Horeca Consulting

Horeca Consulting is an architect of growth for ambitious hospitality businesses, turning ideas into profitable, high-performing operations. The only firm in Italy to unite culinary creativity, business strategy and brand expertise under one roof, it equips restaurants and hotels with a proven framework for success.

Profitability is a hard target in the hospitality sector. Rising food and energy costs, razor-thin margins, staffing challenges and the complexity of scaling concepts make operations more difficult than ever. Businesses must also maintain a strong digital presence to connect effectively with customers and keep their daily operations efficient. Success in this environment demands systems that can integrate creativity with strategy and execution.

Horeca tackles these challenges with proprietary tools and hands-on expertise. Horeca Code delivers real-time insight into food costs, productivity and profitability. Horeca Resources connects clients with top talent through a database spanning 27 recruiting platforms. Horeca Communication manages online reviews, social media and CRM to convert visibility into loyalty. As a member of a purchasing consortium, Horeca can provide clients with below-market procurement rates, ensuring that operational improvements translate into clear financial benefits.

“We are more than just consultants,” says Alessandro Dehò, founder and CEO. “We become a part of the client team, driving the vision, execution and sustainable growth.”

The results are evident. Clients experience profit margin increases of 10 percent or more within six months. Operations are refined at every level, including enhanced workflows, strengthened cold chain management, reorganized kitchen brigades and strategic menu engineering. Market studies are central to Horeca’s approach, providing insights to guide the opening of new restaurants or the relaunch of existing ones. Concepts are positioned to thrive. From there, Horeca embeds itself in daily operations to ensure gains are sustained and scalable over time.

This comprehensive approach has earned the confidence of independent restaurants, hospitality groups, resorts and multinational companies, including Amadori, Carrefour and Edenred. Certified under ISO 9001:2015 and EA37, Horeca is also qualified to support public institutions, chambers of commerce and trade associations, extending innovation to underserved regions and sectors. Its offices in Milan, Trento, Florence, Chiavenna and Pontecagnano deliver local accessibility with national reach, ensuring its expertise is available wherever clients operate.

Expert-Led Operations Driving Sustainable Business Growth

Every detail, from kitchen workflows to guest engagement, is designed to convert strategy into seamless, profitable operations. Horeca’s structured transformation model is driven by a multidisciplinary team of more than 20 specialists, guided by the leaders of its three specialized divisions.

Horeca Resources, led by Michele Jake Mattioli, focuses on positioning HR as a driver of growth for clients. A professional with over 15 years of managerial and entrepreneurial experience across hospitality, restaurants, and HR, he brings strategic insight and practical expertise to every project.

Under Mattioli’s leadership, client teams align with business objectives while recruitment, onboarding and employee welfare programs are seamlessly integrated into daily operations. This approach strengthens team resilience and reduces turnover, creating a high-performing workforce that supports sustainable, long-term success.

The food division, managed by Chef Rubina Rovini through Radici Lab, Horeca Consulting’s dedicated innovation center, blends culinary artistry with operational strategy.

A finalist in MasterChef Italia, her career is marked by collaborations with Michelin-starred chefs and entrepreneurial ventures in food retail.

This division elevates menu development, staff training and kitchen processes into strategic levers, safeguarding margins while balancing creativity and efficiency. It also implements workflow optimization and scalable restaurant formats, ensuring kitchens consistently deliver exceptional experiences and support financial sustainability.

Horeca Communication, led by Veronica Pagani, is the firm’s dedicated marketing and communication division. It turns digital presence into measurable engagement and customer loyalty. Pagani brings over 15 years of experience managing and internationalizing brands.

She combines academic rigor and practical know-how to design strategies that integrate in-location experiences with digital campaigns, CRM and reputation management, fostering lasting customer relationships and enhancing brand visibility for clients.

This team of specialists ensures every intervention is strategic and effective. From menu design and operational workflows to shift planning, HACCP compliance, certified training under EA37 and brand storytelling, Horeca equips businesses with structured processes that support growth and financial results.

From Concept to Revenue-Driven Execution

Horeca’s recent engagement with a multi-location casual dining brand in Central Italy shows how tackling operational inefficiencies can unlock growth. Despite the brand’s reputation for quality food, weak margins and inconsistent management across its restaurants constrained expansion and bottom-line results.

Horeca implemented a comprehensive restructuring. Expansion potential was guided by geomarketing analysis, and the menu was redesigned to improve operational efficiency and reinforce the brand’s creativity. Workflows and cold chain compliance were optimized. Horeca Code gave management clear financial oversight while Horeca Communication revitalized the brand’s digital presence, enhancing reputation, engagement and CRM effectiveness.

The results were significant. Average margins rose 13 percent, with ticket values increasing by 18 percent. Social media engagement increased by 41 percent, and staff retention improved, positioning the brand for stronger, sustainable growth.

Horeca’s expertise extends to transforming creative hospitality concepts into profitable, fully functional businesses. Atelier Prato in Milan, envisioned as a space combining specialty coffee, international cuisine and floral artistry, faced the challenge of translating the vision into a viable operation.

Guidance was provided at every step of the launch, from selecting kitchen equipment and coordinating suppliers to recruiting and training staff and developing the menu with Chef Rubina Rovini. Creative vision was aligned with cost control and process consistency for a framework that preserved the founders’ values while delivering an exceptional guest experience, positioning Atelier Prato as a hospitality destination.

Equally impressive was Horeca’s engagement with Oxygen Lifestyle Hotel in Viserbella di Rimini, which faced challenges in market positioning, food and beverage offerings and organizational model.

Horeca reimagined the hotel’s Folya restaurant, creating a dining experience rooted in responsible practices and operational efficiency. It also re-engineered HR processes, including staff training, and enhanced the hotel’s lifestyle identity. These initiatives strengthened guest loyalty and established a robust framework, enabling sustainable growth and a clearly differentiated market position. Horeca has been a recurring partner for Oxygen since 2021.

“Those who work with us often return with their next project,” says Dehò.

Innovation That Strengthens Every Operation

Horeca applies emerging technologies in operational strategies to continuously enhance business performance. Its specialized tools, integrated into daily workflows, improve team coordination and efficiency, translating strategy into measurable gains.

This culture of innovation underpins Horeca’s growth across Italy. Upcoming expansions in Rimini and Venice are not just about presence. They bring cutting-edge operational expertise within reach of businesses nationwide.

Horeca Consulting transforms hospitality businesses into well-oiled, resilient enterprises that achieve sustainable profitability.