Culinary Consulting for London & the UK
British hospitality experience, applied to your operation
I’m Will Hemming, British chef and founder of SMKSTN (Smoke & Stone). I support London and UK restaurants, hotels and food concepts with menu development, operational reviews, recipe costing and opening support.
My career includes UK leadership roles at Monkey Island Estate, Oakley Court and Gather & Gather at Sky Osterley, alongside experience with Gordon Ramsay Restaurants. That background informs practical advice grounded in the pressures of running a kitchen.
I’m now based near Budapest. UK work is delivered through remote projects and selected on-site assignments, with travel, availability and scope agreed in advance.
Discuss a London or UK project
Where SMKSTN can support your team
Menus that work in service: concept direction, menu structure, recipe standardisation, production planning and ingredient cross-use.
Food costing and purchasing: review recipe yields, portions, supplier prices, pack sizes and waste to identify the assumptions that need attention.
Operational reviews: examine preparation, staffing routines, handovers, kitchen workflow and service consistency, then prioritise practical changes.
Openings and relaunches: challenge menu feasibility, production requirements, equipment priorities and team readiness before guests arrive.
Project and interim leadership: selected on-site support during openings, vacancies or operational change, subject to agreed availability.
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A focused route from brief to implementation
Start with the decision or problem you need help with. We agree the evidence required, review the relevant menus, recipes, costs or plans, and turn the findings into an action plan. Where useful, implementation support and team training can follow.
Remote work suits menu reviews, recipe costing, document development and project advice. Service observation, team training and interim kitchen leadership are scoped around an on-site visit.
Who this is for
Independent restaurants, boutique and luxury hotels, hospitality groups, founders and project teams who need experienced chef-side judgement and practical delivery. Each engagement is tailored to the business’s size, stage and resources.
Common questions
Do you have a London office?
No. I’m based near Budapest and serve UK clients through remote delivery and selected travel-based assignments. The project location and delivery arrangements are agreed before engagement.
Can you work with our existing kitchen designer or consultant?
Yes. I can contribute the operational perspective: how the menu, production volumes, storage, equipment and team routines fit together in service. Specialist design and technical sign-off remain with the relevant professionals.
Can we start with a small project?
Yes. A defined menu review, costing exercise or operational assessment can be a useful starting point before a wider engagement.
Start with a conversation
Tell me your location, business type, challenge and target dates. We’ll establish the most useful scope and delivery format.