Whether you're building refined elegance or edgy cool, I help you create restaurants that become cultural movements. Where your vision gets clarity, your operations get profitable, and your space becomes iconic.
Whether you're after timeless sophistication or boundary-pushing innovation, I help you articulate and execute your vision with precision. No cookie-cutter solutions. Your concept, refined to its essence.
I travel Auckland to find the best doughnut, best coffee, best plating—then reverse-engineer it, refine it, and make your version unforgettable. Benchmarking meets obsession.
Making money and making meaning aren't opposites. Proper stock control, menu engineering, and cost management create the freedom to be generous, creative, and sustainable. Your P&L should fund your purpose.
Every touchpoint matters. From the way your host greets guests to the crockery choice to the bathroom aesthetic. I design holistic experiences that create cult followings and word-of-mouth wildfire.
I speak multiple aesthetic languages—classic European refinement, contemporary Asian minimalism, street culture edge. Whatever your vision, I help you execute it authentically without dilution or compromise.
Modern POS systems, stock rotation protocols, staff training matrices—these aren't boring. They're what free you to innovate. I build operational foundations that let your creativity soar.
Opened multiple cafes driven by one question: Can I make a living doing something meaningful? Learned the brutal economics of hospitality—food cost, labor ratios, breakeven points. Fell in love with the craft.
Discovered my hands belonged in dough. Obsessed over hydration ratios, lamination, fermentation. Worked 16-hour days in pastry. Mastered the technical foundation that still informs everything I create.
Launched a radio show about food culture. Interviewed chefs, deconstructed trends, told stories. Realized I was better at marketing restaurants than running them. The storytelling skill that would become my edge.
Had my "find the best, make it better" epiphany. Started traveling Auckland—buying the best doughnut, reverse-engineering it, bringing it back to improve. Applied this methodology to everything: service, ambiance, plating, positioning.
Stepped out of the pastry grind. Moved into consulting, experience design, brand strategy. Helped restaurants go from struggling to waitlisted. From generic to destination. From transactional to transformational.
I sit with restaurant owners over tea and build what comes next. Menus that appeal to multiple generations. Brands that bridge cultures. Experiences that create devotion. Restaurants that don't just serve food—they build movements.
I work with established operators seeking refinement and young visionaries building something bold. Here's what both get:
"I came to Dan with a vague vision and messy operations. He gave me clarity on my concept, fixed my margins, and helped me build something I'm actually proud of. We're not just profitable—we're iconic now." — Auckland Restaurant Owner
I've been in the kitchen at 4am, managed P&Ls, hosted radio shows, and designed cult-following experiences. Here's what that breadth means for you:
No pitch decks. No generic frameworks. Just tea, conversation, and honest discovery.
I'll visit your space, eat your food, understand your vision. We'll talk about where you are, where you want to go, and whether I'm the right partner for that journey. If we're aligned, we build something extraordinary together.
Book Your Discovery Session