Partners
Alan Garfin is a Senior Vice President and a founding partner of the Lettuce Consulting Group. Specific responsibilities include restaurant and other foodservice venue services such as operations improvement and implementation, new concept start-up and facility build-out, human resource development and training.
Alan has been instrumental in defining the consulting group's own operating best practices by developing the project methodologies and managing many of the early projects. One of his notable client projects included successfully implementing a more efficient kitchen operating system for a 130-unit casual dining restaurant chain. Also, Alan managed the creation, build-out and opening a QSR soup kiosk at the foodlife complex in Chicago's Water Tower Place. This process included acting as liaison between the Lettuce Consulting Group and a multi-national soup manufacturer as well as managing creative design, menu and product development. In addition, Alan has led the operations improvement and start-up teams for various clients such as a multi-national QSR hamburger chain, a regional Mexican cuisine casual dining concept and a fast-casual American comfort food concept.
Alan has worked in the industry for over 20 years with a focus on unit/regional operations and human resource development. Alan began working with LEYE in 1988 as a manager at Scoozi in Chicago. Throughout the following 10 years, Alan was on the opening team of several LEYE concepts including Eiffel Tower, Mon Ami Gabi and Tucchetti. Subsequently, he served as an LEYE general manager and area supervisor. Prior to joining the Lettuce Consulting Group, he served as an "in-house" trouble-shooter for Lettuce Entertain You restaurants, focusing on back-of-the-house, operations improvement and staff training. Alan has considerable experience in training seminar development and presentation.
Alan earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Management at Indiana University with a concentration in Food and Beverage Management.