WHY SHOULD YOU HIRE A FOOD SERVICE CONSULTANT?

First of all, let's define what a Food Service Consultant is:

Generally speaking, a food service consultant is a professional adviser who, for a defined scope of work and related fee, works as an advocate for their client in achieving their goals through the design and implementation of food service facilities and/or operations/management systems. 

Consultants provide expertise, knowledge and experience to provide assistance that the client does not posses, or by providing resources not available at the time. As independent professionals their primary focus is the welfare of the client organization that they serve.

They are typically:

• Very knowledgeable in the food service and hospitality industries.
• Provides specific/specialized expertise in food service equipment, operations and design flow.
• Knowledgeable in health, fire and building department codes and understand how to work alongside architects, engineers and contractors to assure applicable codes are met and necessary permits can be attained.
• Brings high degree of industry experience.
• Advises and educates clients on wide range of topics.
• Provides independent, objective advice.
• Facilitates between project team and food service operations professionals.
• Acts as an advocate for food service operations.
• Enhances client's business.

So, why should you hire a Food Service Consultant?

The Answer: "Simply because they are experts in what they do."  For example, imagine you need to make an electrical repair in your home.  You may know what wires are. You may have basic knowledge of how electricity works in your home.  However, if want to be assured that the repair is made safely and correctly, have confidence that it meets applicable codes and assurance you will have no fear of future issues, you would hire a professional electrician. More examples could be made about Medical Professionals, Lawyers, etc. but I believe you get the idea.

So, when it comes to opening or remodeling a new restaurant or food service facility hiring a consultant can make the difference between success and failure.  A well experienced Food Service Consultant can take your concepts, ideas and dreams and turn them into an attractive, functional and profitable reality.  They will provide you with the peace of mind that the design is efficient, meets your budget, accommodates your staff and menu and meets all applicable codes.  That peace of mind includes making sure the design is fully integrated with architectural plans to avoid conflicts or issues during the construction phase...issues that could cost you thousands of dollars!  

The cost of hiring a food service consultant will certainly pay for itself in short time through reliable equipment selections, efficient work flow systems that help your employees be more productive, and by avoiding costly mistakes and oversights.

How to select a Food Service Consultant?

There are many choices when it comes to choosing which food service consultant you will work with.  We recommend the following factors in choosing the right one:

• Are they well experienced in the food service Industry?

• Are they well experienced in your specific food service business (restaurant, bakery, bar, buffet, etc)

• Do they have experience working IN the food service industry? In other words, have they experienced the business from the operator's side or only the consultant's side?

• Do they have a thorough portfolio and references?

• Do they come highly recommended?

• When you interviewed them, did you get the sense that they understood your concepts and ideas?  This is an important factor is choosing a consultant.  Although you want a consultant who will honestly advise you and act in your best interest, you don't want one that will steamroll your ideas.  After all, they are YOUR ideas and YOUR business.

• Are their service fees within your budget and does their fee cover all the services you require?

• Are they able to work easily with your Architect and/or Contractor?

Overall, you should choose a consultant who is highly recommended and well experienced in your specific type of food service business.  You should feel comfortable with them and confident that they will take your ideas and make them work operationally and meet all applicable codes. Their fee should fit your budget and their portfolio and references should tell you that they are fully capable of providing you with a design and equipment selections that lay the framework of a profitable food service operation.  After all, the bottom line really IS the bottom line, isn't it?

At PES Design Group our mission is: "Designing functionally innovative, attractive and profitable c-store and food service facilities on time and on budget".  Our promise to you is, that whatever your project may be, we will approach it as unique. We will use our years of proven experience to provide you with the design and equipment selections that will serve you reliably for years and enable you to be successful and profitable.

Don't take our word for it! Visit our portfolio page at portfolio.pesdesigngroup.com for a list and photos of projects our consultants have done during their 40+ years in the Food Service Design Industry as well as testimonials from very satisfied clients.

Call us today for a FREE consultation about your project! 800.850.6638
We are waiting to serve YOU!

PES Design Group
Food Service and C-Store Design Specialists
800.850.6638
www.pesdesigngroup.com

    

About our Consultants

Jim Richards (Jr) is the Managing Member of Cademan Enterprises, LLC and Principal Design Consultant with the PES Design Group's Southeast Office.

Jim Richards (Sr) is a Principal Design Consultant with the PES Design Group's Midwest Office.

Together they represent over 40 years of experience in the Food Service Design Industry and have hundreds of successful projects and satisfied clients.

Read their bios here: The Team

CUTTING EDGE CULINARY DESIGN FOR THE NEXT GENERATION

One of the most monumental and exciting projects I managed and designed was the Culinary Arts Center and Food Court at the Manatee Technical Institute (Bradenton, FL). The 12,000 square foot Culinary Center included a teaching kitchen, baking and pastry center, classroom space, a walk-in garde manger, a coffee and pastry shop, a formal dining room and a food court (Cafe Mirabilis) complete with an open kitchen. During this project I had the pleasure of working with the Chef Garry Colpitts and his team and Manatee Technical Institute, as well as Fawley Bryant Architects (Sarasota, FL) (http://manateetech.edu/community/restaurants/)

One of the challenges we faced was a space constraint. I know that 12,000 square feet sounds huge, but designing all the different space on the School's wish list was a challenge even in such a large area. An especially unique item on the wish list was a walk-in garde manger enabling students to prepare salads, hors d'œuvres, canapés, and pâtés under refrigerated conditions. A creative solution was to design a 1200 square foot walk-in cooler/freezer/garde manger on the exterior of the building with access from the interior kitchen space. The garde manger was complete with a partial glass wall facing the interior space so that the student work was completely on display. Access to both the walk-in cooler and freezer was provided from the garde manger.

The Culinary Arts Center was to be a Skills USA competition site. So one challenge was designing the kitchen area with enough cooking stations to accommodate the competitive cooking teams. This was accomplished by providing an open and double sided cook line with various cooking stations. Another challenge was providing viewing access by the public during competitions. So, we designed an entire glass wall along the hallway outside the kitchen space. The public would have full view of all the excitement of the competition.

A Testimonial by Chef Garry Colpitts:

"Jim was magnificent in working with my entire culinary team in 2010-12, in designing state of the art culinary, baking and pastry labs in the State of Florida. The culinary, baking and pastry labs and classroom opened for business in January 2013 and is the envy of many hospitality professionals that come to visit. What impressed me and my team at Manatee Technical Institute about Mr. Richards, was his holistic and personal approach, as well as his genuine willingness to listen to our questions, concerns and exceeding all our expectations moving forward with design."

Chef Garry Colpitts, CEC, CFSE

At the PES Design Group our mission is: "Designing functionally innovative, attractive and profitable c-store and food service facilities on time and on budget".  Our promise to you is, that whatever your project may be, we will approach it as unique. We will use our years of experience to design innovation and uniqueness into your project helping you to set yourself apart from the rest. 

Call us today for a FREE consultation about your project! 800.850.6638


PES Design Group
Food Service and C-Store Design Specialists
800.850.6638
www.pesdesigngroup.com

    

About the Author

Jim Richards is the Managing Member of Cademan Enterprises, LLC and Design Consultant with the PES Design Group, Southeast Office. During his 25 years of experience in the Food Service Design Industry, Jim has encountered countless challenges that he has overcome through experience and innovation.  

SOLVING BUDGET CHALLENGES WITH INNOVATIVE DESIGN

I had the pleasure of being the lead design consultant on Sarasota County Technical Institute's brand new cutting edge Culinary Arts Teaching Kitchen, restaurant (Bistro 502) and kiosk. (http://www.ticketsarasota.com/2011/11/02/restaurant-review-bistro-502-at-scti/)

SCTI's Lead Chef Instructor, Chef Brian Knecht, had a vision for the new program.  In addition to the teaching kitchen space he wanted to create a working restaurant environment for the senior students where they could have hands on experience working and managing all aspects of a restaurant.  On Chef Brian's "wishlist" was a set of European-style cooking suites that would enable students to communicate more openly and freely and provide them with experience on various types of cooking equipment, including a chargrill, griddle, fryers and pasta cooker.  

With the typical commercial European-style cooking suite having a price tag well into the $100k range, a cost not affordable for a County tech school program, the challenge was being able to provide the experience and yet still stay within budget.  

The solution was an innovative modular suite design.  I worked with engineers at Imperial Commercial Cooking Equipment to design an island-style cooking suite using standard cooking equipment set into a custom stainless steel wrap.  We designed two islands, each with it's own arrangement of cooking equipment. The island wrap consisted of a center structure, where utilities (such as gas, electric and water) could be easily accessed, and outer "wing walls" that kept the standard equipment pieces aligned.  The cooking pieces were finished off with an enclosed kick plate and continuous front rail.  The rail and kick plate are easily removed and all equipment pieces are on castors with 48" long quick disconnect gas hoses to make routine cleaning under and behind equipment easy.  The islands look impressive and are the show pieces of Bistro 502's open kitchen concept.

To view the entire photo gallery for this project go to:
SCTI.pesdesigngroup.com

The finished islands look and function like a commercial European island suite, yet much less in cost.  I estimate the County School Board saved up to 60% on the purchase of the innovative cooking islands from Imperial as compared to other European cooking suites. This is an example of how innovative design can help solve a challenge and achieve a goal that otherwise would not have been achievable. 

At the PES Design Group our mission is: "Designing functionally innovative, attractive and profitable c-store and food service facilities on time and on budget".  Our promise to you is, that whatever your project may be, we will approach it as unique.   We will use our years of experience to design innovation and uniqueness into your project helping you to set yourself apart from the rest. We will also use innovation to solve challenging issues such as space, time and budget constraints.

TESTIMONIAL FROM CHEF BRIAN KNECHT, SCTI CULINARY INSTRUCTOR

"Jim Richards was very instrumental with the design and layout of the Sarasota County Technical Institute Culinary Arts Department. The department of 18,000 square feet presented many challenges due to the wide variety of concepts that we wanted to offer to our students, faculty and community. Incorporating a teaching restaurant (Bistro502-open to the public for lunch during the school year), an instructional learning lab, bake shop and confection room, retail kiosks, banquet facility and class room related instructional spaces to all come together for an efficient work flow was the task for Jim to solve. Three short, but fast years have passed since the new SCTI was opened in the spring of 2011 and I can honestly say that Jim exceeded our expectations."

Brian D. Knecht, CEC, CCA, AAC
Department Chair & Instructor
Commercial Foods & Culinary Arts
Sarasota County Technical Institute

Call us today for a FREE consultation about your project! 800.850.6638

PES Design Group
Food Service and C-Store Design Specialists
800.850.6638
www.pesdesigngroup.com

    

About the Author

Jim Richards is the Managing Member of Cademan Enterprises, LLC and Design Consultant with the PES Design Group, Southeast Office. During his 25 years of experience in the Food Service Design Industry, Jim has encountered countless challenges that he has overcome through experience and innovation.