Culinary Destination Development
for Places That Want to Get It Right

CULINARY DESTINATION FIRST AID

Rapid clarity when direction feels uncertain.

Culinary Destination First Aid is designed for destinations that sense something is not working, but are not yet ready to commit to a larger engagement. It provides a focused diagnostic intervention to help clarify what is happening, what matters now, and what level of action - if any - is appropriate next.

First Aid is particularly useful when there is urgency, misalignment among stakeholders, or uncertainty about where to begin. The intent is not to deliver a strategy or formal assessment, but to restore clarity and confidence so decision-makers can determine whether further work is warranted.

First Aid engagements are deliberately short, contained, and low-risk, making them a practical starting point when clarity is the immediate need.

CULINARY DESTINATION READINESS ASSESSMENT

Building evidence before making strategic decisions.

The Culinary Destination Readiness Assessment is designed for destinations that want to move forward with confidence and need a structured, objective understanding of their current situation before committing to strategy, investment, or activation.

This assessment evaluates key dimensions such as assets, capacity, governance, alignment, and gaps related to culinary heritage destination development. The goal is not to prescribe solutions, but to provide a clear, defensible picture of readiness that supports informed decision-making.

Readiness Assessments are typically conducted as focused, time-bound engagements and result in a structured report that highlights strengths, constraints, and priority considerations for next steps.

STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT

Defining direction before committing resources.

Strategic Development is appropriate once clarity and readiness have been established, and when a destination is prepared to make informed, longer-term decisions about its culinary positioning, priorities, and investment focus.

This phase translates insight into direction. It helps destinations define what they should focus on, what they should defer, and how food and beverage can realistically support broader economic, cultural, and tourism objectives. Strategic Development emphasizes coherence and feasibility, ensuring that ambition is aligned with capacity and governance.

Rather than prescribing generic solutions, this work establishes a shared framework for decision-making, providing a clear basis for subsequent activation, capacity building, and implementation.

ACTIVATION & CAPACITY BUILDING

Turning direction into durable action.

Activation and Capacity Building supports destinations after clarity, readiness, and strategic direction have been established, helping translate intent into coordinated, realistic action. This phase focuses on embedding knowledge, aligning stakeholders, and strengthening the destination’s internal capacity to deliver on its culinary ambitions over time.

Depending on the destination’s context and priorities, this work may include guidance on marketing alignment, support related to relevant certifications or recognition pathways, and targeted training or capacity-building initiatives designed to reinforce strategy rather than operate independently.

Rather than launching disconnected activities, Activation emphasizes coherence - ensuring that marketing, training, and certification efforts reinforce one another and are grounded in an agreed direction.