Guide
How to Choose a Restaurant Consultant in India
By Anthony Philip · 27 August 2026 · 6 min read
In short
Choose a restaurant consultant by checking three things: that the team has run the kitchens, bars and floors they advise on, that they can show venues they opened which are still trading, and that the fee is tied to a defined scope with deliverables. In India a concept and feasibility study is usually a fixed fee, a full launch is quoted stage by stage, and post-launch support should be included for at least six to twelve months.
A good consultant saves you more than their fee in avoided mistakes. A bad one adds a layer of slides between you and your contractor. Here is how to tell the difference before you sign.
What does a restaurant consultant actually do?
A restaurant consultant tests whether the concept works commercially, designs the menu and the kitchen around it, specifies equipment and suppliers, guides licensing, recruits and trains the team, and supports operations after opening. Some firms cover only one piece, such as menu development or kitchen design. Make sure the scope you are buying matches the gaps you have.
What questions should you ask before hiring?
- Which venues did you open in the last three years, and which are still trading?
- Who exactly will work on my project, and what have they run themselves?
- What are the deliverables at each stage, and what do I own at the end?
- How are fees structured, and what triggers each payment?
- Do you take commissions from equipment vendors or suppliers?
- What happens after opening, and for how long?
How are consultant fees structured in India?
Three structures are common. A fixed fee for a defined piece of work such as a feasibility study or a menu. A stage-by-stage fee for a full launch, paid as each stage is delivered. A monthly retainer for ongoing operations support. Percentage-of-capex fees exist but reward the consultant for spending your money, so prefer scope-based pricing. Ask whether travel, trials and food costs for tastings are included.
What are the warning signs?
A portfolio with no venues you can visit. Consultants who have never worked a service shift. Recommendations that always point to the same equipment brand or contractor without a comparison. A proposal with no timeline or deliverables. And anyone who promises a return before they have seen your site, your lease and your catchment.
What should you have ready before the first meeting?
The site or shortlist with floor area and rent, your budget range, the cuisine or concept idea, your target opening date, and an honest view of how involved you will be day to day. The more precise the brief, the more precise the scope and fee.
What does a good engagement look like?
A feasibility stage that can end in a no. A menu that is trialled and costed before the kitchen is designed. A kitchen drawn around that menu. Licences started in week one. Staff trained on documented recipes and service standards. A soft launch with real numbers, and a consultant who is still answering the phone six months later.
Table & Fork works this way across Delhi NCR, Pune and Bengaluru, with a fixed-fee concept and feasibility study and one year of post-launch support on every launch. The FAQ page covers cost, timeline and licensing questions in more detail.
Written by
Anthony Philip S.
Operations and Concept, Table & Fork
A WSET Level 3 wine connoisseur, mixologist and seasoned hospitality professional. Anthony has worked for over a decade and a half with renowned brands including Diva, Olive Bar and Kitchen, Town Hall, Amour, Jimmy Boi, Gaylord Mumbai and Ghetto. His eye for detail and his strategy for restaurant and hotel F&B service operations have been instrumental in our clients' success.
Meet the team