Client Projects






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CLIENT PROJECTS
Scenario 1: Client with long-time incumbent foodservice operator is considering renegotiation with incumbent versus doing RFP: Example Clients National Gallery of Art Ravinia Festival1 Great Lakes Science Center2 Museum of Science, Boston3 Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art The Jewish Museum Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens Detroit Institute of Art Consultant Activities Institutional orientation and interviews with key stakeholders Study/evaluate the client-operator relationship Recommendation as to renegotiate or RFP including financial ramifications 1 At Ravinia Festival, Consultant also conceptualized and then programmed and planned a new dining pavilion with new destination restaurant, which included new restaurants and private dining. 2 This client and client/neighbor Rock and Roll Hall of Fame engaged consultant to complete feasibility study and preliminary financial projections to develop 25K s.f. destination restaurant/dining and banquet/catering facility on the lake between the two institutions. 3 Consultant also did study on a destination restaurant to be incorporated in museum long-range expansion plan. This included visitor research and presentation to the Executive Committee of the Board.

Scenario 2: Client wants to conduct RFP: Example Clients Woodland Park Zoo Aquarium of the Pacific Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center Los Angeles County Museum of Art Asian Art Museum Delaware Museum of Art Currier Museum of Art4 Cape Fear Botanical Garden Queens Botanical Garden Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center August Wilson Center for African American Culture 4 Assisted client with various tasks in the operator selection process including RFP document development, proposal evaluation, finalist interviews, contract review, and transition involvement. Consultant Activities Institutional orientation and interviews with key stakeholders. Management and administration of RFP process including contract and contract negotiations. Occasionally includes visitor, member and stakeholder foodservice market research first with such research being provided to operators as part of the RFP package.

Scenario 3: Self-Operation versus Outsourced Operation: Example Clients San Francisco Zoo Los Angeles Zoo Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Science Museum of Minnesota (retail) Los Angeles County Museum of Art (retail) Delaware Museum of Art Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian Buffalo Bill Historical Center Grounds for Sculpture Zoo Atlanta Milwaukee Art Museum Grand Rapids Public Museum Consultant Activities Institutional orientation and interviews with key stakeholders. Extensive onsite observations of current operations/services. Benchmarking with other self-operated similar institutions. Evaluation of plans and operational criteria related to building a café in a new health center. Full review of client’s current foodservice and retail operations and investigation of potential outsourcing options within client’s geographic region. 5 A self-operated foodservice before a total renovation of the museum and opting to pursue a foodservice management company as the provider for their new museum.

Scenario 4: Programming and Planning: Example Clients: Aquarium of the Pacific St. Louis Art Museum Audubon Zoo California Academy of Sciences (not the current foodservice, previous iterations) San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Seattle Aquarium Institute of Contemporary Art Walker Art Center Cape Fear Botanical Garden Hagley Museum and Library The Farmer’s Museum Fenimore Art Museum National Children’s Museum Maymont Foundation William King Regional Arts Center Davis Museum and Cultural Center Stratford Hall Plantation The Reach Anchorage Museum of Art & History Calgary Science Center Detroit Historical Museum EdVenture Children’s Museum South Carolina State Museum Ringling Museum of Art Consultant Activities: Institutional orientation and interviews with key stakeholders. Identify foodservice facility design project team member. Develop foodservice program and foodservice facility design working as part of the project team including the architect and client.

Scenario 5: Client has not done foodservice focused research ever or in a long time with visitors (both foodservice and non-foodservice customers), members, staff, or volunteers (and usually board members) to learn if current foodservice meets or exceeds expectations and in the case of renovation, expansion or new programming to determine expectations to be sure institution makes the best and most efficient use of foodservice space and associated capital costs. Example Clients Ravinia Festival6 Smithsonian National Zoological Park (Friends of the National Zoo) Los Angeles Zoo Museum of Science & Industry National Gallery of Art Museum of Science, Boston Consultant Activities Institutional orientation and interviews with key stakeholders. A combination of intercept, on-line/email, telephone, and mail-in surveys. Comprehensive report with recommendations for improvements based on input from current “and” prospective customers. Evaluation of plans and foodservice operational criteria related to the building of the new Living Skies Casino at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada. Full financial and operational review of client’s existing foodservices with extensive recommendations for improvements as outlined in the Scope of Services. 6 Completed 4 years ago due to client unhappiness with foodservice program and operator used results to make improvements which resulted in increased satisfaction and per capita spending. Same work was done again in 2008 to ascertain guest satisfaction with new dining pavilion opened in 2007 as well as satisfaction with corporate catering

Scenario 6: Evaluation of Gaming Foodservices to Elevate Food Quality, Menu Variety, Purchasing/Inventory Controls and Standards, Staffing, Player Participation, Guest Services, and Speed of Service: Example Clients Dakota Dunes Casino Northern Lights Casino Gold Eagle Casino Painted Hand Casino Bear Claw Casino Living Skies Casino Consultant Activities Casino orientation and interviews with key stakeholders. Extensive onsite observations of current operations/services. Benchmarking with other similar, self-operated casinos.

Scenario 7: Operational Assessment of Current Self-Operated food and catering: Example Clients Conner Prairie Smithsonian National Zoological Park (Friends of the National Zoo) Milwaukee Art Museum Grand Rapids Public Museum Zoo Atlanta Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority Memphis Brooks Museum of Art Grounds for Sculpture High Desert Museum Consultant Activities Institutional orientation and interviews with key stakeholders. Extensive operational observations leading to specific recommendations regarding practices and procedures. Review of financial data and historical results to develop trend analysis and identify opportunity. Benchmarking operating results to similar institutions, both self operated and outsourced to determine scope of opportunities. Report and review of comprehensive report with recommendations for improvements based on factual data and observations.

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