Most consultants have never run a bar.
Generic F&B consultants design recipe-driven menus that ignore actual pour costs. Theatrical bar programs that the staff can't execute. No relationship with distributors or boutique brands. Glassware chosen for photos, not service. Hiring playbooks that don't survive a Saturday rush.
The dominant failure mode in bar program consulting: outside consultants design Instagram-ready menus that real bar teams can't execute Saturday at 11pm. Real bar programs are operationally constrained — constrained by talent, by service speed, by ingredient availability, by the actual margin economics that determine whether the program funds itself.
Cuong Du leads our bar work. He's owned and managed Bar Agricole, Eleve, Pho 84, Library on Main, and Bourbon Highway — an unusually deep operator profile in Bay Area bar consulting.
Sound familiar? The free 30-minute interview is where we sort signal from noise.
What we build.
Bar program engagements span menu design through ongoing operations. Different stages need different emphasis.
Cocktail menu design
Menu engineering for your concept and price point. Recipe development. Pour cost calibration. Menu that the bartending staff can execute consistently at peak service volumes.
Spirits program
Well, call, and premium tier selection. Distributor relationship structure. Inventory and pricing. The spirits foundation that determines what the bar can do at any given time.
Wine list curation
Wine list aligned with food menu and price point. By-the-glass program. Storage and service standards. Distributor relationship management.
Bar operations
Bar layout, equipment specification, prep station design, ice program, garnish program. Service flow optimization. The operational backbone that makes the menu executable.
Bar staff hiring & training
Bartender hiring playbooks. Training programs. Standards documentation. The retention work that keeps program integrity through turnover.
Educational events
Cocktail tastings, wine tastings, and spirits education events — both customer-facing and trade. Cuong hosts these regularly across the Bay Area.
Want to see the full scope for your business? The interview gets specific.
