Laura Valcour Resume
L a u r a V a l c o u r
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15W271 - 91st Street
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Professional Experience
2015-2017 Midtown Athletic Club Willowbrook, IL
Food and Beverage Director/Culinary Nutrition Educator
� Responsible for daily operations; menu planning, budget, vendor selection/negotiation, staff hiring, scheduling, leading and motivating
� Increased revenue by 120% within the first year in position through effective staff training, upgrading quality in food and negotiating vendor contracts
� Hired, trained and motivated 6 employee team with diverse background and skill sets to meet budget expectations consistently
� Planned, organized and implemented successful promotional and fundraising activities with WTTW, Whole Foods, and local community partners to support child/family wellness
� Created and coordinated monthly culinary nutrition/cooking demonstrations in-house and off-site
� Increased member event participation by 650 % through marketing/promotion, food quality and excellence in customer service
� Designed and developed recipes/menu to coordinate with Tennis, Membership Sales and Group Fitness department events
1998-2015 Chefs For A Day, Inc. Willowbrook, IL
Owner/Culinary Nutrition Chef-Instructor
� Developed interactive cooking programs aligned with curriculum and CLOCC principles for pre-school through High School children focusing on healthy, local/seasonal ingredients.
� Awarded Illinois State Board of Education �Those Who Excel Award of Excellence� for contribution in promoting nutrition education for Kindergarten through 8th Grade
� Wrote and awarded a $10,000 grant from INET towards developing a healthy school lunch environment
� Responsible for daily operations; marketing/advertising; budget; hiring, managing and training staff as well as instructing culinary classes and events in facility and off-site
� Guest speaker/Demonstration Chef on TV stations including ABC/7, NBC/5, WGN/9, WTTW, American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Children Conference and featured in Chicago Parent magazine
� Guest speaker/Demonstration Chef for corporate wellness programs at Midwestern University, Western Suburban Dietician�s Association, Amita Health Adventist Medical
Center - Hinsdale/LaGrange Memorial,
Edward-Elmhurst Health Hospitals and Right Fit Sport Wellness/Argonne National Laboratory
� Developed recipes and filmed 16-part video series in partnership with Edward-Elmhurst Hospital �Healthy Kitchen� library.
2001-2010 Burr Ridge Park District Burr Ridge, IL
Culinary Nutrition Chef-Instructor/Farmer Market Manager
� Developed, planned and implemented the first hands-on cooking program for ages preschool through adult.
� Collaborated with Director of Parks/Recreation with new building/kitchen design; negotiated and purchased kitchen equipment and appliances
� Planned, coordinated and supervised catering staff and volunteers with all community events ranging up to 3000 people. (on-site and off-site)
� Responsible for daily operations and sustainable farmer contracts for Burr Ridge Farmer Market. 27 vendors aligning with Cook County Department of Public Health requirements
� Led and managed key areas of communication for culinary programs and farmer market, including media relations, advertising and internal communication
� Coordinated weekly guest chef demos with local restaurants and community sponsors for market
� Wrote and awarded a $7,500 grant from IL Department of Agriculture to promote Burr Ridge Farmer Market
Education
2014-May 2019 Benedictine University Lisle, IL B.S. Nutrition, Senior Year Status CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist), Pursuing October 2019
1996-1997 Cooking/Hospitality Institute of Chicago (Le Cordon Bleu) Chicago, IL
Baking and Pastry Certificate
1988-1993 Depaul University Chicago, IL
B.S. in Business, Entrepreneurial Studies, Junior Year Status
L a u r a V a l c o u r
L------------
------------
15W271 - 91st Street
Burr Ridge, IL 60527
Professional Experience
2015-2017 Midtown Athletic Club Willowbrook, IL
Food and Beverage Director/Culinary Nutrition Educator
� Responsible for daily operations; menu planning, budget, vendor selection/negotiation, staff hiring, scheduling, leading and motivating
� Increased revenue by 120% within the first year in position through effective staff training, upgrading quality in food and negotiating vendor contracts
� Hired, trained and motivated 6 employee team with diverse background and skill sets to meet budget expectations consistently
� Planned, organized and implemented successful promotional and fundraising activities with WTTW, Whole Foods, and local community partners to support child/family wellness
� Created and coordinated monthly culinary nutrition/cooking demonstrations in-house and off-site
� Increased member event participation by 650 % through marketing/promotion, food quality and excellence in customer service
� Designed and developed recipes/menu to coordinate with Tennis, Membership Sales and Group Fitness department events
1998-2015 Chefs For A Day, Inc. Willowbrook, IL
Owner/Culinary Nutrition Chef-Instructor
� Developed interactive cooking programs aligned with curriculum and CLOCC principles for pre-school through High School children focusing on healthy, local/seasonal ingredients.
� Awarded Illinois State Board of Education �Those Who Excel Award of Excellence� for contribution in promoting nutrition education for Kindergarten through 8th Grade
� Wrote and awarded a $10,000 grant from INET towards developing a healthy school lunch environment
� Responsible for daily operations; marketing/advertising; budget; hiring, managing and training staff as well as instructing culinary classes and events in facility and off-site
� Guest speaker/Demonstration Chef on TV stations including ABC/7, NBC/5, WGN/9, WTTW, American Academy of Pediatrics Healthy Children Conference and featured in Chicago Parent magazine
� Guest speaker/Demonstration Chef for corporate wellness programs at Midwestern University, Western Suburban Dietician�s Association, Amita Health Adventist Medical
Center - Hinsdale/LaGrange Memorial,
Edward-Elmhurst Health Hospitals and Right Fit Sport Wellness/Argonne National Laboratory
� Developed recipes and filmed 16-part video series in partnership with Edward-Elmhurst Hospital �Healthy Kitchen� library.
2001-2010 Burr Ridge Park District Burr Ridge, IL
Culinary Nutrition Chef-Instructor/Farmer Market Manager
� Developed, planned and implemented the first hands-on cooking program for ages preschool through adult.
� Collaborated with Director of Parks/Recreation with new building/kitchen design; negotiated and purchased kitchen equipment and appliances
� Planned, coordinated and supervised catering staff and volunteers with all community events ranging up to 3000 people. (on-site and off-site)
� Responsible for daily operations and sustainable farmer contracts for Burr Ridge Farmer Market. 27 vendors aligning with Cook County Department of Public Health requirements
� Led and managed key areas of communication for culinary programs and farmer market, including media relations, advertising and internal communication
� Coordinated weekly guest chef demos with local restaurants and community sponsors for market
� Wrote and awarded a $7,500 grant from IL Department of Agriculture to promote Burr Ridge Farmer Market
Education
2014-May 2019 Benedictine University Lisle, IL B.S. Nutrition, Senior Year Status CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist), Pursuing October 2019
1996-1997 Cooking/Hospitality Institute of Chicago (Le Cordon Bleu) Chicago, IL
Baking and Pastry Certificate
1988-1993 Depaul University Chicago, IL
B.S. in Business, Entrepreneurial Studies, Junior Year Status