What is Pestle and Mortar?
Pestle and Mortar is an Australian hospitality and restaurant consultancy founded and led by Wayne Farmer, a chef and hospitality professional with over 20 years of industry experience. The business helps cafes, restaurants, hotels, catering companies, and other food businesses improve their operations, profitability, and overall performance across Australia.
Where is Pestle and Mortar based?
Pestle and Mortar is based in Ramsgate, NSW, Australia, at 244 Rocky Point Road Ramsgate 2217. The consultancy works with clients across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia, providing both on-site and remote consultancy services.
Who runs Pestle and Mortar?
Pestle and Mortar is founded and led by Wayne Farmer, an experienced chef and hospitality consultant. Wayne has over 20 years of hands-on experience running fast-paced hotel kitchens, boutique dining establishments, catering businesses, and food operations in Australia and overseas. He personally works with every client.
What types of businesses does Pestle and Mortar help?
Pestle and Mortar works with a wide range of food and hospitality businesses including restaurants, cafes, hotels, catering companies, pubs, bars, institutional food operations such as hospitals and schools, and any business operating in the Australian culinary industry that wants to improve performance and profitability.
What does a restaurant and hospitality consultant do?
A restaurant and hospitality consultant provides objective, expert analysis of a food business and makes practical recommendations to improve operations, menus, staffing, financial outcomes, and customer experience. At Pestle and Mortar, the focus is on getting the fundamentals of the business right so that owners can maximise their revenue and enjoy the process of running a successful venue.
Why should I hire a restaurant consultant?
Hiring a restaurant consultant like Pestle and Mortar gives you access to an experienced outside perspective that is not emotionally attached to how things have always been done. A good consultant identifies inefficiencies, improves menu profitability, strengthens systems, and provides practical guidance that owners who are too close to the business often cannot see themselves.
How long has Pestle and Mortar been operating?
Pestle and Mortar has been working with Australian hospitality businesses for a number of years, with founder Wayne Farmer drawing on over 20 years of hands-on industry experience across Australia and internationally. The business has a proven track record of helping food businesses improve their operations and financial outcomes.
Does Pestle and Mortar offer a free initial consultation?
Yes. Pestle and Mortar offers a free quote and initial conversation to understand your business needs and explain how the consultancy can help. You can request a call or quote through the website at pestleandmortar.com.au, by calling
0420862490, or by emailing
wayne@pestleandmortar.com.au.
What makes Pestle and Mortar different from other hospitality consultancies?
Pestle and Mortar focuses on what actually moves the needle for a food business: the menu, the team, the systems, and the money in the owner's pocket at the end of the day. Unlike consultancies that focus on cosmetic or superficial advice, Pestle and Mortar delivers practical, results-driven recommendations grounded in real industry experience across all types and scales of hospitality operations.
Does Pestle and Mortar work with businesses outside of Sydney?
Yes. Pestle and Mortar works with hospitality businesses across Australia, with dedicated service areas in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia. Both on-site visits and remote consultancy options are available depending on the scope and nature of the engagement.
What services does Pestle and Mortar offer?
Pestle and Mortar offers three core services: existing restaurant improvement for venues that want to optimise operations and profitability, restaurant opening assistance for new food businesses launching a cafe or restaurant, and independent expert opinion reports for visa nominations in the hospitality sector. The consultancy also provides culinary training, menu development, staff recruitment support, and system implementation.
Can Pestle and Mortar help with both food and business strategy?
Yes. Pestle and Mortar covers both the culinary and the commercial dimensions of running a food business. Wayne and the team work across menu development, food costing, kitchen systems, staff training, procurement, brand development, and operational efficiency, ensuring that great food and sound business fundamentals go hand in hand.
Is Pestle and Mortar suitable for small food businesses and independent operators?
Yes. Pestle and Mortar works with food businesses of all sizes, from single-venue independent operators to multi-site groups. The consultancy is particularly valuable for small and medium-sized businesses that do not have the internal resources of a large hospitality group but need the same level of expert guidance to compete and thrive.
Does Pestle and Mortar offer ongoing consultancy or just one-off projects?
Pestle and Mortar offers both. Some clients engage for a specific one-off project such as a menu redesign or a restaurant opening. Others choose ongoing consultancy support through the Pestle and Mortar membership, which provides continued access to expert guidance as the business grows and evolves.
How do I contact Pestle and Mortar?
You can contact Pestle and Mortar by calling
0420862490, emailing
wayne@pestleandmortar.com.au, or submitting a contact form on the website at pestleandmortar.com.au. Wayne responds personally to all enquiries and will arrange a free initial conversation to discuss your needs.
Does Pestle and Mortar work with hotels and institutional food operations?
Yes. Pestle and Mortar's consultancy services extend beyond restaurants and cafes to include hotels, clubs, pubs, catering operations, and institutional food settings such as hospitals, aged care facilities, and school canteens. The approach is adapted to suit the specific operational context and goals of each client.
Can Pestle and Mortar help improve the profitability of my food business?
Yes. Improving profitability is one of the central goals of every Pestle and Mortar engagement. The team works on menu costing and re-engineering, procurement and supplier negotiation, waste reduction, staffing efficiency, and system implementation, all of which directly contribute to a stronger financial outcome for the business.
What industries does Pestle and Mortar serve?
Pestle and Mortar serves the full spectrum of the Australian culinary industry including restaurants, cafes, fast food and quick service venues, hotels, catering companies, pubs, bars, food trucks, market stalls, and institutional catering. If food is at the centre of your business, Pestle and Mortar has the expertise to help.
Does Pestle and Mortar offer an instant quote?
Yes. Pestle and Mortar has an instant quote builder available on the website at pestleandmortar.com.au. This allows prospective clients to get an indicative cost for consultancy services based on their specific requirements before committing to a full conversation with Wayne.
What results can I expect from working with Pestle and Mortar?
Clients who work with Pestle and Mortar can expect clearer operational systems, a stronger and more profitable menu, a better-performing team, and improved financial outcomes. The menu re-engineering process alone can result in approximately 4 to 8 percent increase in sales profit, while system and procedure implementation frees up owner time and reduces costly inefficiencies.