Restaurant Consultant

When a restaurant is having trouble with some aspect of its business, its management hires a Restaurant Consultant to help. As a Restaurant Consultant, you offer plans, advice, training, and support for improving all aspects of the restaurant. You may work as a freelancer or as part of a larger consulting firm.

First, the Restaurant Consultant will spend some time observing how the restaurant is currently run. This involves eating the food, interacting with the Hosts and Servers, seeing how the kitchen operates, and looking at the numbers. As a Restaurant Consultant, you will get to know the establishment from the inside out.

Then you’ll offer your suggestions on making changes to the menu, interior design, brand and concept, spending patterns, and treatment of customers. You’ll train management and staff to make sure they have the necessary tools to carry out the improvement plan. After the plan is under way, you’ll continue to check in regularly to see how the restaurant is doing.

In many cases you may be brought in at an earlier stage, before a new restaurant even opens its doors. In this case, you’ll be starting from scratch and working with the owners to develop the original concept, food selection, ambiance, and daily operations of the business.

Either way, your expertise and creativity will help out a business and improve the dining experiences of many. The more success your clients have, the more your services will be in demand—and the more you’ll deserve all those meals out.