Meet Teresa Perretta | Restaurant Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Teresa Perretta and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Teresa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
As a former Vice President of a fast-growing start-up restaurant group, I repeatedly noticed the need for additional leadership in business development every time we opened a new restaurant. Whether it be strategic planning, project management for design and construction, building new leaders, developing a team, setting up operations, activating marketing and public relations, or performing the heavy lift through market entry, the amplified need for support was relevant. While a mature restaurant group may have resources to mitigate the turbulence, most independent restaurant groups do not.

My business was conceptualized based on the idea that business owners can make more proficient decisions with experienced assistance during start-up and expansion phases without having to keep the cost of that assistance on their profit and loss statement after the dust settles. My goal is to help bring confidence to independent start-ups when they need it most.

What should our readers know about your business?
Being a restaurant consultant, one of my greatest joys has been developing my hometown, Dayton, OH. It’s been a miraculous experience to be apart of so many projects that make Dayton such a dynamic place to live, work and play. Being entrusted with someone’s vision and helping to bring it to life will never be lost on me. To see the visions realized, the jobs created, and how the community comes together within the concepts that we create together is bigger than me. I truly love doing the work and I feel incredibly grateful to be along for the ride.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Fun fact – I write infamous iPhone note itineraries for friends visiting Dayton all the time. Tailored to the day, time and season they are visiting. If you know – you know.

If I had a friend in town, we’d start at Press Coffee Bar. If we were grabbing breakfast, either the Ugly Duckling downtown or Honey Toast in Fairborn.

I always try to mix an indoor and outdoor excursion in one day. For indoor, I can’t get enough of the Dayton Art Institute, the Air Force Museum, or Carillon Museum. For outdoor, I love to take people to Woodland Cemetery (I used to work there so I give great tours) but hitting one of our metro parks is a MUST for me. Five Rivers Metropark is the best park system in the world – I said it. I am always down to kayak, hit the bike trails, or take a hike.

For lunch, we are either hitting Grist Provisions, Salt Block Biscuit Co. or Tony & Pete’s. For dinner, we are either going to The Silos Food Hall, CULTURE, or Jollity depending the mood. And then, we are finishing the night off at the Silver Slipper.

But I also love arcades and games, so we’d have to squeeze in a visit to Canal Street Tavern or DK Effect. Honestly, I could write an itinerary and spend a day in each neighborhood of Dayton.

A day-trip to Troy, OH for Speakeasy Miso, Crafted & Cured, and Haren’s Market is a must. A little jaunt to Enon, OH for the Last Queen or waking up and heading to Brookville, OH for Mulberry & Main (the cutest coziest). I am really into shopping at Skeleton Dust Records, Pink Moon Goods, and MADE in St. Anne’s Hill. We also have the best thrift shops. I’ve been really into Antique Village recently.

I don’t know – I missed so much in this list. If you’re really my friend, you’d blow off visiting for the day and just move to Dayton already.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to dedicate my shout out first and foremost to my clients, my business wouldn’t exist without their trust or their word of mouth recommendation. I’ve been in business for 6-years and I’ve never had a website or targeted marketing. It’s all grown through referral and I appreciate the sense of community my client-base builds within the restaurant industry – one that is more collaborative than competitive.

Of course, my family is the foundation to which I stand on. My mom, dad, brother and sister have always been my biggest supporters. My work ethic and drive is shaped by my family. My brother thinks I have super power strength and is always reminding me that I can do anything. Lastly, my husband deserves grand recognition for all of the love, patience and understanding – consulting in the restaurant industry comes with significant sacrifice.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teresaperretta/

Image Credits
Autumn Theodore Photography