The problem, what I did, and where it landed.
Three engagements written up in full. Figures appear only where the owner has agreed to publish them.
Eleven weeks, one kitchen, a menu cut by a third
The brief was a refurbishment. The problem was a menu that had grown for years without anything ever being removed from it.
Every dish was yield tested and costed. Anything that did not earn its station was cut. What remained was re-plated, re-priced and rehearsed with the team before the room reopened.
| Measure | Before | After | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food cost | 41.0% | 33.5% | Unverified |
| Menu items | 148 | 92 | Unverified |
| Ticket time | 22 min | 13 min | Unverified |
| Covers per day | 210 | 264 | Unverified |
Case studies
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All day dining, rebuilt in eleven weeks
Food cost sat well above target and the menu had grown past what four stations could execute at peak.
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What happened when we printed the calories
Guests were asking what was in the food and the menu could not answer. Nothing had a fixed portion, so nothing had a fixed number.
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Pre-opening, delivered on the promised date
An island supply chain, a team still being hired, and a fixed opening date already announced to the trade.
In their words
What owners say afterwards
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He cut the menu before we bought a single piece of equipment. That order of work saved us twice.
General Manager
Arif Castle, Nainital
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The menu came back shorter and the margin came back wider. Both at the same time.
Co-owner
Chhat Cafe, Agra
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Our team had already run a full service before the first guest arrived. That is the whole difference.
Resort Manager
Treetop by Eight Continents, Zanzibar
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We opened the next outlet on the same playbook as the first. Same recipes, same yields, same numbers.
Managing Partner
The Mad Kitchen, Jhansi
Tell me about the project
Send the format, the city, and where you are in the timeline. You get a reply within two working days.