How to Get into the Food Consulting Business

What exactly is a food consultant? What do they specialize in and how can they help your restaurant business? Whether you are a food-related business looking to hire a food consultant or an individual looking to become one, here is everything you need to know about food consulting and how they can improve the operations of any food service facility.

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What is food consulting? 

Food consultants are experts in gastronomy, food safety and food quality who advise food industry businesses and professionals on the development and improvement of their food service operations. A food consultant can work with restaurants, food producers, schools or any other food service facility.

There are a plethora of jobs related to food consulting and the career path of a consultant is based on their speciality. Jobs available to food consultants are:

• Food and facility inspectors
• Food service quality consultant
• Food safety auditor
• Menu engineer and designer
• Menu developer
• Environmental safety regulator
• Food engineer

Food consultants that work in restaurants usually work with menu engineering, design, and food costing. Food consultants are often hired when a restaurant is trying to cater to specific diners, offer healthier options, gain some creative input, ensure food safety and quality and may even make other recommendations for their clients, like which restaurant POS system is the best choice.

Food consultants will specialize in different types of cuisine or eating styles. For example, a restaurant looking to offer more vegan options will seek out a food consultant that specializes in creating plant-based dishes. Food consultants can also be hired by chain restaurants to create quality assurance, operational systems and food handling and safety systems across all locations.

Food consultants often have a background in culinary arts and/or nutrition, providing industry professionals the tools to:

• Create and maintain food safety procedures.
• Assist with culinary development and menu design.
• Assist with revenue generation, food costs and menu engineering.
• Develop food production facilities and kitchens up to code.
• Create products and dishes that are nutritionally viable and tasty.
• Provide consultation for specific types of food production, such as gluten free baked goods.