Trident F&B Consultants: Crafting the Best Consulting Services to the Hospitality Industry

One of the oldest, most trusted, and valued hospitality consultancy firms in the country Trident F&B Consultants Pvt. Ltd. is a New Delhi based firm. In an interview with insights success, CEO, Mr. Sanjeev Sareen and Executive Director, Mr. Abhishek Saareen gave some insightful answers highlighting the influences made by the company in the television industry. Below are highlights from the interview with Insights Success:

1. Enlighten us with the foundation story of the company and also the brief details of the company’s initial days.

The CEO, Mr.Sanjeev Sareen, was working as Executive Sous Chef in a five star hotel in Delhi. In fact at the age of 27, he was the first ever youngest “Sous Chef of India.” he decided to do something more challenging. In 1991, he began to feel the need to guide new entrants as well as the established brands in the Hospitality Sector in carrying out various stages in a Project effectively and efficiently so as to get desired results. As a result of his dynamic vision, Trident F&B Consultants came into existence and the methods adopted by Trident F&B Consultants immediately became, and continue to be, the industry standards. The company got its first project in Delhi by the name of RS café. After those 2 projects at Nagpur including Haldiram’s at Anjuman Complex, Sadar; the journey began slowly but steadily.
Today, TRIDENT F&B CONSULTANTS Pvt Ltd is one of the most award winning professionally managed Hospitality Consulting Organizations indulged in setting up Resorts, Hotels, Food courts, Amusement parks, and High efficiency Base kitchens, Industrial and Institutional Catering divisions in India. We are one of the most reputed & oldest hospitality consulting firms in India.
We are considered to be a leading & reputed organization well equipped to carry out Hospitality Projects all over India. We have a team of qualified professionals who can easily handle various technical aspects which come across at different levels in a Hospitality Project.
Trident F&B Consultants Pvt. Ltd. is dedicated to providing Hospitality services maintaining high quality level, knowing the latest advances in the Hospitality sector, backed by a skilled & well trained work force.
In Trident F&B Consultants, the Panel of Team Members has a strong base that can take care of the assigned project effectively. We believe in total commitment and timely completion of the assignment.
Trident F&B Consultants has the requisite expertise to execute a particular Hospitality project from concept to completion stage.

2. Brief us about the Founder/CEO of the company and the major contribution of him/her towards the company.

The founder & CEO, Mr.Sanjeev Sareen, is from F&B Production department so it helped the company grow faster. After graduating from Pusa Catering College (now IHM Pusa) in 1978, he worked with Taj Mahal Hotel, New Delhi for three years. He went abroad and worked in prestigious hotels in Libra & Egypt. After gaining overseas experience, he returned to Delhi to join Taj Palace Hotel in 1983. He had also worked at senior positions in Le Meridien hotel & The Lalit (Holiday Inn erstwhile), New Delhi. He is considered an expert in F&B Production & F&B Controls by many in the industry. Mr Sanjeev Sareen has got more than 40 years of rich experience in Hospitality Industry.
Mr.Abhishek Saareen, Executive Director of Trident F&B Consultants Pvt. Ltd, completed four years Bachelors in Hotel Management and Catering Technology from New Delhi, has exposure in The Park Hotel (New Delhi), The Oberoi Hotel & Trident Hotel (Mumbai) and overseas stint in Dubai (UAE). He takes care of the planning, execution and post-opening streamlining.

3. Please share with us the initial struggle that strengthen the current success of the brand.

During early years of establishment, it was very difficult to get the projects as the awareness was very less. Still with patience, we managed to run the show with challenge-facing abilities. In order to overcome the challenges, we have worked really hard and stayed motivated throughout our journey to become one of the key players in the world of professional hospitality consulting. We could do that only with a clear vision while keeping our core values intact.

4. Tell us about the services you provide through your venture.

Please find the details of the aspects of the consultancy provided by our company as follows:

1. Planning of the Food Outlets:Planning of the food outlets is bifurcated into two categories:-
2. a) Theme
3. b) Menu

Theme of the restaurant shall precisely depend on the menu and the cuisine. We help in choosing the regional Menu and Theme and their proper execution and implementation with the help of the interior team which is on our panel. We are experts in planning of High class Food Courts, Sweet shops and Theme based restaurants with diversified menu i.e. Mediterranean, Far-East, European, Ethnic Punjabi, Exotic Sea-Food, Speciality South Indian, etc.

2. Managerial Consultancy:Managerial Consultancy is very important for the beginners. Since they are not well-verged with the Restaurant & Hotel Operations, we offer our help for the smooth functioning for quite a few days after opening. Our team can handle any kind of situation that comes across during the ongoing process.
3. Systems & Procedures and their implementation:Systems and procedures are generally made but due to certain hiccups during Operations they are not implemented properly. Therefore we try to put them into the mainstream.
4. Kitchen Planning & equipment selection:Kitchen Designing is one important aspect of the Facility Planning. Kitchen is the nerve of any project so utmost care is taken as far as work-ability and Space Utilization is concerned. Once the layout is finalized, then we submit the detailed Service Drawings i.e. Electrical, Plumbing, LPG/ CNG/ PNG, Exhaust-Fresh air, etc.
5. Feasibility study:At the pre-conceptual stage, we offer our services for the study of viability and feasibility. That includes all the positive and negative points as far as the location of the project is concerned and the projected clientele and the estimated footfall.
6. Project reports:Project reports are prepared in co-ordination with the Chartered Accountant to give a fair view of the monitory aspects. 

Other areas of Involvement:

• Sick unit handling
  We undertake the peculiar task of Profit making from those units which are “Sick”. In other words, we provide managerial consultancy to those establishments which, due to some or the other reason; do not reach the “break-even point”.
• Planning of bulk catering establishments
  Be it an Educational or Institutional Catering which provides meals to more than 2,50,000 people per day, are also designed by us keeping in mind the space utilization, facilities for the bulk production & faster dispensing of food.
• To provide the measures for effective cost control
  If your food court/restaurant goes “haywire”, then you tend to make losses. So we suggest some very versatile measures to curtail the soaring costs.
• Output & Profit Enhancement
  Output is directly related to Profits. Per shift & per staff output can be enhanced by following few simple methods being suggested by us.
• Technology

We have complete knowledge of the ‘use of new/prevailing technologies’ in regards to the Hospitality industry.

• Strategy Planning
  Strategy planning is very important in order to achieve the goals. So we do plan the workable strategy to ensure better results. We suggest the effective measures to patronize the regular customers.
• Staff Training

We Conduct staff training on regular basis to ensure the better results.

5. What have been big developments for the company in India over the last six months.

We have added more feathers in our cap in last few months. Our company got projects from many prestigious names in the industry. Lot of newspapers, magazines & online media have written about us & our work.

6. Please share some success stories, awards and accolades that the company has received.

Awards & Accolades

• Certificate of Competence has been awarded to Mr Abhishek Saareen by FSSAI in “Food Safety – Manufacturing”.
• Our Executive director Mr.Abhishek Saareen has been awarded the “Entrepreneur of the year 2018” for his exemplary work as an entrepreneur by Mr.Bhupesh Kumar, Principal, Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology; Mr.Jag Pravesh Chan Gupta, Learning & Development Manager, Accor Hotel Group and Mr.Swaroop Sinha, Principal, ITC Hospitality Management Institute.
• “Best Indian Restaurant Consultant/Business Mentor of the year 2018” by Indian Restaurant Awards, 2018 (Franchise India) has been awarded to our company in JW Marriot Hotel, New Delhi.
• “Everest Awards 2018” by Zoom Delhi has been awarded to our company.
• “10 most promising Hospitality Consultants, 2017” by Consultants Review magazine featured our company in November, 2017 special issue.
• Insight Success magazine lists our company as one of “50 Most Prominent Consulting Companies, 2018” in January, 2018 issue.
• Mr Abhishek Saareen was awarded the 1^st position in Facility Planning Competition by Banarsidas Chandiwala Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, New Delhi in 2008.
• “Certificate of Excellence” has been given to Mr Abhishek Saareen by Vegit Victor Company in the year 2006.
• Mr Sanjeev Sareen and Mr Abhishek Saareen write on various topics for the global hospitality industry and their write-ups/interviews get featured in lot of magazines/newspapers like Times of India newspaper, Consultants Review magazine, Food & Beverage News magazine, AAHAR, Ingredients South India magazine, Apeda agrixchange, Saffron Media company, India Retailing company, Gulfood, Food Service magazine, Insight Success magazine, Alpha International trade, Kailmart, Grains Asia magazine, Bakery Update magazine, Hotels and Restaurants Network, Food Today magazine, Propak Asia, Images Group, Nuffoods Spectrum, Restaurant Times, FSSAI, Processed Food Industry magazine, Food marketing & Technology India etc.

Also sharing an interesting episode: In early 90’s, we did a restaurant project in a small town of Haryana i.e. Yamuna nagar. The client’s father said “My son has already lost crores of rupees in several other ventures (nowhere related to the Restaurant business). This is the last time I am funding a project for him. So I want the project should be successful otherwise my son will have no future”. Having expertise in the field, we planned the project in such a way & gave our expert advices from time to time. Not only was the project a huge hit but our client became a known figure in the Indian Hospitality because of this particular project. Today he is the “General Secretary of the Restaurant Association (Local body)”.

7. How will you describe your company in one word?

Maestro or best in the field of restaurant set-up consulting

8. What is the current industry scenario from your perspective?

We, at Trident F&B Consultants Pvt. Ltd., strongly believe that India with its economic growth is seen as most potential market for doing food business. F&B industry is growing at a very fast pace.

9. Advice for the budding entrepreneurs who are trying to embark in the same field.

For the young entrepreneurs, I want to say that “Sky is the limit”. They should move forward with crystal clear vision & strong passion to achieve their goals.

10. Brief us about the future of the company or the goal it has set to mark its exceptionality in future.

These days even small entrepreneurs also want to hire a consultant for a small project. This could have been possible because of the growing awareness about consultants, their popularity and their importance in a project. This trend is only going to go upwards so the future is bright and the scope is growing as new people and groups are entering the hospitality industry and thanks to the Govt. policies which encourage the fresh entrepreneur. We have done more than 600 hospitality projects. We aim to accomplish 1000 projects by 2025. We envisage ourselves as touching wider horizons, grow manifolds and contribute to the society in various ways in the coming years.
Quick Highlights of the Company

• We have done more than 600 Hospitality projects spanning almost across the entire country.
• Few clients: Haldiram’s, ISKCON, Imly, Gulab, Bikaji, BTW, Sandoz, Bhikhaaram Chaandmal, Comesum, Gopal’s, Gopaljee, Gopala, Mohini Tea, L.S Caterers, Tewari Bros. Mithaiwala, Om Sweets, Kanwarji’s, Combermere Hotel (Shimla), B.G Naidu (Tamil Nadu), Ministry of Defense (DRDO)
• We are one of the most reputed & oldest hospitality consulting firms in India.
• Our USP is that we charge very reasonably; offer all the committed services and we remain there even after the opening with the restaurant operator.
• Our successful Projects include Hotels, Motels & Resorts, Restaurants, Clubs & Recreation Centres, Institutional & Industrial Cafeterias, Fast Food Chains (QSR), Food Courts, Commissaries & base kitchens, Sweets production factories, Bakery & Confectionary Outlets, Restro-bars, Lounge & Cafés, Mithai Showrooms, Catering companies, Banquets, Take-away joints & also the Non profitable organisations as well as the Government organisations.
• We came into existence in the year 1991.
• We have done several Hospitality projects in states like Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Delhi (& NCR), Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Meghalaya , Odisha , Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand & West Bengal and still counting.

• Having a team of qualified personnel to handle various technical aspects which come across at different levels in a hospitality project.
• Having capability to take a project from concept to commissioning stage, we believe in commitment.

• We are dedicated to providing hospitality consulting maintaining high quality level, knowing the latest advancement in the hospitality sector, backed by a skilled & well-trained work force.
• We have the expertise: Trident F&B Consultants Pvt. Ltd. has the requisite expertise to execute a particular Hospitality project from concept to completion stage. Ever since we started the Organization, the methods adopted by us became, and continues to be, the industry standard.
• We empathize with the client: At every stage of our involvement with the client, we always put ourselves into the client’s shoes visualizing the operations and think what difficulties he or the end customer may face if we do a particular thing in a certain way. Then based on our experience, we give solutions removing all the hitches & the bottle necks in making the operations smooth and also keeping in mind the end customer’s satisfaction. We keep learning and evolving in order to give our best to our clients wherever we do business.
• We can make the project very cost effective with our years of experience in the field.
• We stop the business owners/management to make wrong decisions.

We offer total solutions under one roof. We are a diversified & experienced group of hotel and hospitality industry experts and specialists, providing sound advice, needed to successfully resolve complex issues related to ownership, lending, franchising, management, foreclosure, and bankruptcy. We provide expertise & counsel to make the business profitable.
The importance of hiring us for launching & success of a business can be traced by the following:

1. We ensure timely completion of the project.
2. We have the knowledge of the current trends in the Hospitality sector. Hence, we incorporate new food & beverage items in the menu and also the latest restaurant/food service trends. We also have complete knowledge of the ‘use of new/prevailing technologies’ in regards to the Hospitality industry.
3. We can make a particular project very cost effective.
4. We guide how to make the project successful with respect to its marketing strategies, menu items & their costing & pricing, full-proof ROI calculation etc.
5. Conducting staff training on regular basis to ensure the better results.
6. Stopping the business owners/management to make wrong decisions.
7. Ensuring smooth & hassle-free opening of the project.

We keep transparency and work on mutual understanding and our liberal norms are few other benefits our clients are getting from us.