Real World Impact: Hospitality Businesses We’ve Helped
From openings to optimizing operations to guiding ownership transitions, here’s how we’ve helped hospitality businesses grow, scale, and sustain long-term success.
Pinkerton Wine Bar: A Stagnating Business Lacking Structure
When I first got involved with Pinkerton Wine Bar, it was a classic case of a business surviving, but not thriving.
Operational Breakdown:
No standard operating procedures, no accountability, and no firm expectations for staff performance and development.
The culture was a free-for-all, with no structured leadership presence on a daily basis.
Financial Stagnation:
Costs weren’t wildly out of control, but annual revenue had been flat for years and the business was barely breaking even.
Staffing Issues:
High turnover (~70%) led to inconsistencies in service, guest experience, and execution.
Simply put, Pinkerton was on the brink of failure.
The Strategy: Systems, Structure, and Effective Management
Implemented SOP’s and Clear Expectations
Developed fundamental checklists to structure daily, weekly, and monthly tasks—ensuring consistency across service, cleanliness, and operations.
Increased management presence to improve oversight and accountability.
Menu & Cost Optimization
Reassessed recipes and resourced raw ingredients to improve quality while optimizing costs.
Price-checked vendors to secure better pricing without compromising quality.
Staffing Overhaul & Training
Conducted a full staff assessment over the first 2 months.
Provided performance improvement plans for individual coaching & feedback for those who wanted to improve.
Replaced those unwilling to align with the new systems to build a stronger, more consistent team.
The Results: A Neighborhood Success Story
Revenue Growth
DOUBLED revenue from 2021 to 2024 at a 15-year-old establishment: an unheard-of jump at this stage of a business.
Profitability
Turned a break-even business into a +18% profit margin for 3 consecutive years.
Staff Retention & Culture Shift
Turnover dropped from over 70% to under 20%, creating a consistent and motivated team
Customer Experience & Reputation
Online reviews became consistently positive, reflecting improvements in service, quality, and hospitality.
Final Takeaway: From Near Closure to a Thriving Neighborhood Institution
What was once a disorganized, barely-surviving business has now become a profitable, well-oiled machine with a loyal customer base and a strong reputation.
Want to optimize your hospitality business like we did with Pinkerton?
NOLA Brewing & Pizza Co.
A Taste of NYC in NOLA
NOLA Brewing had been a well-established brewery since 2008, featuring an attached taproom with live music, plenty of space, and a strong customer base. However, they had never operated their own food program.
Previous Setup:
Their kitchen space had been leased to an outside restaurant, which ran an offshoot location to serve taproom patrons.
A recent change in ownership and leadership led to a new vision—bringing a true NYC-style pizzeria to New Orleans.
Key Challenges:
No internal experience operating a food program—needed expertise in developing & managing a restaurant from scratch.
New Orleans lacked an authentic pizza culture, meaning staffing & training would be a significant challenge.
Needed a seasoned pizza operator to guide the project from concept to execution.
The Strategy: Full Project Oversight from Concept to Post-Opening
I took on end-to-end project management, leading everything from concept development to post-opening oversight.
Concept Development and Buildout
Designed the full operational structure for the new pizzeria.
Oversaw the buildout, including equipment sourcing and kitchen layout optimization.
Staffing, Training & Recipe Development:
Developed recipe formulations, including a sourdough crust to create an authentic NYC-style product.
Recruited & trained both kitchen and front-of-house staff, navigating the challenges of limited local NYC pizza experience.
Designed LMS-based training materials and led an intensive one-week pre-soft opening training program.
Operational & Financial Management
Built day-to-day and week-to-week operational systems.
Forecasted financial performance, structured purchasing and cost controls.
Hired and onboarded a General Manager, initially serving as Managing Partner to oversee both kitchen & service operations.
The Results: A Thriving Pizzeria with Strong Financial Performance
Financial Performance & Growth
Hit break-even sales target within the first two months of operations.
Achieved a 14% profit margin in Year 1, which jumped to 20% in Year 2.
Strong Customer & Community Reception
Integrated seamlessly with NOLA Brewing’s taproom, enhancing guest experience and driving additional foot traffic.
Quickly became a local favorite, filling a gap in the New Orleans pizza scene.
Staffing & Operational Success
Built a structured, well-trained team, overcoming the challenge of limited local NYC-style pizza expertise.
Developed repeatable systems for long-term operational success, allowing leadership to maintain consistency beyond launch.
Final Takeaway: Bringing NYC Pizza Culture to NOLA & Making It Profitable
By guiding NOLA Pizza Co. from concept to fully operational business, I helped turn an untapped opportunity into a profitable, high-quality pizzeria.
Want to launch or optimize your hospitality business like we did with NOLA Pizza Co.?
Crew: Cost Discrepancies & Lack of Culinary Oversight
CREW Restaurant Group operated six establishments across NYC, with five seasonal locations and one year-round restaurant, generating ~$20M in annual revenue. Despite having a strong documentation system, they were facing major operational challenges in their culinary program.
Inconsistent Recipe Documentation & Costing Issues
Recipes across locations were not properly documented, leading to discrepancies between projected vs. actual food costs.
Outdated software made cost tracking inefficient and inaccurate.
Leadership Gaps & Operational Blind Spots
The Executive Chef, though talented and respected, was more of a brand figurehead than someone involved in day-to-day cost controls & execution.
Without strong culinary leadership in place, things slowly became misaligned across locations.
They needed structured systems, better technology, and a leadership solution that wouldn’t disrupt the existing hierarchy.
The Strategy: Standardization, Smart Technology, and Leadership Reinforcement
To realign the culinary and cost management systems, I designed and executed a multi-step project focused on:
Recipe Standardization & Documentation
Retested all recipes across locations to ensure accurate internal documentation and consistent execution.
Implemented standardized costing & portioning guidelines to align all units.
Software Upgrade & Cost Control Systems
Switched to modern cost-tracking software, fully integrated with the existing POS system.
Implemented real-time food cost tracking, price change alerts, and projected vs. actual cost reports.
Leadership & Vendor Optimization
Hired a Culinary Director to oversee day-to-day operations, allowing the Executive Chef to focus on brand & creative development without feeling undermined.
Conducted a vendor pricing analysis, renegotiated contracts, and optimized purchasing, leading to better pricing & quality control.
The Results: A More Profitable & Efficient Restaurant Group
Cost Savings & Efficiency
9% reduction in food costs, improving margins across all locations.
5% drop in prime costs, driven by better purchasing and cost controls.
Culinary Program & Leadership Restructure
Clearer direction & leadership for the culinary team with the Culinary Director overseeing execution.
The Executive Chef retained their role as the face of the brand while day-to-day operations became more structured.
Technology and Standardization
New cost-tracking software provided real-time analytics, price alerts, and forecasting tools, ensuring better financial oversight.
Standardized SOPs for all future menu changes, keeping costs controlled long-term.
Final Takeaway: Future-Proofing a Multi-Unit Hospitality Group
By implementing better technology, standardizing recipes, optimizing purchasing, and strengthening leadership, we helped CREW Restaurant Group improve profitability and create long-term efficiency across all locations.
Want to optimize your hospitality business like we did with CREW?