'Foodservice' is a wide reaching term, the reason we use it is to cover everything from high volume catering operations, to a fitted out horse box. There have never been so many innovative and unique ways to cater as there are presently and the times are only continuing to evolve.
Why then, does the market turn to consultants to help when there is clearly an abundance of imagination and adaptability already out there?
Expertise and Experience - This goes beyond a thorough understanding of design principles, legislation & equipment options, and into the deeper levels of understanding you as an operation, your values and goals, and aligning them with a suitable solutions that give you the best value for money. A foodservice consultant will usually provide multiple design options in the early stages and should be adaptable to overcome challenges presented by a particular site, but also willing to challenge you if something simply cannot work. A commercial kitchen is a functional space, with predetermined outputs and as such there are often difficult conversations to be had. It is important that you find a consultant you like, and have the confidence in to have open discussions when needed.
Safety / Compliance - Food safety and compliance is under more scrutiny now than ever before, ensuring a facility is fit for the preparation of food is at the forefront of a foodservice design consultant's approach. They will have an understanding of the required surface finishes, storage requirements, general layout to ensure a space is planned out in the best way to promote best practices, some consultancies can also go further and offer on site support to chef's with operational advice and training once up and running.
Cost Saving - At one level the foodservice consultant is able to advise on equipment budget prices at all stages of the design to ensure time isn't wasted planning for something which is unachievable. But at a more comprehensive level they are able to advise on technical information which helps with the specification of elements outside of their specialism, for example your M&E consultant might need to specify an A.H.U (air handling unit) early in the project as part of the feasibility study, or perhaps the groundwork team need to understand how many drain points would be needed in the concrete slab? The right level of information at the right time is crucial to keeping a project budget on track, and an appreciation / understanding of the wider build process can bring savings if done correctly or cost significant amounts if done poorly.
Impartiality - Independent foodservice design consultants do not supply equipment, and are not bound by any commercial agreements to favour any particular brands or types of equipment over another. The loyalty is to the client, and ensuring you get the best piece of equipment for the intended purpose. Another benefit is the ability to use a foodservice consultant to market test prices to convey and your stakeholders that you have carried out the necessary due diligence in planning your investment. This is often most pertinent in preparing catering designs and documents for grant applications.
Outside Perspective - Or a 'fresh eye's approach' helps bring another viewpoint to the table. There are a wide range of foodservice consultants with varying specialisms but there is a common benefit in bringing a consultant on board and this it to inject some wider experience into your group. Consultants tend to invest a lot of time staying up to speed on the latest technological advances in the equipment market and may have some suggestions you hadn't thought of.
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