Running a successful restaurant is hard. It therefore sometimes makes sense for restaurateurs to get help from outside. That help can come in the form of (hospitality) consultants – hopefully FCSI members. Given that most hospitality consultants are specialized, it can make sense for them to collaborate on a project. I have certainly done it, often with great results, if I say so myself. However, it can also have its downsides.
Better together
Nobody is perfect. For example, an interior designer might craft a visually stunning interior, but occasionally overlook more practical aspects like acoustics, workflow and durability and, as my mother usually points out, “cleanability”. It could therefore be a good idea to run the designs by an expert in lighting and accoustics, or a workflow specialist (after all, we are living in an era of staff shortages), or a consultant experienced in the maintenance and cleaning of interiors.
Similarly, a menu designer might collaborate with a food waste specialists, to develop dishes that use every part of an ingredient, reducing waste and cutting costs. Collaborating with an expert on vegetarian and vegan cooking can open up the menu to a whole new demographic, attracting customers who prioritize plant-based diets and/or sustainability.
Too many consultants in the kitchen
Like I said, I have successfully and happily collaborated with other consultants in the past. However, I have also had experiences in which collaborations – which usually came together at the clients behest – did not have the desired effect. Instead of synergy, you get a lack of cohesion and/or a tendency towards going with the lowest common denominator. In such cases, what results is either a disjointed concept that was obviously developed with little to no actual collaboration, or an attempt to please everyone without achieving excellence in any particular aspect. This not only frustrates the consultants who strive for impactful contributions but also disappoints the restaurant owner who hoped for – and maybe depended on – a transformative result.
I therefore think it is crucial to have one person with a strong sense of taste and vision – be it the owner or the manager or even a consultant – at the helm to make final decisions and keep the project true to its original concept, essentially having a clear leader to guide the collaborative process, ensuring coherence and excellence. With the right approach, leveraging the expertise of multiple consultants can be a game-changer in navigating the complexities of the hospitality industry.
Marius Zürcher
About the author:
The co-owner & founder of Millennial & Gen Z marketing and employer branding agency 1520 in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Marius Zürcher was a participant at FCSI’s ‘Millennials’ focused roundtable at INTERGASTRA and a speaker at FCSI workshops about industry trends.
