At CKG Hospitality, we are passionate about building stronger kitchens, smarter operations, and more sustainable hospitality businesses. We are a chef-driven, results-focused consulting and coaching firm that partners with restaurant owners, culinary teams, and hospitality operators to drive real change where it matters most—inside the heart of the operation.

Founded by seasoned industry professional Kent Graham, CKG Hospitality was created to fill the gap between big-picture strategy and day-to-day execution. With decades of hands-on experience in culinary operations, menu development, procurement strategy, leadership coaching, and multi-unit management, we provide the insight, structure, and tools needed to help your business not just survive—but thrive.

Whether you’re launching a new concept, scaling a growing brand, or optimizing an existing operation, our approach is rooted in practical experience and tailored to your unique goals. We don’t just show up with a presentation—we roll up our sleeves and work alongside your team to implement sustainable systems, train staff, and develop strategies that improve profitability, efficiency, and culture.

Our services range from culinary operations consulting and menu engineering, to procurement optimization, fractional executive chef leadership, and culinary coaching for chefs and kitchen managers. We also offer virtual coaching programs to support remote teams and provide flexible, expert-level guidance no matter where you’re located.

At CKG Hospitality, we believe the backbone of every great restaurant isn’t just the food—it’s the people, the processes, and the purpose behind the brand. That’s why we focus not only on what’s on the plate, but what’s happening behind the pass—team development, kitchen leadership, and operational excellence.

We take pride in being a trusted partner to our clients, offering honest feedback, thoughtful solutions, and measurable results. Whether you're preparing for an investment or acquisition, looking to improve margins, or aiming to strengthen your kitchen culture, we’re here to help you every step of the way.

CULINARY COACHING

At CKG Hospitality, we take a hands-on, personalized approach to culinary coaching, designed to empower chefs and kitchen teams to excel. Our coaching focuses on bridging gaps in leadership, streamlining operations, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. With years of industry expertise, we deliver actionable strategies tailored to your unique challenges, ensuring measurable results and long-term success.

Key Areas Covered in Our Culinary Coaching:

1. Leadership Development:

2. Technique & Skill Refinement:

3. Operational Excellence:

4. Menu Optimization:

5. Team Building and Retention:

6. Stress and Time Management:

CKG Hospitality Virtual Coaching offers flexible, on-demand support for culinary professionals and restaurant operators seeking expert guidance without the need for on-site consulting. Through personalized video sessions, strategic planning calls, and digital resource sharing, we provide real-time solutions to improve kitchen operations, leadership development, menu strategy, and overall business performance.

Whether you’re a chef looking to grow into a stronger leader, a GM needing operational insight, or a business owner refining your concept, our virtual coaching delivers practical, actionable support—wherever you are. It’s expert-driven coaching, customized to your goals, delivered on your schedule.

With CKG Hospitality, you gain a trusted partner committed to helping you and your team reach new heights of culinary excellence.

RECIPE / MENU R&D

At CKG Consulting, we specialize in crafting menus and recipes that align with your brand identity, target audience, and operational goals. Our tailored approach combines creativity, culinary expertise, and market insights to deliver offerings that elevate your dining experience and drive profitability.

Our services include:

• Custom Recipe Development: Designing innovative, high-quality dishes that balance flavor, presentation, and cost.

• Strategic Menu Design: Creating cohesive menus that reflect your concept, highlight seasonal ingredients, and cater to customer preferences.

• Profitability Optimization: Ensuring food costs and portion sizes are aligned with your financial goals while minimizing waste.

• Operational Integration: Providing clear recipes, plating guides, and staff training for consistent execution.

• Trend Adaptation: Leveraging current culinary trends to keep your offerings fresh and competitive.

CKG Consulting transforms your menu into a strategic asset, enhancing customer satisfaction and setting your business apart in a competitive market.

PRIVATE EQUITY / M&A

CKG Hospitality and Graham Hospitality Strategy specialize in positioning hospitality groups for successful investment or acquisition by elevating operational performance, strengthening leadership infrastructure, and maximizing brand and financial value. Our approach is comprehensive, strategic, and tailored to highlight the true potential of your business in the eyes of investors or buyers.

Our Approach:

1. Operational Readiness & Standardization

We assess and optimize core business functions—kitchen operations, service models, menu engineering, procurement systems, and labor management—to ensure streamlined, scalable systems are in place. This enhances the overall value of the business and assures potential investors that the operation is efficient, sustainable, and ready to grow.

2. Financial Clarity & Profitability Enhancement

Through deep-dive cost analysis, margin improvement strategies, and inventory/labor controls, we help improve EBITDA performance—an essential metric in investor evaluation. We also assist in developing clear financial reporting, budgeting systems, and KPIs that reflect the business’s true earning potential and scalability.

3. Brand Positioning & Market Differentiation

We work with your team to refine your brand identity, elevate guest experience, and align your concept with current market trends and consumer demand. A well-defined, market-relevant brand with a compelling story makes your business more attractive to investors or buyers.

4. Leadership & Organizational Infrastructure

We build internal leadership systems that remove dependency on the ownership or executive chef. This includes staff training protocols, SOP documentation, and development of a strong mid-management team—creating a turnkey operation that appeals to strategic buyers.

5. Growth Strategy & Expansion Planning

We help develop a clear, realistic roadmap for future expansion or franchising—supported by operational models, cost forecasting, and location viability plans. A well-articulated growth strategy gives investors confidence in long-term scalability.

6. Due Diligence Preparation

We prepare your team and documentation for the due diligence process by organizing vendor contracts, leases, training manuals, health and safety compliance records, and operational reports. This reduces friction during negotiation and increases transparency and buyer confidence.

The Outcome:

By partnering with CKG Hospitality and Graham Hospitality Strategy, your business becomes more than just operationally sound—it becomes investment-ready. We help you not only increase your valuation but also present your business in a way that speaks directly to what investors and acquirers want: profitability, scalability, and sustainability.

FRACTIONAL OPERATIONS

CKG Hospitality specializes in providing fractional operational solutions tailored to the unique needs of hospitality businesses. Our approach focuses on delivering expert management and strategic oversight on a part-time or project-based basis, enabling businesses to access top-tier hospitality expertise without the cost of full-time executive hires.

We integrate seamlessly with existing teams, offering guidance in key areas such as operational efficiency, culinary innovation, guest experience enhancement, cost control, and revenue growth. By leveraging our deep industry knowledge and network, we deliver actionable insights and hands-on support that drive measurable results.

CKG Hospitality is committed to flexibility, scalability, and delivering excellence, empowering businesses to achieve their goals while maintaining profitability and quality standards. Whether filling interim leadership roles, developing operational strategies, or spearheading targeted projects, our fractional model is designed to meet the evolving demands of the hospitality industry.

GENERAL HOSPITALITY CONSULTING

General hospitality consulting provides tailored solutions for businesses across the hospitality industry, addressing needs ranging from answering specific operational questions to full-scale restaurant development and creation. Consultants bring expertise in operations, culinary development, design, branding, and financial planning to help businesses thrive in a competitive market.

Services can include:

• Streamlining daily operations and improving guest experiences.

• Menu design, recipe development, and cost optimization.

• Concept creation, including branding, layout, and market positioning.

• Staff training, leadership development, and operational best practices.

• Assistance with pre-opening tasks, including permits, vendor sourcing, and marketing strategies.

Whether enhancing an existing operation or building a concept from the ground up, hospitality consulting delivers practical insights and strategies to drive profitability, efficiency, and long-term success.

FOOD SAFETY ASSESSMENTS & QUALITY ASSURANCE

CKG Hospitality: Food Safety Assessments & Quality Assurance Services

At CKG Hospitality, we understand that food safety and quality assurance are non-negotiable pillars of any successful culinary operation. Our hands-on, strategic approach ensures your operation not only meets compliance standards but exceeds guest expectations with consistency, safety, and product excellence.

Food Safety Assessments

CKG Hospitality offers comprehensive food safety evaluations to identify risks, implement best practices, and ensure full compliance with local, state, and federal regulations.

Our Food Safety Services Include:

• On-Site Kitchen Assessments: Full walk-through evaluations of prep areas, cooking stations, storage zones, and dish areas.

• Sanitation & Hygiene Audits: Review of cleanliness protocols, handwashing stations, glove usage, cross-contamination controls, and equipment maintenance.

• Temperature & Holding Control Monitoring: Analysis of cold/hot food holding procedures, equipment calibration, and product cooling techniques.

• HACCP Review & Implementation: Development or review of Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plans specific to your kitchen operation.

• Staff Training & SOP Development: Hands-on team coaching on food handling, storage practices, cleaning routines, and allergen safety.

• Regulatory Compliance Check: Ensure your operation meets local health department standards, OSHA guidelines, and food safety regulations.

Quality Assurance (QA) Programs

Quality assurance at CKG Hospitality goes beyond cleanliness—it’s about ensuring consistent product excellence, operational integrity, and guest satisfaction across every plate served.

Our QA Solutions Include:

• Recipe & Portion Control Audits: Evaluate consistency in execution, taste, plating, and portion sizing to meet brand and cost standards.

• Vendor Quality Monitoring: Evaluate ingredient quality, supplier standards, and delivery handling procedures to ensure consistent inputs.

• Product Specification Development: Create detailed product standards and prep guides to reduce variance in taste and appearance.

• Mystery Dining & Plate Testing: Periodic unannounced QA checks to assess real-time service quality, plate presentation, and product consistency.

• Pre-Shift Quality Protocols: Implementation of line checks, batch tasting, and shift-start QA routines to maintain standards before service begins.

• Guest Feedback Analysis: Review of complaint trends and guest satisfaction data to identify quality gaps and develop response protocols.

Kent Graham

FOUNDER / MANAGING PARTNER

Kent Graham blends intellectual rigor with culinary artistry. After studying Economics and Finance at Yale University, he refined his culinary skills at the Culinary Institute of America. His global experience— everything from independent restaurants to Michelin three stars across Europe to America—has shaped his appreciation for diverse cuisines and operational excellence. With over 25 years in the industry and held positions from every kitchen position to Corporate Executive Chef, Culinary Director, Director of R&D and Vice President of Culinary and lastly owner.

Based in Atlanta, Kent is a respected chef and hospitality consultant. His philosophy—“People, Process, and Purpose”—We believe that every successful culinary operation starts with empowered leadership, efficient systems, and a clear vision. Our work is guided by the principle that hospitality is more than service—it’s a craft that blends creativity, discipline, and connection.

As the leader of CKG Hospitality & Graham Hospitality Strategy, Kent helps restaurants, hotels, and culinary ventures succeed through concept development, menu creation, private equity and operational strategy. His work merges creativity with business insight, making him a trusted expert in the hospitality industry and hospitality innovation.

Jennifer Graham

Data In-site & Analytics / Project Management / PARTNER

Get in touch.

At CKG Hospitality, we bring decades of culinary expertise and operational excellence to the table. Whether you’re looking to optimize your kitchen, elevate your menu, streamline procurement, or foster a strong team culture, we provide tailored solutions to meet your unique challenges.

Our approach is rooted in real-world experience and a deep understanding of the foodservice industry. We don’t just offer advice; we partner with you to implement actionable strategies that drive efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance quality.

When you work with CKG Hospitality, you’re not just hiring a consultant—you’re gaining a trusted partner dedicated to helping your business thrive in a competitive market. Let us help you take your culinary operations to the next level.

kent@chefkentgraham.com