Chef Bernardo Alvear (left) receives award from PCHOA President John Kiekbusch.
Vickie Hamilton
What makes a good chef? Ask the Food & Beverage employees at PebbleCreek and they will tell you it’s someone who, besides the obvious, cooks well, also has a positive attitude, energy, is naturally friendly and service oriented. Another quality, often overlooked, is the ability to teach those around them in a respectful manner, even when their co-workers have different learning levels. A quality chef must be an excellent cook, a leader, a teacher and an example to follow. Who has all those qualities in PebbleCreek? Chef Bernardo, which is why he was named Employee of the Month in December.
Bernardo started working for PebbleCreek in April of 2002. He began his career as a dishwasher at Eagle’s Nest and over the twelve years he has grown from dishwasher to prep cook, to line cook to lead cook and eventually to the chef that now oversees both restaurant kitchens.
When Toscana’s last chef left, Bernardo quickly stepped up to the plate acting as Chef in both Eagle’s Nest and Toscana’s Restaurants, working closely with the main cooks and staff at both restaurants to ensure that quality of food served and quality of customer service were not impacted. Although he has had many promotions, he continues to grow in his position, remains humble and appreciates what he has, according to Food & Beverage Director Melissa Gonzales.
“Bernardo is a hands-on chef who consistently strives for the best and his staff looks to him for direction and enjoys working with him. Bernardo, she explains, is a team player, who shares his skills with his co-workers, patiently teaching and developing their skills and bringing out the best in those he works with,” adds Melissa.
Bernardo not only interacts with the restaurant managers, but also the cook staff and wait staff or, as they refer to it in the business, the back of the house and the front of the house. A good chef needs the communications skills and personality to deal with all types of co-workers as well as to listen to customers and consider their ideas for future menu development and service enhancements.
“A good chef needs to be organized, prepared, adaptable, creative, disciplined, hard-working and open to flexible working hours and have the ability to stay calm under difficult situations,” according to Donnie Anderson, Eagle’s Nest Restaurant Manager. “Bernard fits the role,” according to Donnie.
“A good chef also must be able to plan ahead, know the vendors, how to order and how much and how to organize and prepare the staff,” according to Candice Pakitsos, Toscana’s Restaurant Manager. “Bernardo keeps the kitchen staff organized and delegates jobs to ensure a positive outcome while also endearing him to those he works with,” she adds.
When not working, Bernardo enjoys spending time with his son and daughter.