A successful opening cannot be improvised.

HÔREST brings structure to the complexity of pre-opening, so that your first service is also your best calling card.

Get your launch right — you only get one chance.

The first weeks of operation have a lasting effect on your online reputation and your financial trajectory. HÔREST helps you turn your first guests into ambassadors.

4 points — that make or break an opening

HÔREST manages these four points methodically, before, during and after launch — turning the uncertainty of an opening into a controlled start.

Operating standards

Creating operating procedures, hygiene good practice and recipe cards, to deliver consistent results that can be repeated and passed on to your teams.

Compliance & safety

Careful preparation for the fire-safety inspection, clearing any conditions raised, and full legal compliance before opening.

Online reputation from day one

Setting welcome standards, preparing how the first reviews will be handled and launching marketing actions to aim for five-star ratings from day one.

Handling the unexpected

A responsive presence on site to absorb the technical, staffing or logistical surprises that come with any opening.

A successful opening is no accident: it is the sum of solid standards, careful planning and well-controlled execution on the ground.

HÔREST's role in your opening:

HÔREST manages every critical stage: recommendations, coordination of the works, support for the existing team and a presence on site at launch.
Our role: to de-risk decisions so that your teams get off to a successful start.

Kitchen and operating standards

Kitchen operating standards, service organisation, dry runs.

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Organisation and guest experience

Welcome standards, guest journey, online reputation, retention, launch.

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Indicators and compliance

Indicators, tools, margins, compliance, post-opening follow-up.

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Partners we can call on if needed — Depending on your project, HÔREST can bring in partners for one-off support: chartered accountant, communications, HACCP software provider, suppliers, front-of-house skills training (sommelier, cocktail bar, barista). They complement the HÔREST engagement wherever they add value.

Kitchen and operating standards

Organisation and guest experience

Indicators and compliance

How the engagement unfolds

An opening engagement unfolds in three complementary phases. The pace and intensity depend on the size of your project, the experience of your management team and your opening schedule — we agree this framework together at our first meeting.

Before opening

Designing and documenting standards (kitchen, front of house, management), building the action plan and countdown schedule, helping integrate additional team members if needed, preparing for the fire-safety inspection and putting management tools in place.

At opening

Leading dry runs with your teams, attending the first services to fine-tune in real time, and putting online reputation good practice in place from day one.

In the following weeks

Tracking the first indicators (revenue, margins, occupancy rate, kitchen ratios), adjusting organisation and standards where needed, and a first post-opening review.

Full team recruitment is a separate workstream, normally carried out ahead of an opening. However, HÔREST can provide one-off support with additional hires or team onboarding where this is still in progress.