Catering Consultant in Cardiff

Cardiff is twelve miles from my door. I can be in for a service and back out the same day, which matters when the problem is something that needs watching rather than something you can describe on the phone.

I am René Chapman. Most of my Cardiff work starts the same way: somebody is about to spend serious money on a kitchen, or has just worked out that the menu is not earning what they assumed it was.

35+ years in the hospitality sector, in kitchens, on the floor, and buying and selling food wholesale.

Catering equipment

I specify the equipment and manage the supply and installation through to commissioning. The right machine is the one your covers and your menu justify, not the one at the top of the range. More on catering equipment and combi ovens for Cardiff kitchens.

Kitchen design

Laid out so the sections work with each other rather than across each other. Shorter runs, a cleaner flow from delivery through to the pass, and less energy burned standing still.

Menu and gross profit

Every dish costed properly, so you can see which ones carry the menu and which ones are along for the ride. The answer is rarely the one people expect.

Staff training

Kitchen and floor, and the handover in the middle where most services come apart. Delivered on site in short sessions, not a day off the floor.

Stock, ordering and rotas

I will work through whether a system earns its keep at your size before you sign anything. Sometimes the honest answer is a spreadsheet and a tighter routine.

Who I work with

Independent restaurants, cafés and bistros. Gastropubs and food-led bars. Hotels. Contract caterers. Care homes and healthcare. Education catering. Food production.

Where to start

A free conversation about what is actually going wrong. If I cannot see a way to make the numbers work for you, I will tell you that at the start.

Serving Cardiff, Newport, Barry, Bridgend, Swansea, Bristol and the surrounding areas.