Enabling successful scalability
Laying a strong foundation for profitable restaurant expansion
A whetstone is a type of stone used to sharpen knives. Just like chefs sharpen knives to work more efficiently and safely, we use our experience and knowledge to help “sharpen” your company’s infrastructure and operations to enable more efficient and sustainable growth.
restaurant consulting NYC
A 20-year veteran of the restaurant industry, after starting his career at Deloitte, Yousuf followed his heart and jumped head first into the restaurant industry, owning and operating both fast casual and full-service restaurants.
After exiting his business, he has since operated as a consultant, often joining in a acting CEO or CFO capacity. His experience includes working with some of the largest franchisors in the world, set up the financial infrastructure to help expand a brand from zero revenue to $150MM over the span of a few years, and guiding restaurant groups to save millions of dollars in both labor and food costs by implementing more effective systems and practices.
Restaurant groups Yousuf has worked with include The Group NYC, Icebox Group, Hakkasan, EMM Group, Garces, Balance Grille, Focus Brands and many others.
Justin Leve is a fractional COO with over 16 years of experience in hospitality and food based CPG clients. He has a broad record of success, including operations, consumer brand management, and business development.
Justin’s strengths lie in strategic revenue growth through licensing and franchise operations, and turn around strategies.
He started his career in restaurants and worked as a chef in Colorado and Alaska before moving to New York. After over a decade of leading international growth operations retail in the Middle East and Asia, he has returned to focus on his first love, restaurants and hospitality
Justin has worked with Martha Stewart, Brooks Brothers, Lululemon, Reef Technology, Fuku, and Joe Fresh, amongst others.
Justin Leve is a fractional COO with over 16 years of experience in hospitality and food based CPG clients. He has a broad record of success, including operations, consumer brand management, and business development.
Justin’s strengths lie in strategic revenue growth through licensing and franchise operations, and turn around strategies.
He started his career in restaurants and worked as a chef in Colorado and Alaska before moving to New York. After over a decade of leading international growth operations retail in the Middle East and Asia, he has returned to focus on his first love, restaurants and hospitality
Justin has worked with Martha Stewart, Brooks Brothers, Lululemon, Reef Technology, Fuku, and Joe Fresh, amongst others.
restaurant consulting services
Infrastructure
Establish financial, operational and HR structure to achieve sustainable growth.
Benchmarking
Benchmarking and streamlining operations for greater profitability.
U.S. Market Guidance
Guidance for overseas restaurant markets into the U.S.
Real Estate
Lease negotiation with focus on minimizing client exposure and outlay, and site selection (through association with boutique restaurant real estate broker)
Network
Deep relationships with top of class restaurant industry professionals including Legal, Marketing, Accounting, and Human Resources
Fundraising
Structuring of loan packages and presentation, and working with lenders to obtain optimal results.
Restaurant Consulting Insights
Yousuf Hasan
Teeing up your restaurant concept for a successful capital raise
Restaurants are now the new hot investment, with “fast casual” becoming the darling of the industry.
Valuations for fast casual groups have been so frothy (Shake Shack is expected to trade at over 200 times earnings for 2015) that there has been talk of a “fast casual bubble”.
Overseas concepts
Guidance for overseas concepts entering U.S. market. Gain credibility with vendors, landlords, and other stakeholders, with an experienced local operator by your side
