Before you spend another pound, replace your contractor or start a costly procurement exercise, discover what’s really holding your catering operation back.
Fig Consultancy provides independent, expert insight that helps you fix the right problems, not just the obvious symptoms.
You may already know something is not right. The staff need sorting.
The service is not where it should be. Costs feel hard to explain. Complaints keep coming back.
Your contractor may not be giving you the service or value you expected.
The difficult part is knowing what is actually causing it.
A catering problem rarely sits in one place. It may involve staff, service, costs, menus, contractor arrangements, compliance, kitchen setup or day-to-day processes.
That is where Fig Consultancy helps.
We look at the full catering picture, help you understand what is going wrong and give you clear next steps.
Prefer to speak to us? Call us on 01633 603563
Fig Consultancy has worked across a wide range of catering settings, including:
This means we understand that a catering problem can look different from one organisation to another.
For one client, the issue may be staff performance.
For another, it may be contractor value, rising costs, compliance, poor margins or a service that has slowly stopped working as it should.
The first step is to understand your situation properly.
Prefer to speak to us? Call us on 01633 603563
We start with a clear conversation about the catering issue.
You explain what is happening with the service, staff, costs, contractor, menu, compliance or wider operation.
You do not need to have everything worked out before we speak.
Catering problems can have more than one cause. We look at the areas affecting performance, service, cost, value and day-to-day control.
Depending on the issue, this may include: Staff, Service standards,
Menus, Purchasing, Costs and margins, Contractor arrangements, Compliance, Processes, Kitchen setup, Management and responsibilities
You get an honest view of what is happening and what needs attention.
The aim is to help you make a clearer decision, focus on the right areas and move forward with more confidence.
Prefer to speak to us? Call us on 01633 603563
I’m John Ishmael.
For more than 30 years, I have worked across catering and hospitality, including education, healthcare, contract catering, public-facing venues and major events.
I have managed operations, teams, budgets and service problems.
I know that what looks like a staff problem may really be a process problem.
What looks like a contractor problem may need a closer look at the agreement, expectations or management of the service.
What looks like a cost problem may be affected by menus, waste, purchasing, staffing or the way the operation is being run.
My job is to help you see the full picture before you make the next decision.
You will get an honest view of what is happening, what needs attention and whether Fig Consultancy is the right fit to help.
Prefer to speak to us? Call us on 01633 603563
Over 30 years working across real catering operations, teams, budgets and services.
Get an outside perspective before you commit to a contractor change, tender, investment or another major decision.
The focus is on understanding the problem and helping you move forward.
If Fig Consultancy is not the right fit for your situation, we will say so.
Some problems need a focused review. Others need a site visit, deeper support or help making a major decision. The first step is working out what your situation actually needs.
Prefer to speak to us? Call us on 01633 603563
“Fig Consultancy is led by people who understand catering in the real world.
John Ishmael brings over 30 years’ experience in catering and hospitality across retail, healthcare, education, workplace dining, major events, and contract catering. The current About page supports this, and also states that John has held senior roles in leading UK contract catering businesses.
That matters because most catering problems are not fixed by a quick opinion.
You need someone who can look at the full picture and explain what is really happening.”
Find answers to common enquiries about our consultancy services.
Fig Consultancy helps with catering operations, staff, training, costs, menus, kitchen setup, tenders, contractor management, compliance and service problems.
The first step is to understand what is happening now.
You do not need to know the cause yet. Many clients know something is wrong, but are not sure whether the issue is staff, cost, menu, contractor, compliance, kitchen setup or process.
The first conversation helps you get a clearer view.
Yes. Fig Consultancy helps schools, academies, MATs, local authorities and colleges review their catering operation, whether the service is in-house or outsourced.
Yes. A contractor review can help you understand service, value, standards, costs and whether the current arrangement still fits your needs.
The focus is practical support. You get clear findings, straight advice, and next steps connected to real catering operations.
You start with a call or meeting. You explain what is happening, Fig Consultancy asks the right questions, then you agree whether a review, site visit, or another next step makes sense.
That is common. The first step is to work out whether the issue relates to staff, service, costs, contractor value, menus, compliance, kitchen setup or process.
A first conversation can help you understand whether the current setup may already be costing time, money, service quality or control.
Bring the issue as it is. You can share any information you already have, but you do not need to diagnose the problem before we speak.
If your catering service is causing pressure, start with what is happening now.
We will talk through the problem, look at what may need attention and help you understand the next step.
Free initial call. Bring the issue as it is. Call us on 01633 603563
