Food and Beverage Consulting
The relentless pursuit of excellence
Our Areas of Expertise
Strategy
- Overall Food & Beverage Operations Assessment
- Food and Beverage Concept Development
- Bar Concept Development
- New Hotel Openings And Transitions
- Menu Analysis & Development
- Recipe Creation And Standardization
- Mixology Program Development
Structure
- Standard Operating Procedures
- Sustainability
- Analysis of Costs and Hiring strategies
- Technology Solutions
- Facility Design
People
- Service Training
- Culinary Training
- Bar Service Training
Meet our industry experts
FERNANDO SALAZAR
Food & Beverage
Background and Expertise
Fernando was awarded the Culinary Institute of America Gold Medal as well as the Royal Academy of Spanish Gastronomy and both named him Universal Ambassador. Salazar is currently the Executive Vice President of E-Spain, a company he co-founded in 2017; an international multidisciplinary company that specializes in the creation of international culinary competitions and culinary internships in the best restaurants in Spain.
Fernando is also the co-creator of The World Tapas Competition as well as the International Black Truffle Competition, both of which are typically held in Spain.
Previous Clients
Airlines, management companies, hotels, etc.
Featured Project
Client: Wyndham.
Project Scope: During my time as VP of F&B of Wyndham Hotels and Resorts, the company acquired a hotel brand called TRYP, previously owned by the Spanish Melia Hotels. I was commissioned to come up with a Food & Beverage concept for the newly acquired brand, starting with the hotel situated in New York.
Strategies implemented: Considering that TRYP was a Spanish/Mediterranean chain originally, my team and I decided to turn the New York restaurant into a Gastro Bar, exploiting TRYP’s heritage as well as the acronym to give the new restaurant a distinctly Spanish/ Mediterranean ambiance. Each letter in the original acronym was spelled out to “Tapas, Raciones Y Pinchos,” and the restaurant started serving exactly that: Spanish tapas, sharing plates and small bites called pinchos.
The design was also changed to reflect the theme and the whole restaurant was moved into the lobby, which generated an appealing atmosphere that attracted a new customer base, consisting of locals as well as hotel guests. As with most of my projects, the idea was to steer away from the concept of a typical hotel restaurant and instead create an eatery that could rival other restaurants in the area, rather than just other hotels. To achieve this goal, we initially conducted market research to determine what cuisines and concepts were in high demand locally, in order to increase the chances of the project being a success even before the execution. On top of design and menu, we also made sure that the supply chain for the restaurant was cost-effective yet based on quality products and that the staff were effectively trained to maintain the standards necessary for the new program to work.
Results: The new concept was so successful it was eventually replicated at many of the 96 TRYP Hotels across 15 countries, with me personally overseeing the openings of TRYP Gastro Bars in Quebec, Panama City, San Jose, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Medellin.
TRYP New York also caught the attention of prestigious media outlets such as the New York Times, and was highly praised for its food and beverage offering as well the innovative concept. The hotel became known as a quality hospitality establishment, both for its rooms and its restaurant, which was reflected in the increased average check as well as a tangible effect on other important hotel metrics.
NORMAN VAN AKEN
Chef
Background and Expertise
Norman Van Aken is a chef, author, teacher and is best known for introducing “fusion” into the lexicon of global cookery. He is also known as “the founding father of New World Cuisine” – a celebration of Latin, Caribbean, Asian, American, and African flavors, thus pioneering a new, visionary way of cooking in America. He is the only Floridian Chef inducted into the prestigious James Beard Foundation’s list of “Who’s Who in American Food and Beverage.”
Previous Clients
The most expensive hotels, management companies, ghost kitchens, etc.
Featured Project
Client: United Airlines.
Project Scope: Consulting on the design of items for onboard menus. Working with the food production facility, working with regional teams on the adaptation of these dishes for specific markets.
Strategies implemented: Menu design and adaptation of recipes to airline staff and conditions.
Results:
The program was deemed highly successful and was utilized in Latin America for over 3 years.
KIM HAASARUD
Beverage & Mixology
Background and Expertise
Kim Haasarud is a nationally recognized mixologist and beverage consultant, working with hundreds of liquor brands, restaurants, and hotels across the country in helping to create successful cocktail and bar programs. Her expertise and skills include bar design consultation, drink development, training, trend analysis, to-go programs, and menu design. In addition to consulting with groups such as PF Chang’s, Omni Hotels, Aimbridge Hospitality, and Darden Restaurants, she has worked with dozens of beverage and alcohol brands.
Kim has been a judge on Iron Chef America, as well as doing guest appearances on the “The Today Show” and CBS’ “Early Morning Show.” Kim is the author of the best-selling “101…” cocktail series with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. Most recently, she was elected as President of the United States Bartenders Guild.
FAQ
What can a food and beverage expert help you with?
The role of our food and beverage experts (senior-level food and beverage consultants) is, among other things, to create impactful restaurant and bar concepts that will appeal to your target customers and have a tangible, measurable effect on your bottom line. The creativity that characterizes food and beverage experts goes hand-in-hand with their focus on market research and financial analysis, which in turn inform their menu & concept design and creation process. Considering that we only work with top-tier professionals with decades of experience in the hospitality industry, they can assist you with any aspect of your food and beverage program, including advice on which designer consultants to use and which suppliers to partner with. We are one of a few top consulting firms that look at food and beverage holistically, so we only partner with professionals who can deliver on the promise of providing data-based, results-oriented solutions that will help you reach your business goals.