Small Business Summit Center

Katy Sparks, Katy Sparks Culinary Consulting

[Katy Sparks is a restaurant consultant: equal parts food critic, chef, and marketer. We talked about her work.]

AB: A restaurant hires you to upgrade their menu. How do they measure the success of the project?

KS: The best indicator that we've been successful is the increase in business. This is easily measured by comparing numbers from the period before the changes took place and by analyzing exactly what the customers are ordering. In addition to simply changing the menu, my services usually include training the front of the house staff so they are very knowledgeable about the new approach to food and are excited to communicate this to the customer. I believe that the service staff are an incredibly important link between the chef and the diner and have always valued them tremendously for the role they play in a satisfying experience for the guest.

AB: There are usually some big egos in the "back of the house." What do you ask of a chef and an owner before you begin a job?

KS: You are right, any good chef has a big ego. I think this is very healthy and my relationship with the chef begins by making sure that he or she knows that I am on board to support them and to make their job easier, not harder. The necessary question for both the owner and the chef, if they are not the same person, is: are you prepared for change? Change is difficult at the best of times and nearly impossible if you resist it. I find that chefs really respect not only my food knowledge, but my obvious passion for what I do. I speak the language of the kitchen as well as of the front office.

AB: Running a small business for the first time means lots of new challenges. What part of entrepreneurship have you worked hardest on?

KS: I am finding that being a small business owner is more rewarding and exciting than I had imagined. I realize I could have made the leap years before, but I would not have been as ready as I am now. I work hard to really connect with my clients and this is my favorite part. I love to write proposals in response to what my client is looking for because I always add a few ideas that they hadn't thought of but that are great ideas for their business. The proposal stage is where you can really get the client on board and excited by what is possible. Then, you deliver even more than you promised.

AB: What would you do if you weren't in business for yourself?

KS: Now that I have experienced the independence and satisfaction of running my own business, I don't think I will ever go back- not even for the 401K and the office Christmas party!

Business Bio

Katy Sparks Culinary Consulting is a chef-owned company that focuses on bringing local, seasonal and sustainable cooking to diverse clients. Companies that benefit from Katy Sparks's brand of award-winning culinary wizardry range from corporate executive dining to start-up restaurants to gourmet food market chains. Any company that is interested in improving the quality of their food and improving profitability while at the same time being responsive to the environmental implications of the food choices we all make can benefit from Katy's expertise.