Who we are
At Johnson Food Service Consulting, we help restaurants, food service operators, and corporate dining programs fix the things that aren't working—and make the things that are working even better.
Led by Brian Johnson, a culinary veteran with over 30 years of experience in the trenches (and occasionally in a suit), we bring practical solutions, strategic insight, and just enough sarcasm to keep things interesting.
Brian’s journey started like a lot of great kitchen stories: as a dishwasher who talked too much and got thrown on the line during a dinner rush. Twenty years, a few hundred menus, and a couple gray hairs later, he's helped lead multi-unit operations, corporate rollouts, and consulting projects for some of the biggest names in food service.
What We Do (besides drink too much coffee):
Menu development that actually makes money
Recipe and SKU alignment (especially if NetMenu has you seeing double)
Operational tune-ups to stop the daily chaos
Culinary training for teams that need a spark
Procurement and compliance support so you’re not overpaying for lettuce
If it’s broken, we’ll fix it. If it’s working, we’ll make it better. And if it’s a club sandwich… we might just remove it from the menu altogether.
About Brian Johnson
Founder | Food Service Consultant | Knife-Wielding Problem Solver
I started Johnson Food Service Consulting to do one thing: help operators stop putting out the same fires every day. Whether you’re battling bloated food costs, clunky labor models, or menus that read like novels and sell like pamphlets—I’ve been there. I’ll bring structure, strategy, and maybe a laugh or two while we figure it out.
I’ve worked with restaurants, K-12 schools, corporate dining programs, and national contract food service companies. I know what it’s like to juggle food quality, guest experience, staffing shortages, and surprise health inspections—all before lunch rush. My goal is to bring calm to the chaos, and systems that stick long after I’m gone.
I’m also passionate about food justice and policy. I’ve spent time in Washington, D.C. lobbying for change as part of Tom Colicchio’s Plate of the Union campaign—because fixing what’s broken in our kitchens sometimes means speaking up beyond them.
No fluff. No silver bullets. Just real talk, practical fixes, and a plan that actually works for your kitchen—not someone else’s.
And yes, I still flinch a little when I see a club sandwich ticket come in. Some scars never fade.
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!