EXAMPLE CASE CONCEPT ONE – Manchester UK
Significant involvement in Multi-million pound build of City Football Groups Training Academy (Manchester City Football Club) part of the larger Etihad Campus near to SportCity. Working with Rafael Viñoly Architects of New York and a multitude of contractors and clients to create and design a world leading training facility from concept identity through to working with the business and team operationally for a number of years after opening. A 40,000 square foot building housing 200 club employees, press conference auditorium, 7000 seat miniature stadium, youth training facilities for Elite first team, Women and Youth teams comprising hydrotherapy, physiotherapy, hotel, internal road network, administration, state of the art gymnasia. This internationally award-winning facility with extensive catering facilities in six areas with dedicated kitchens tasked with delivering to set dedicated budgets with challenging spaces and huge expectations for sports athletes, members of the public, administration and education. Serving a very varied selection of food that were delivered by in-house catering teams and also contracted out to various third parties. Contributing and agreeing to room data sheets with Client for a variety of catering areas, specification and fit out of all catering equipment. Sourcing ingredients and local suppliers, many of whom had to be organic for this Client, also search and selection of suitable chefs and caterers. NB previously been involved for twenty years with all elements of Catering design including the original fans zone City square, award winning Tunnel Club and all of the Etihad Stadium expansion and refurbishments at the Etihad.
EXAMPLE CASE CONCEPT TWO - Kuwait, Middle East
Working for a very high profile, demanding Arabian Client to identify sustainable commercial opportunities for a Restaurant Concept Brand within Kuwait to roll out limited numbers of restaurants and then expand throughout the Middle East. Commenced by understanding the market, trends, competitors, building an authentic artisanal Mediterranean restaurant concept together with essential values and cultural ethos and identity. We opened two sites for this client, one in the very exclusive and upmarket high profile Phase 4 Avenues, Kuwait with the second restaurant in an external area next to a racecourse in Murouj, Kuwait, this also led to us designing and fitting out a central production unit. From the success of the two openings in Kuwait, we were then commissioned to work in the Client’s other F&B businesses in Kuwait with an overarching role in strategy. Adjusting the offering for the local clientele and customer demographics. Working up locations / sites / sizing / return on investment / P&L forecast and budgets, operational modelling, food methodology, designing product, service, it’s design approach into workflows, logistics and ergonomics. Including search, selection and recruitment, internal details such as menu design, NPD and costings, project management, working with interior designers, brand design agency, kitchen design layouts, plotting spaces, specification of equipment, also tendering (challenging circumstances and individuals) and then was part of working with contractors on site, deliveries, fit out, installation, handover, pre-opening, staff role play and training, promotional marketing and working with the team operationally from pre-opening through day to day trading and into profit. Research and development of suitable dishes that would translate to the Middle Eastern market. The expansion continued and we opened two additional restaurants in U Walk, Riyadh, KSA to astounding success.
EXAMPLE CASE CONCEPT THREE – North Yorkshire
The conversion of a derelict one thousand years old Castle of great historical significance, mentioned in the Domesday Book, and set in 77 acres of land to a hotel, restaurant, café, conference, event and wedding venue. The Castle needed repurposing and substantial total development with essential allocation of working spaces, as a Grade 1 & 2 listed property, it garnered great interest from English Heritage, the Elizabethan Society and Georgian Society. We needed to install mains gas, water and electricity, a new roof, building of road network, building of communication systems etc., with M&E challenges and restrictions. A sympathetic and mindful conversion from a monastery into a commercial privately-owned hotel with three kitchens, cookery school, an award-winning fine dining restaurant which gained local and national recognition, café, chapel, conference and events, bedrooms and weddings. We worked with a detailed design team to harness the extraordinary challenges relating to a building of this age. Turnkey team from location site visit through to commercial concept, planning and design into opening and then into profit. Formulating the commercial opportunities with the challenges of huge commercial overheads which was biased towards food and beverage, not accommodation, and establishing the business from zero which needed a significant level of commercial sales to exist and prosper. Understanding a wide range of customer profiles and demographics.
EXAMPLE CASE CONCEPT FOUR – Retail supermarket Chain, Nationwide
A retail supermarket client’s venture into instore food service and catering. Research and development into proof of concept, design, creation and nationwide rollout an in-store fresh food production kitchen with detailed costings and pricing policies. Food makers who manufacture a variety of food products / concepts which will be flexing throughout the course of the day, on site and in front of customers, time of day appropriate. R&D of fresh food manufactured within given price points and time constraints. Areas / zones designated for food service, timetabled design / construction. Education of retail client into food service and catering knowhow. Equipment suitability, life expectancy and performance abilities – also design principles and approaches, internal customer / staff traffic flows. Forecasting shoppers and numbers of covers with average spends and volumes, extraordinary food safety policies, working with contractors, builders, architects and multi-level external third parties. Back of house operations / kitchens on view front of house – opening early September 2020. Proposing kitchen layouts, designs, specification of equipment ready for detailed tender process. NPD work on suitable menus and dishes, also gluten free training for a dedicated gf kitchen.
Copyright © 2017 John Benson-Smith - All Rights Reserved
Member of Institute of Consulting - Members FSB