Bay Area Restaurant Consultants Combine Architectural Design, Marketing, Graphics, Accounting and General Operations Consulting Advice.

"YOU ARE THE BEST"

New Delhi Restaurant

We kept hearing horror stories - Too much pursuit of style over substance. Too many "experts" ignoring the bottom line.We knew that a new approach that combined good design, effective marketing and press knowledge with a solid understanding of operational and financial concerns was needed by Bay Area restaurants and specialty foods companies.So we formed FULL PLATE RESTAURANT CONSULTING to offer cost effective, real life solutions. The results speak for themselves - Press recognition as experts and a wide variety of Clients with successful new ventures, turnarounds, and business expansions. All With Immediate and Measurable Financial Results.
JOAN SIMON
BUSINESS PLANS
MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
PRESS RELATIONS
ADVERTISING
PROMOTIONS
IDENTITY
BRANDING
MENU DESIGN
CONCEPT STRATEGY


"JOAN IS SIMPLY GREAT. PERIOD. SHE LOVES WHAT SHE DOES, SHE KNOWS WHAT SHE'S DOING, & SHE CARES. WONDERFULLY EFFICIENT, SHE WORKS HARD TO HELP MAKE MY COMPANY SUCCESSFUL."

Gather Restaurant


Joan Simon has a track record of improving the bottom line for restaurants and catering companies - large and small - through practical, hands on marketing and communications techniques that are affordable and achievable on an immediate basis.

As owner of San Francisco's premier conference concierge service "Reservations Tonight" and a website that serves over 5000 unique visitors each month, Joan has her finger on the pulse of what attracts diners. As publisher of the "San Francisco Dining Companion" used by 200+ working hotel concierges, Joan also has a practical, money saving perspective on Press, Advertising, Special Promotions, Internet Outreach and Identity, as well as Menu Creation, Design, and Branding.


Often quoted in the media on restaurant industry topics, as well as being a speaker at industry seminars, Joan sees the mistakes (as well as the successes) that restaurants and hospitality businesses experience. Her client track record clearly proves that she gets diners in the door without breaking the bank.

CHRIS PASTENA
MENU CREATION
BOH STAFF TRAINING
FOOD & BAR COSTS
INVENTORY CONTROLS
FINANCIALS REVIEW
LOCATION ANALYSIS

“WITHOUT RESERVATION, I CAN RECOMMEND CHRIS TO WHOEVER REQUIRES A TALENTED INDIVIDUAL TO SUPPORT OR LEAD ANY CULINARY PROJECT”.
Aloha Island Barbeque

Chris graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 1996 and went onto work in some of the Bay Area’s most popular neighborhood restaurants. As Executive Chef/GM/Partner in Bruno’s Restaurant he helped to make the Mission District the hot culinary scene that it is today. More recently he has helped to revitalize downtown Oakland with his new spot ChopBar and he has gotten rave reviews for his jazz club Coda.

Winner of the American Culinary Gold Award of Excellence for 2002, Chris specializes in helping new restaurants get off the ground with solid menus, kitchen procedures, and staff training. Known for having no ego, Chris is also adept at working with existing restaurants and turning them around to become more profitable operations.

JIM MAXWELL &
CINDY BECKMAN
aka ARCHITECTS II

ARCHITECTURE & REMODELS
INTERIOR DESIGN & COLOR
HISTORIC RESTORATION
SPACE PLANNING
KITCHEN DESIGN
“A KNOWLEDGEABLE, DEDICATED GROUP OF PROFESSIONALS. THEIR “CAN DO” ATTITUDE ALLOWED ALL INVOLVED TO ACHIEVE A QUALITY PRODUCT”.
Marathon Group

Since 1990, the husband and wife design team of Jim Maxwell and Cindy Beckman have created almost 100 restaurants of every size in Northern California and as far away as Russia, where they designed the first microbrewery/restaurant in that country. As Architects II, their work has been featured in Food Arts Magazine, Historic Preservation, Image, Interiors, In-Marin, SF Magazine, SF Chronicle & Examiner, and the Whitney Library of Design's "Recycled as Restaurants." The firm offers specialized services for restaurant and retail design, historic renovation, and access compliance review and implementation.

Notable restaurant projects include a wide variety of styles from the casual sophistication and farm fresh warmth of One Market Restaurant to the upscale Indian flair of DOSA on Fillmore, the spectacular Sol Y Lago on Lake Tahoe and the cozy warmth of Bin 38 Wine Bar and Restaurant. Neighborhood spots benefit from the team’s ability to utilize common materials in unique details, allowing their design approach to be affordable and cost effective for both initial build-out and the life cycle of the restaurant with affordable “green restaurant” options available.
ADAM JED
HANDS ON MANAGEMENT
FINANCIAL OPERATIONS
WINE PROGRAM DESIGN
SECRET SHOPPING
HOTEL & SPA F&B
SERVICE STAFF TRAINING

“PASSION AND COMMITMENT HELPED MAKE HIM ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE MEMBERS OF OUR MANAGEMENT TEAM.”
PlumpJack Group

Adam has built a national reputation for front of house restaurant management and strategic financial planning for some of the country's premier hospitality organizations. As Director of Restaurant Operations for the PlumpJack Group, he managed budgets and services for multiple units throughout California; advising on F&B for hotels and spas, as well as restaurants and lounges. Working nationally with the China Grill Restaurant Group he has opened several high concept spots; instituting operating procedures that maximize profits and accountability.

In addition to “hands on” management and restaurant opening services, Adam offers training programs that motivate staff and "secret shopping" for locations in need of real world solutions with quantifiable results. A graduate of Cornell's School of Hospitality Management, Adam is also a certified sommelier capable of designing profitable, award winning wine programs.
POUNEH TOUTOUNCHIAN
WEB DESIGN
GRAPHIC DESIGN
FLASH ANIMATION
LOGOS & IDENTITY
BROCHURES & ADS
WEB MAINTENANCE

Pouneh is prized by her clients for her skill, proficiency and quick turnaround - turning out quality product at a reasonable price. Hospitality industry clients range from hot spots Medjool and Pisco Latin Lounge to old-timers like Alioto's at the Wharf. Accredited in Internet Design and Technology through the highly respected Multimedia Studies Program at San Francisco State University, Pouneh's proven technical skills give both large and small companies the creative vision necessary to stand out in today's world of information overload.

ROB LAVOIE
FINANCIAL SYSTEM DESIGN
COST CONTROL OVERSIGHT
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CASH FLOW MANAGEMENT
CONTROLLER SERVICES
ACCOUNTING INTERFACE
For nearly three decades, Rob has assisted entrepreneurs and small business owners develop and operate their businesses in the most profitable manner. He has assisted dozens of companies with strategies for capitalization as well as evaluation of internal controls, budget development and cost control strategies. For 13 years he was CFO for the PlumpJack Group where he developed commercial banking relationships, negotiated loan agreements, interest rate swaps and models for development or purchase of four restaurants, two luxury resort hotels, two ultra-premium wineries and several specialty retail shops. Prior to that he managed $5 billion in credit and debit card transactions at Wells Fargo Bank where he also coordinated the budget and planning process for over 30 departments in seven districts.

Surprisingly affordable, Rob can assist in the business planning stages as readily as he can serve as an ongoing financial advisor to insure you get on track and stay there.

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT - Full Plate can create and manage your facebook, twitter, flickr, accounts and more. We stay up to date on the latest tools, edit your youtube videos, and help you immediately build fans, followers and buzz in this brave new world of internet marketing.

ACCOUNTING
& BOOKEEPING - Restaurant accounting is unique and often daunting for small to mid size businesses. We can refer you to specialists who know the industry and can help with: Payroll & Tip Reporting, Bookkeeping, Flash Reports, Financial Statements, Local Taxation Issues and Federal and State Employment Tax Credits, annual tax returns and more.

WINE CONSULTING
- You need not spend a fortune to obtain the benefits of a top sommelier or well known chef. Full Plate’s connections include sought after wine judges and experts who can help you determine the myriad possibilities to make your wine list stand out as both a marketing tool and a profit center.

GREEN RESTAURANT PRACTICES - Full Plate helps restaurants save money through green, energy efficient, and sustainable business planning. In partnership with Thimmakka (a national leader in green business education and services), we are the premier Northern California restaurant consulting firm able to guide clients through the morass of design, operational, and marketing resources available.


Copyright 2010, use of photos and material by permission only.