We recently sat down with Sean King of Culinary Consulting & Design to learn about his amazing journey with music and foodservice, along with why he chooses to work with Arctic. A slightly edited version of the transcript can be found below.
How did you get into the foodservice industry?
Sean: When I was a young person, I played music in many different venues. I broke my dad’s heart the day I told him that I wasn’t going to pursue a music career anymore. My deeper desire was to pursue my other love which is the food business. I learned early about kitchens when I was playing and singing in restaurants. I was just curious about the magic that happens once you get behind the curtain. The server shows up and takes your order, and then they disappear later returning with this plate, and it’s all put together. That’s just magic to me! I have always been a geek about music and a geek about food service. At the age of five, I told my dad I would one day own a pizza place! As an adult, I owned a small chain of Little Caesar’s Pizzas. After years of owning and operating, I decided to get out of the business. I wasn’t sure exactly what direction I would go but I didn’t think foodservice would be my next venture. I spent a year exploring multiple options from general contracting to wholesale distribution of electronic communication/security equipment. During that year I helped a friend who is an architect design several kitchens and fellowship halls for churches throughout Alabama. I didn’t realize that I could use my expertise and experience in foodservice to consult and design. I developed my craft at a local foodservice equipment supply as a CAD operator and contract project manager. I founded Culinary Consulting & Design in 2010. Soon, I found myself in the test kitchens of Ruby Tuesdays, Cracker Barrel, and Captain D’s helping develop milkshakes, fish batter, and equipment that cooks more efficiently. My focus since then has been designing foodservice facilities for the public sector including schools and detention facilities. My private projects are restaurants and bakeries primarily.
How has the evolution of your industry changed from then to now?
Sean: What I have noticed is that people haven’t changed. They didn’t change through COVID. People still eat. They still want to see other people. They did that 1000 years ago and they’re doing it now. There are many more opportunities and choices now. Eventually, with the evolution of fast-food, broadline distribution and large corporate full-service restaurants like Cracker Barrel became the norm. This has given me a great opportunity to expand my consulting footprint across the U.S.
Are there specific trends or things that you’ve tried to pioneer that are catching on?
Sean: When it comes to trends I tend to turn left when the industry turns right. Ghost kitchens and third-party delivery serve more as a distraction to the industry than a benefit. These concepts tend to work in densely populated geographic areas. A clean design with culinary intent and execution will always be trending. Let’s talk about a trend that I do like, which is the gluten-free trend that encourages low glycemic response. I have a general contracting firm called Restaurant Builders in the greater DC area. We build restaurants. We built the first gluten-free manufacturer of baked goods in Prince William County, Virginia. It was “trendy” but it really serves a purpose, especially for those seeking to improve their health! That was something that I could do. Something that would allow me to stick out. It’s a cool product and it allows me to put something in my portfolio that differentiates me from my competition.
What other projects are you proud of or looking forward to?
Sean: Earp’s Ordinary is an amazing 11000 square foot entertainment venue in downtown Fairfax, Va. The venue will serve high-end food and beverages while being entertained by well-known entertainers like Kenny Loggins, John Paul White, and Arlo Guthrie to name a few. The venue was an amazing process as it is in a mid-century building full of history which came with a plethora of challenges. Using our in-house architect we designed a state-of-the-art kitchen, bar, dining area, and stage. The stage comes with attached apartment accommodations for an overnight stay including a small kitchenette. There will be a high-end media booth to provide an amazing sound experience and video capture. I am so proud of this project because it shows our ability to provide architectural design, food service expertise, and general construction proficiencies under one roof!
Sean: I have an interesting project in downtown Chicago at the Museum of Science and Industry. MSI is renovating their foodservice facilities. This project is more puzzle than design. I was tasked with providing an integrated walk-in refrigeration system complete with roll-up warehouse doors, and state-of-the-art monitoring systems with zero lead time. I am extremely picky about my walk-in panels, refrigeration, and the manufacturers who provide them. I turned my efforts to Arctic Walk-In Cooler. Arctic worked closely with me to ensure the integrity of the design was not compromised while finding flaws in the design which they corrected before production began. Arctic understands that when you have over 840 square feet of refrigerated space you better get it right the first time.
Where did your strong sense of community and desire to give back, come from? How has that played a part in your success over the years?
Sean: I grew up in a family that believed in helping those less fortunate. My father was an advocate for the Humane Society raising awareness and money to fight child abuse. My grandfather was a federal judge who volunteered his legal expertise to the monetarily disadvantaged. I guess you could say giving back is a family tradition. Most recently I volunteered my architectural services to Hands Across Decatur in Decatur, Al. They help the homeless by providing food, clothing, and hygiene essentials. I wouldn’t attribute any success directly to my charitable efforts, but I’ve formed relationships that transcend business goals and eventually lift the human spirit.
Regarding your partnership with Arctic, whom do you look to maintain relationships with and what’re the qualities that you’re looking for outside of the quality panels?
Sean: Anna Ha has been extremely proficient, she’s sharp, and a very hard worker. It’s people like her that make me look good to my clients. Bottom-line: Arctic has got my back. John Bergher developed this relationship and followed through 100%. Behind the scenes, Anna Ha stays on point from the quote to the delivery. Transparency and a handshake still mean a great deal in this business. Simply put I trust Arctic with my clients.
What is the current state of your industry and how do you see the consulting aspect of foodservice evolving in the future?
Sean: Foodservice has always been a “weather balloon” as it relates to our overall economy. I see healthy recovery in restaurants that are getting back to the basics focusing on operations with an emphasis on food and service. New and emerging brands are doing well in capturing market share. Established brands are still struggling to get back to 2019 sales. Regarding evolution in foodservice, the most fascinating aspect has been digital. Here at Culinary Consulting & Design, we now incorporate a digital strategy for our retail clients such as ordering, purchasing, and pickup applications that integrate with the POS system. Pre-Covid we didn’t really want to get into the IT side. Today we really have no choice.
Is there anything that you would like to shout out, maybe where to follow you and your company?
Sean: You can look us us up on LinkedIn Sean King | LinkedIn or visit one of our websites: Restaurant Builder (restaurantbuildersllc.com) and Culinary Consulting & Design | Foodservice Design Consultant (culinaryconsultingdesign.com)
How would you describe your company in a sentence or two?
Sean: I would define my firm as an old-school food service design company with a new-age look at approaching businesses of all kinds, with an open mind.
Thank you, Sean, for taking the time to sit down and chat with us!
Culinary Consulting & Design