François Latapie is a Hospitality consultant specializing in Concepts, Management, Food & Beverage and Services
Background
A native of Paris, I spent more than three decades in New York City, where I cultivated a career as a restaurateur and food & beverage expert. I began my tenure within the industry as a chef before eventually opening my own restaurants in Miami and New York City, where I was able to combine my passions for high-touch hospitality, thoughtful design, and approachable fine dining. I began fascinated by the management of restaurants and the multiple oportunities I created for myself and others. Today, I want to share with you my unique experience, turning your dreams and needs into reality.
For more than 6 years, until May 2022, I owned and operated a neighborhood French bistro called Little Frog in New York City.
Now a full-time hospitality consultant, I have since lent my expertise to hospitality groups, restaurants and hotels, advising on key operations including but not limited to concept development, strategic planning, business analytics, and team building & training. Whether I am negotiating a lease agreement in Austin Texas, or developing a wine list for a Forbes Five-Star hotel restaurant in New York City, my approach artfully marries business sense and a distinctive creative vision.
I bring a demonstrated track record, complete with a Michelin-star ratings and rave New York Times reviews, as well as a results-oriented mindset to every project. I am a poised problem-solver who pairs experience and passion to offer cunning insights and multi-prong creative solutions. The services I offer are unique and based on my reconized expertise and long experience in the hospitality industry. Lately, I have been working in New York, New Jersey, and Texas on diverse projects. I want to hear your story, please call me!
Services
Business Plan
I translate your dream into a beautifully minted business plan: your story, your concept, your vision. Planning, projections, location analysis, design, brand creation and description, investment options, I create the tool to help you sell your business idea to investors.
Pre-Opening Management
Development, execution, and oversight of pre-opening strategies and sound launch plans. Advisement on key legal matters including local & state permits and licenses, certificates of occupancy, and other relevant opening documentation, as well as POS system set up, ensuring restaurant is ready to open.
Team Hiring
Key human resource experience with respect to crafting HR handbooks, in-house policies, and employee job descriptions, as well as developing hiring strategies including onboarding team members. Experience with team building from the top down from high-level executives and renown culinary talent to both back- and front- of house staff.
Operation & Management
Establishment of operation guidelines and policies, setting up all moving parts of the restaurant from hours of operation, schedules, programming and more. Management of all players within the operation, ensuring execution of key plans and strategies.
Marketing & Brand Strategy
Development of creative concepts, revenue-driving initiatives, and newsworthy brand stories. Experience with identifying, vetting, and managing synergistic brand partners, including but not limited to PR & social media agencies, designers, and web developers. Specialization in graphic design and branding to create a customized visual narrative.
Menu Development
Thorough and thoughtful food & beverage menu analysis with the objective to elegantly tell the story of the culinary concept and amplify the overarching theme, while also driving business goals.
Pre-Opening
A successful business opening is a giant step forward, a messy opening will stall your business or worse. Let me help you plan your pre-opening phase, making it a positive experience, prepping you up for a successful launching, the right start for a bright future.
Restaurant Concepts
Development of concepts based popular recognized old world venues, such as Parisian Cafés, Brasseries, Wine Bars, Bistros, classic English & IrishPubs, Pizzerias, Trattorias, Sushi bars, as well as Steak Houses, Coffee Shops, American Diners, Beer Taverns & Coffee Houses.
Business Management
Creative business solutions and out-of-the-box ideas designed to drive revenue and decrease overhead expenditures, with special attention paid to accounting, inventory, and cost of goods. Launch thoughtful business activations to ensure consistency of business, such as ghost visits, secret shopper, and inventory audits.
Wine & Cocktail Programs
I offer wine expertise such as sourcing, selecting, buying wine, including sustainable, biodynamic, & natural wines, non-alcoholic wines, as well cellar management. I help you create wine lists, bar lists, liqueurs pars, beverage lists, wine & cocktail programs and manage inventories for your brand.
Note: All services can be delivered in French and English
Testimonials
“François' culinary & management high level of expertise, coupled with his deep attention to detail helped us launch the restaurant in a smooth & professional manner. His wine knowledge & buying acumen designing our list was an important factor of our successful opening.”
Chef François Payard, Managing Partner, Southold Social Restaurant, NY
“François’ vast hospitality experience, attention to detail, and enthusiasm for the business enabled us to build key business standards and launch a highly successful opening”
Joe Gentile, Managing Partner, The Shoals Suites & Slips, Southold NY
“François deep understanding and precise execution of our team vision helped put our very select boutique hotel and its culinary venue on the North Fork map”
Jonathan Tibett, Managing Partner, The Shoals Suites & Slips, Southold NY
“François Latapie created a new & exciting menu for Thread, our Renaissance lobby bar. His knowledge and understanding of our hotel culture and standards was a major reason of our ongoing success”.
Gilles Rebmann, Hotel General Manager, Renaissance New York Midtown
“ I am delighted to provide a testimonial for François Latapie and his invaluable contributions to VERSA. As a contracted consultant, François’ expertise in restaurant operations, management development and beverage know-how has truly benefited our operation. His strategic insights and innovative approach have not only enhanced our team capabilities but also elevated our customer experience. One of François’ greatest strengths is his ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with diverse stakeholders, staff and vendors. François’ dedication, professionalism, and commitment to excellence have been instrumental to the success of VERSA. We are truly grateful for his expertise and would highly recommend his services to any establishment seeking to achieve excellence in their operations".
Arthur Backal, CEO-Backal Hospitality Group, NYC
I ordered a very bespoke restaurant business plan based on a specific concept for my new venture in Texas. Right on time and without delays, François delivered an investor friendly beautifully crafted 30 pages colorful booklet with everything in it. I was very impressed and so were my investors. We highly recommend him as a multi talented consultant.
Sebastien Lauzy, Austin, Texas
I hired François to research, buy and taste specific products to create and market a new brand. He tirelessly ordered and reported on hundred of these products, including sourcing & all technical specifications, allowing us to select the best of them to start our own new line.
Xavier Noël, Owner & CEO Paris Gourmet, Carlstadt, NJ