I am René Chapman. I have spent 35+ years in this industry, in kitchens, front of house and buying and selling food wholesale. On The Pass Consultancy is what I do with that now: independent catering consultancy for operators across Newport, Cardiff, Bristol, Gloucester and South Wales.
I spent ten years with Rational as a regional sales manager and development chef, so I know combi ovens from the inside rather than from a brochure, and I know the dealer network that quotes and installs them. That does not make this a Rational shop. There are good manufacturers at every budget, and plenty of kitchens do not need a combi at all.
What I do
Catering equipment and combi ovens
Buying the wrong equipment is one of the most expensive mistakes a hospitality business makes, and you live with it for years. I specify equipment sized to your covers and your menu rather than to a brochure, and manage the supply and installation through to commissioning, including combi ovens such as the Rational iCombi Pro. If a refurbished unit or a simpler convection oven is the right answer, that is what I will tell you. More on combi ovens and catering equipment.
Commercial kitchen design
A kitchen planned around service rather than around a drawing board means fewer steps, calmer sections and a lower energy bill every month for the life of the fit-out. I plan layouts, specify equipment and see the job through installation, for everything from a café to a central production kitchen. There is more on commercial kitchen design.
Menu development and gross profit
Most menus have two or three dishes quietly losing money and nobody has costed them properly in years. I cost every dish, show you where the margin is leaking, and rebuild the menu so it earns without becoming boring. A dish that wins praise and runs at 45 per cent food cost is still a problem. More on menu development and gross profit.
Staff training
Off-the-shelf training rarely changes what happens on a Saturday night. I train your team on your kitchen, on your equipment, against the gaps that are actually costing you consistency. I go into more detail on front and back of house training.
AI and technology
The catering technology market is full of expensive promises and very little straight talking. I will tell you which tools genuinely earn their keep at your size, and which are a subscription you will cancel in six months. More on kitchen technology and AI.
Why work with me
35+ years in the hospitality sector. I have cooked in these kitchens, ordered for them and sold into them, so I know the difference between what a supplier says and what turns up on a Tuesday morning.
I specify across the market and across budgets. Sometimes the right answer is the premium machine, sometimes it is a refurbished unit or a decent convection oven, and I will tell you which. I will not over-specify a kitchen. Selling you more than you need is how a consultant gets one job instead of ten years of them.
based in Newport, South Wales, which puts Cardiff, Bristol, Gloucester and most of South Wales inside an easy drive. If a job needs me on site, I am on site. I answer the common questions in full.
Every engagement starts with a free conversation, and I will say so if I cannot see a clear way to make you money. I would rather turn down a job than take one I cannot improve.
Get in touch
If something in your kitchen is not working, or you are about to spend serious money and want a second opinion first, get in touch for a free initial consultation.
Serving Newport, Cardiff, Bristol, Gloucester, South Wales and the surrounding areas.