Soft heart
Empathy.
Who is this for? How will they feel? Do they feel welcomed, comfortable, considered, delighted?
Hospitality advisory
I help people make places feel better.
I work as an outside set of eyes for hospitality concepts - helping restaurants, hotels, bars, wineries, developers and hospitality brands understand how the experience actually feels from the guest’s perspective.
A restaurant has a concept, but someone has to enter it. A hotel has standards, but someone has to sleep there. A wine list has information, but someone has to navigate it.
Hospitality happens in the gap between intention and human experience.
The whole experience
concept
design
guest journey
food and beverage
wine
service
music and sound
lighting
language
brand touchpoints
comfort
functionality
sensory experience
culture
the small details
Sharp eye
Discernment.
Does this work? Does it belong? Is something trying too hard? Could it be simpler, clearer, better?
Enoughness
Leave room.
Sometimes the work is subtraction: remove this, shorten that, dim this, turn this up, protect what is already working.
I don’t replace your architect, designer, chef, operator or creative team.
I look at how their decisions come together.
Does the whole thing work?
When to call
A new restaurant, hotel, bar or winery is being conceived.
A concept is approaching opening.
A property is being renovated or repositioned.
A successful place feels less coherent than it should.
A beautiful design needs to be tested against the guest experience.
A team has been too close to a project to see it clearly.
Possible engagements
concept reviewguest-experience reviewpre-opening walkthroughsexisting-property experience auditsfood and beverage perspectivewine program perspectivesensory and aesthetic reviewbrand-to-experience coherenceowner/operator sounding-board workongoing advisory relationships
If you’re making a place and want another set of eyes on how it feels, I’d like to experience what you’re creating.
Start a conversation