A chef-built menu for your taproom, without hiring a chef
Your guests stay longer and spend more when there's good food. But you don't have a chef, your kitchen might be a hot box and a panini press, and the food truck doesn't always show up.
I'm a CIA-trained chef (Culinary Institute of America, 1998), a former Aramark Executive Chef, and a former chef instructor at the Art Institute of Seattle. I created Skillet's Bacon Jam, which was distributed nationwide, and I've opened 28 restaurants. I'll design a small menu that your current staff can make with the equipment and food permit you already have, costed to make money.
What you get
- A menu built for your setup: boards, a pretzel-and-dips program, hot sandwiches, or a full small kitchen
- Recipe cards your bartenders can follow, with photos, portions, and step-by-step builds
- A plate cost for every item, with a target food cost and menu prices
- Prep lists, an order guide, and pars
- On-site training shifts with your team, plus a 30-day check-in
- Menu items written around your beer, wine, or cider list
Packages (flat fee, per menu)
| Package | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Snack & Board Menu | $2,000 | 6 to 8 low-equipment items, recipe cards, costing, order guide, 1 training shift |
| Taproom Menu | $3,500 | 10 to 14 items with some hot food, recipe cards, costing, prep lists, pars, 2 training shifts, 30-day check-in |
| Kitchen Launch | $5,000 | A full small menu, equipment list, help preparing the health department menu and plan review paperwork, 3 training shifts, 30-day review |
Seasonal refresh (4 to 6 new items): $750. Mileage in Whatcom and Skagit included.
Let's talk
Book a free tasting-room visit. I'll look at your space, equipment, and drink list and sketch 3 menu ideas on the spot.
- Emailjhendu@gmail.com
Questions
Do I need a new permit?
Maybe not. A snack menu can often run under the permit you have. A hot kitchen may need county health department plan review. We check that at the first visit.
Who cooks?
Your current team. Everything is built for staff without kitchen experience.
Can you help launch it?
Yes. A launch-night dinner can be added so the menu debuts with a crowd.
Wineries and cideries too?
Yes, and cafes and distillery tasting rooms.