WORK WITH SMKSTN
Operational experience. Applied where it matters.
Focused culinary and operational support for restaurants, hotels and hospitality projects — from identifying what is holding an operation back to implementing change, preparing for opening and supporting delivery.
REVIEW
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RESOLVE
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DELIVER
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REVIEW | RESOLVE | DELIVER |
REVIEW
Operational Review
€1,000 fixed fee
A focused two-day review providing an experienced outside perspective on what is working, what isn't, and where attention should go first.
RESOLVE
Focused Operational Support
From €600 / day
Targeted support when the challenge is already clear — working directly on menus, systems, workflow, costs, suppliers and operational pressure points.
DELIVER
Project & Pre-Opening Support
Bespoke
Structured support for openings, mobilisation, concept implementation and operational projects — from planning through to live delivery.
OUR APPROACH
Understand the operation before changing it.
Hospitality problems rarely exist in isolation. A menu problem can become a service problem. A service problem can expose a training problem. A cost problem may begin with purchasing, production or workflow.
We look at the operation as a whole — understanding how the individual parts connect before deciding where change will have the greatest impact.
Observe first. Understand the cause. Then act.
THE OPERATIONAL REVIEW
MENU
Feasibility, complexity & operational fit
PREP & PRODUCTION
Planning, workload & organisation
COST & CONTROL
Waste, purchasing & operational efficiency
KITCHEN & WORKFLOW
Workspace, equipment & service flow
TEAM & SYSTEMS
Structure, responsibilities & communication
GUEST IMPACT
Where operational pressure reaches the customer
HOW IT WORKS
01 — OBSERVE
Inside the operation
One day on site, observing how the operation actually works — from preparation and workflow through to team communication and live service.
02 — REVIEW
Away from the noise
The findings are analysed to separate symptoms from causes, identify immediate opportunities and establish the areas requiring priority attention.
03 — ACT
Clear direction
You receive a concise written Operational Review with key findings, priorities and practical next steps, followed by a management debrief.
THE INVESTMENT
€1,000
Fixed professional fee
A two-day Operational Review including on-site observation, analysis, written findings, priority recommendations and a management debrief. Travel and accommodation, where required, are agreed separately in advance.
Need support beyond the review?
Where further operational support is required, implementation can be scoped separately at €500 per day + expenses, or as a bespoke project engagement.
When an outside perspective can help
Something isn't working, but the cause isn't clear.
The operation has grown faster than its systems.
Service is inconsistent despite having a capable team.
Menu complexity is putting pressure on the operation.
Costs, waste or labour need greater control.
An opening or relaunch needs an operational sense-check.
Management knows change is needed but needs clarity on where to start.
Built in operations, not in theory.
Smoke & Stone is led by William Hemming, bringing more than 20 years of hands-on experience across restaurants, luxury hotels, openings, events and complex hospitality operations.
That experience shapes how SMKSTN works: observe first, understand the operation, identify what matters, and develop solutions that can perform under real service conditions.
LET'S TALK
Not sure where the problem starts?
That’s often the point.
Whether you need an independent operational review, focused support on a specific challenge, or experienced project delivery, the first step is a conversation.