What is the Role of a Food Consultant?

If you run a hotel, restaurant, bar, take-away service, or any business which involves food preparation, then employing the services of a reputable food consultant will almost certainly improve the bottom line of your business.A food consultant will provide an objective perspective on every aspect of your service operation, including personnel, menu design, purchasing, strategy and management.Usually someone who works specializes in this kind of role will have worked as an executive chef, or systems expert within a food environment.A food consultant will also be able to train your staff to optimize resources and improve profitability within the business. They can act as an internal partner and advise on every facet of your business including brand identity, brand awareness, positioning, operations, systems and front-of-house sales.If you are setting up a new food business, they will also be able to help with the design of your retail space and associated merchandising. In short, you will gain an objective, expert perspective across all areas of your business.Even the most well-run food establishments can do with a little extra help from time to time.Where hiring a food consultant can really pay dividends is in the area of personnel. Your staff are potentially the biggest asset your business has, seeing as they will interact with customers and one another frequently whilst delivering your food service. Your trusted advisor will train your staff to maximise their potential and make the most of their skills and resources. The consultant will also be able to provide advice on the best way of incentivising your employees and thus promoting loyalty and trust.It’s well known that the food business is subject to a high turnover rate when it comes to staffing. If your food business consistently attracts a high staff turnover then it’s costing you more money that it should. Constantly hiring new staff every couple of months or so can be a real pain in that you have to keep training up new people. It’s also a real moral-drainer on the rest of your employees.If you value your staff (and every business ought to), you should aim to do everything in your power to retain them. By offering them first rate ongoing training and incentives for reaching sales targets, you will encourage good moral, strong team camaraderie and high levels of personal motivation. And that can only be good for business.