Michelle Joyner-Richards
Carterton,oxfordshire
Summary
School catering assistant with expertise in food safety and hygiene management. Ensures compliance with health standards while providing exceptional service to students and staff. Skilled in meal preparation and allergen management, effectively minimizing cross-contamination risks. Collaborates with kitchen staff to maintain efficient operations and enhance service quality during peak periods.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
School Catering Assistant
The Manor Prep School
Abingdon, England
12.2019 - 08.2025
- Prepared nutritious, balanced meals for school children, adhering to dietary requirements and preferences.
- Developed weekly menu plans, incorporating a variety of healthy options to cater to diverse tastes.
- Liaised with parents regarding their children's dietary needs, making necessary adjustments to meal plans.
- Observed customer requests concerning allergens and dietary requirements.
- Delivered exceptional customer service to students and staff, addressing queries with patience and understanding.
- Coordinated with school staff to facilitate smooth operation of lunch periods and special events.
- Upholding health and safety standards to protect staff and customers.
- Monitored kitchen hygiene; conducted regular cleaning schedules to meet health and safety standards.
- Disinfected food preparation areas for improved kitchen hygiene.
- Assisted chefs by preparing simple salads, sandwiches and sides.
- Prepped ingredients in advance to speed up cooking times during peak hours.
- Prepared vegetables before service times, washing, peeling and chopping varieties used in dishes.
- Adapted meal preparation techniques to speed up service during peak times, ensuring timely distribution.
- Cleaned and stored cookware, utensils, and dishes in designated areas.
- Received and inspected deliveries, verifying quantities and quality of food products.
- Managed inventory of food supplies, placing orders with suppliers to maintain stock levels.
- Measured ingredients precisely to ensure consistent portion sizes for meals.
- Assisted in the training of new kitchen staff, providing guidance on procedures and policies.
- Collaborated with nutritional specialists to improve meal offerings, focusing on health and wellness.
Cafe Assistant
The Pitland Cafe
Witney, Oxfordshire
02.2019 - 12.2019
- Delivered friendly and fast service to process high-volume food and drink orders at peak times.
- Maintained a clean and welcoming cafe environment, cleaning tables and seating areas promptly after use.
- Maintained hygienic cafe environment by cleaning tables, chairs and public areas after use.
- Assisted in the kitchen, preparing simple dishes and snacks, maintaining quality and speed of service.
- Prepared drinks for customer orders such as coffees, teas, speciality drinks and cold beverages.
- Confidently operated till, providing correct change for cash purposes.
- Assisted kitchen with food preparations as requested, such as making sandwiches and plating snacks.
- Prepared a variety of coffee and tea beverages, following specific recipes to meet customer expectations.
- Maintained cleanliness and organisation in dining and service areas, adhering to health and safety regulations.
- Served customers efficiently at the cafe counter, taking orders and processing payments swiftly to maintain flow.
- Proactively communicated daily specials and promotions to customers while taking orders.
- Facilitated enjoyable customer experience by providing friendly, attentive and proactive customer service.
- Took accurate food and beverage orders, relaying specific dietary requests to kitchen staff to meet diverse customer needs.
- Greeted patrons warmly upon entry, delivering immediate and attentive service to foster a welcoming atmosphere.
- Supported team members during rush hours, demonstrating flexibility and teamwork in a fast-paced environment.
- Served meals and drinks with professionalism and care, ensuring timely delivery to maintain high standards of service.
- Cleared and reset tables with clean service ware to uphold faultless restaurant standards.
- Handled special customer requests and dietary requirements with attention to detail, ensuring satisfaction.
- Collaborated with team members to ensure smooth operations during peak hours, demonstrating effective teamwork.
- Greeted new customers warmly upon arrival to create a friendly atmosphere, answered initial questions and took drink orders.
- Operated the till, accurately handling cash and card transactions, and provided accurate change.
- Processed payments accurately, handling cash, card transactions, and splitting bills as requested by customers.
- Upheld stringent hygiene standards in food preparation and serving areas to comply with health regulations.
- Arranged alternative selections for guests with food allergies through careful collaboration with kitchen teams.
- Adapted quickly to menu changes and communicated effectively with the kitchen to ensure customer satisfaction.
- Promoted loyalty schemes and special offers to customers, enhancing sales and customer retention.
- Delivered exceptional customer service, addressing queries and feedback with professionalism and courtesy.
- Handled customer complaints with empathy and professionalism, resolving issues to the satisfaction of all parties involved.
- Checked on designated tables regularly to refill drinks and respond to customer requests. at appropriate intervals to refill drinks, respond to requests and receive customer feedback.
- Engaged with customers to obtain feedback, using insights to suggest improvements to the cafe's offerings.
- Monitored customer satisfaction throughout the dining experience, promptly addressing any issues to uphold service quality.
- Seated guests quickly and coordinated timely service to minimise table wait times.
- Presented menus, explained daily specials, and made recommendations based on customer preferences to enhance dining experiences.
- Retained knowledge of current menu selections for accurate, reliable customer guidance.
- Answered phones politely and promptly while accurately recording and confirming reservations.
- Managed table assignments efficiently, maximising dining space and reducing wait times for guests.
- Wrapped and packaged prepared food items for customer takeaways, ensuring freshness and quality. prepared food for customer takeaways.
- Recorded customer requests accurately for order satisfaction.
- Coordinated with kitchen staff to ensure timely preparation and delivery of orders.
- Maintained safe hygiene and food handling standards for full compliance.
- Supported cafe closing by counting cash, sweeping floors and cleaning tables.
Driving Instructor
self
Witney, Oxforshire
11.2003 - 12.2019
- Delivered comprehensive driving instructions to learners, focusing on road safety and vehicle control.
- Assessed individual learner needs, tailoring lesson plans for enhanced understanding and confidence.
- Conducted mock driving tests to prepare learners for official DVLA examinations, improving pass rates.
- Maintained a calm and supportive teaching environment, reducing learner anxiety and promoting success.
- Built students' driving confidence through regular practice and celebrating achievements.
- Demonstrated advanced manoeuvres, including parallel parking and emergency stops, with clarity and patience.
- Utilised dual control cars to ensure learner safety and build driving confidence effectively.
- Explained workings of car controls and internal operations to enhance learner understanding.
- Stayed alert and vigilant to anticipate and quickly react to hazards.
- Tested students' theory throughout driving lessons by pointing out signs and discussing hazard perception.
- Delivered supportive service to driving students through effective coaching and mentoring.
- Fostered strong relationships with students, enhancing learning experiences and building a loyal customer base.
- Engaged with parents and guardians of young learners, offering reassurance and progress updates.
- Maintained working knowledge of up-to-date UK highway code.
- Received a high number of positive customer satisfaction results and referrals.
- Kept accurate records of learner progress, attendance, and payments, upholding professional standards.
- Reacted calmly and gained control of vehicle during emergencies.
- Collaborated with other driving instructors to share best practices and improve teaching strategies.
Education
GCSEs - General Education
Henry Box School
Witney 1990 - 1996
Skills
- Food safety
- Allergen management
- Safe food handling
- Food handling
- Food preparation techniques
- Meal preparation
- Inventory management
- Kitchen equipment handling
- Cleanliness maintenance
- Cleaning procedures
- Table setting
- Customer service
- Customer engagement
- Order taking
- Time management
- Multitasking
- Pressure resilience
- High efficiency
- Menu knowledge
- Team collaboration
- Team contribution
- Instruction adherence
- Attention to detail
- Effective communication
- Communication skills
- Active listening
- Interpersonal skills
- Positive attitude
- Work ethic
- Reliability
- Calm under pressure
- Nutritional guidance
- Student engagement
- Basic cooking
- High efficiency
- Basic cooking
Timeline
School Catering Assistant
The Manor Prep School
12.2019 - 08.2025
Cafe Assistant
The Pitland Cafe
02.2019 - 12.2019
Driving Instructor
self
11.2003 - 12.2019
GCSEs - General Education
Henry Box School
1990 - 1996