India has hundreds of restaurant consultants, from single chefs to large firms. A good one can save you lakhs and months. A poor fit costs both. These 10 questions help you tell them apart.
1. What have you actually opened?
Ask for projects similar to yours in format, size and budget, and visit one if you can. Gourmet Guys, for example, has delivered 126 projects in 28 years.
2. Who will work on my project?
Find out whether the person you meet will do the work, or hand it to a junior.
3. Do you cook?
Menus, recipes, trials and kitchen training need a working chef. A consultant who only writes reports cannot fix a slow kitchen.
4. What exactly is in the scope?
Get a written list: concept, menu, recipes, kitchen layout, MEP, hiring, training, SOPs, technology, vendors and launch. Anything not on the list is not included.
5. How are fees charged?
Fixed fee, stage-wise payments or a monthly retainer. Ask what happens if the opening date moves.
6. Will there be food trials?
Every dish should be cooked, tasted and costed before it reaches the menu.
7. Do I get standard recipes and SOPs?
You should own written recipe cards and SOPs at the end, so the restaurant does not depend on one chef.
8. How do you plan the kitchen?
A kitchen should be planned around the menu, with the MEP agreed with your contractors before work starts.
9. Will you train my team?
Training should happen before opening, in your own kitchen, on your own menu.
10. What happens after launch?
The first months decide whether standards hold. Ask how long the consultant stays involved, and at what cost.
Red flags
- Guaranteed profits or a promise to fix a restaurant within weeks.
- No written scope or timeline.
- No food trials or recipe cards.
Want to ask us these questions? Book a video call or see how we work.