Meeting the FCSI management consultants: find out who they are, what they do and why they're needed

Nation's Restaurant News, Sept 26, 2005

There's no denying that foodservice is a billion-dollar business--$476 billion, to be exact. That's the sales figure the industry's 900,000 restaurants are expected to hit this year, according to the National Restaurant Association's 2005 Restaurant Industry Forecast.

With numbers like that people are going to look for a piece of the pie--or burger, sushi or taco. But how are they going to pursue it? Some will open a new restaurant; others will revamp an existing facility. Whatever the course of action, the choice won't be an easy undertaking.

More than a great notion and a fabulous menu are required to get an idea off the ground, a fact to which many "tried-it-and-failed" entrepreneurs can attest. Any undertaking will need the expertise of those who are experienced in the numerous relevant areas and issues that must be tackled in order for an idea to work.

Fortunately there are resources for foodservice owners and operators to turn to if they need to create a concept, renovate an existing facility or determine the feasibility of a new project. Who are these heroes and heroines who will come in to save the day, not to mention time, money and the operation?

They are the professional foodservice consultant members of Foodservice Consultants Society International, all of whom attend educational seminars and network with other professionals so they can stay current with state-of-the-art developments in the foodservice industry.

FCSI maintains a global focus with members in more than 40 countries. Those members are recognized in 23 different disciplines. There are the usual categories that come to mind, such as kitchen design, food safety and menu development. In addition, there are other services that sometimes are overlooked but are just as important, including accounting, human resources and legal advice. While some practitioners focus exclusively on just one field, others are well versed in multiple areas.

A management consultant wears many hats, and one size does not fit all, according to Arlene Spiegel, founder and president of New York-based Arlene Spiegel & Associates. In addition to being a third-generation restaurateur, Spiegel has dedicated her professional life to studying the eating and purchasing habits of consumers in every food-and-beverage environment.

Her company is involved in all aspects of a concept's planning, marketing, branding and operation to ensure its fiscal and physical health. The company raises owner awareness of the role food and beverage plays in an overall operation. In addition to hotels, casinos and entertainment and cultural venues, Arlene Spiegel & Associates helps independent and chain restaurants in "identifying and maintaining their DNA."

Karen Malody, principal of Culinary Options in Seattle, agrees that the role of a foodservice consultant is as varied as the number of management advisory services, or MAS, consultants. "Principally, the role of the MAS consultant is to provide advisory services that allow operators to more effectively, efficiently and profitably operate their businesses," she says. She goes on to add that they do everything short of actually designing and building the facilities.

Before the designing and the building begin, however, the homework must be done. Research and consulting firm Technomic helps restaurants and food suppliers by providing proprietary research for strategic planning and marketing.

"It's not just the data we provide, it's the 'so what,'" says Tom Miner, principal with the Chicago-based firm. "We assist clients in implementing growth strategies to help them improve profits." Miner's own culinary experience includes more than 10 years as an executive chef.

Bill Main, chairman of Bill Main & Associates in Chico, Calif., breaks his role down into five categories. He says a management consultant deals with helping operators:

(1) improve profitability;

(2) create a sustaining leadership structure;

(3) think like a brand;

(4) build a "best practices" approach to running a restaurant like a business; and

(5) develop strategic planning guidelines for expansion.

Culinary Options' Malody offers her own five phase process to make sure food, menu, service and decor are in harmony: Phase 1 is competitive analysis; Phase 2 is menu critique; Phase 3 is impact analysis; Phase 4 is menu layout; and Phase 5 is recipe/kitchen coordination.

Setting up a turnkey operation is the specialty of Walter Staib, president and chief executive of Concepts By Staib Ltd., based in Philadelphia. "We can come in and set up the whole project," he notes. He also stresses that a management consultant must become part of the unit's team. "You can't just come in once a month," be adds.

Facilities ranging from restaurants and retail food stores to cruise lines and convention centers require the services of a foodservice consultant. Malody considers it a privilege to be working with both multi and single-unit restaurants, as well as high-end supermarket foodservice operations, food manufacturers, B & I foodservice operations and distributors, among others. "I do not work so much with schools and institutions," she adds.