity inventory, in each restaurant, which, in contrast to the most commonly used inventory based on the value of goods (accounting), allows you to catch unnatural losses in the warehouse.
Chapter IV: Openings, operations
There was also operational activity.
Supporting the work of the premises
Coordination and control
Opening
I was responsible for finding the crew for a particular location, I was to find people, whom I was then expected to adapt to work in the restaurant.
This was not an easy job due to various elements, and my worst memory in this regard is Zakopane, because the opening of a restaurant in this city unfortunately required attracting people from outside the Podhale region. Beautiful natural circumstances, but most of the employees in the catering business there are visitors. I Also had to look for companies supplying semi-finished products and other means necessary for the premises, locally, in the initial period. So the conversation and setting of terms of cooperation were on my side. My duty was to find the goods that best suited the needs of the chain. After that, deliveries were already made centrally, especially in key areas.
After everything was prepared, what remained was the training of the crew, which I implemented on site. For the first period of about a month after opening. I remained as a support person for the manager.
Chain management
I was the person the manager was getting to know at the time of the opening and to work with in the future. Therefore, I was tasked with supporting him during his work, helping, suggesting and directing, so as to avoid misunderstandings. My duties also included, controlling the work of both the manager, in terms of billing, and direct control, of the work on site, in terms of maintaining work rules, quality and standards.
For this purpose, I had to establish clear rules of cooperation with managers during training, and what he should pay attention to.
Since I knew all areas, in the beginning it was I who controlled the restaurants directly. In the later period I prepared a checklist with objective rules for evaluation. As a result, the inspection could be done by other people and a clear statement of work results could be kept.
As I wrote earlier I was responsible, for the menu card. This included periodic changes in the composition of the card, and the appearance, as well as pricing, based on a prior costing. Of course, if the change was large, then coordinating it with the production plant.
Chapter V: Conclusion
Years 2007-2020
Activity
Closing
Spray
My own business was launched in December 2007. I will not hide the fact that it was initially opened as part of a restructuring, the employer's enterprise. I continued to run, open, manage restaurant chains, but already on the basis of a contract, concluded between Polrest's company and mine.
The company, was named Spray Consulting. In 2010, I became the owner of my own restaurant in Cracow, which I ran for 10 years. The restaurant was something like a cafe, initially with a touch of pizzeria, and eventually a restaurant serving dinner dishes. As it was located in a hotel, there was room for hotel breakfasts.
The best period for the restaurant was 2016 when World Youth Day was held in Cracow, the worst period was, of course, 2020 and the Coronavirus pandemic.
Lockdown
Then, after the first lockdown, the idea arose (since it was obvious to me that this was not the end) to strive to minimize losses.
The restaurant were closed, and I closed the company in December 2020.
For market reasons and partly family reasons, I withdrew from the labor market for a while, and at that time I decided to attempt a re-branding, which resulted, also from the situation in which gastronomy found itself at that time.
This page is intended to introduce my person, expand on some of the slogans in my resume, but also the skills, I currently possess. Below I invite you, as I have already written, to familiarize yourself with some of the projects that I have linked to this page.
Technologies:
Projects
