Latest News on Virtual Restaurant Consulting and Industry Trends

THE BANKS ALEHOUSE – Old Steese Highway, Fairbanks, AlaskaAfter ten years serving the Fairbanks community, national franchise Boston’s Gourmet Pizza Restaurant and Sports Bar, closes its doors and the owners bring in the Gilkey Group to rebrand the restaurant. Similar to the previous concept, The Banks Alehouse will continue to be the place in Fairbanks where family and friends can cheer on their favorite team, chill out on the patio or relax in the dining room.Located on the Old Steese Highway, the new restaurant brand will provide the owners greater control over day-to-day operations.The Gilkey Group services included creation of ... Read More

RIVER BOAT DISCOVERY – Fairbanks, Alaska riverboatdiscovery.com TGRCG is proud to announce the Brinkley family, who have owned and operated River Boat Discovery for over 100 years through five generations. Beginning in 1898 with the discovery of gold over the Chilkoot Pass through the freight vessels on the Yukon and Tanana Rivers, the love of Alaska and its culture has been carried on through the river excursion business in Fairbanks, Alaska. On the Discovery III, a 900-passenger vessel, the Brinkley family runs this stern wheel business as well as a gold mining attraction in the heart of the Klondike. TGRCG ... Read More

PEAR DELICATESSEN & SHOPPE – Seattle, Washington www.pearatpikeplace.com Pear Delicatessen & Shoppe is located in the Champion Building, a building rich in Pike Place Market history. Originally built in 1928 the structure has housed a cab company, meat packing facility, hot dog stand, grocery, deli and small store. While continuously belonging to the same family since 1950, the store officially evolved into Pear Delicatessen and Shoppe in 2010. This culinary destination is comprised of Northwest specialties, exotic imports as well as innovative artisan fare. Among the Tasmanian honey, Washington preserves and designer chocolates one also discovers glassware, books, aprons and ... Read More

CROCKETT'S PUBLIC HOUSE – Puyallup, Washington www.crockettspublichouse.com As spring approaches TGRCG is assisting the Crockett’s team with new menu additions and new recipes. Just some of the new menu items include two new street tacos—a fired vegetarian avocado taco with pepperjack cheese, shredded cabbage, poblano sauce, vegetarian black benas, and pico di gallo. The second taco is a smoked brisket taco that includes caramelized onions, BBQ sauce, pepperjack cheese, pickled jalapenos and cilantro. Two new salads have also been added. Forbidden Rice Salad, which includes fresh diced mango, orange segments, arugula, pulled chicken, red onions, cilantro, dry roasted peanuts and ... Read More

The Stumbling Steer, Albuquerque, NM http://www.thestumblingsteer.com The Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group (TGRCG) is pleased to announce, with guidance from the Gilkey Group, the owners of Stumbling Steer have successfully navigated the restaurant opening process and Stumbling Steer is now open for business. The Stumbling Steer is committed to serving award-winning beer and equally amazing food. Their mission is to change how Albuquerque looks at both beer and food. The name, “The Stumbling Steer,” refers to how serious they are about their farm-to-table approach. The Brewmaster painstakingly makes his extraordinary beers, saving the spent grains to feed locally raised cattle. The ... Read More

PLEASANT BEACH VILLAGE – Bainbridge Island, Washington www.pleasantbeachvillage.com TG is assisting the executive team at Pleasant Beach Village to improve their restaurant’s financial margins. Pleasant Beach Village is a multipurpose development located ten miles west of Seattle by ferry on Bainbridge Island. Pleasant Beach amenities include a full service semi upscale restaurant, an exclusive catering venue, an open market, luxury suites and residences. The Beach House Restaurant is Pleasant Beach Village’s full service semi upscale restaurant. Beyond the sweeping views of Rich Passage, the floor-to-ceiling wood-burning fireplace provides a cozy island atmosphere to enjoy The Beach House made-from-scratch Northwest fare ... Read More

Sweet Iron Waffles, Seattle, WA http://www.sweetironwaffles.com Sweet Iron is a fast casual restaurant bringing authentic Liège waffles to Seattle. These waffles use a Brioche style yeast dough which is candied with sweet pearls of sugar, they rise for two hours before pressed into an imported cast iron Belgian waffle iron until freshly baked to rich perfection. The owners of Sweet Iron asked TGRCG to assess their business and help them improve their current performance. Our recommendations included a variety of interventions from their website to menu to catering, in addition to recipe costing and recipe documentation. Sweet Iron Waffles is ... Read More

Buffalo Run Casino and Resort, Miami, OK http://www.buffalorun.com After completion of Buffalo Run Casino’s food and beverage assessment, The Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group (TGRCG) has been retained to implement new management operating systems, re-write menus and rebrand their fast casual restaurant concept. TGRCG traveled back to Miami and working side-by-side with the Coleman House Chef team memorialized and standardized all production recipes and procedures resulting in a master recipe manual for the culinary team’s reference. In addition, TGRCG developed a recipe-costing database for theoretical food cost reporting. This enabled Buffalo Run’s executive team to accurately price their menus resulting in ... Read More

New Seattle Gastro Pub Restaurant Concept Seattle, WashingtonThe Gilkey Restaurant Consulting Group (TGRCG) just designed the kitchen, bar and service station for a new 6,000 square foot restaurant located in the Belltown area of downtown Seattle. This new international gastro pub’s culinary principles embrace a modern interpretation of old world-cooking techniques. Historically, the Norman invasions introduced exotic spices into the slow cooking techniques of medieval Europe, resulting in a savory herbed stewing method. As a tribute to this regional cuisine, the foundations of the menu include slow cooking with bold global flavors. With over 30 years of food service design ... Read More