Independent restaurant owner. 
Still stuck. Still bleeding money. 
Still wondering when it turns around?

If your restaurant is still broken after everything you've tried — I'm the call you make next.

Book a Restaurant Strategy Intensive

75-minute private Zoom session for restaurant owners

Davide Cerretini
The restaurant world's last resort

30 years in professional kitchens across Europe and the USA. 

Former owner of Botto Bistro - the Bay Area restaurant that made international headlines for doing the one thing nobody in the industry would dare do, and winning.

He doesn't recycle textbook advice. He doesn't do comfortable. He works with independent restaurant owners who are out of options and need someone who will tell them the truth - then help them act on it.

When you've tried everything else, this is the call you make next.

In 75 minutes, we identify what's structurally holding your restaurant back - what's draining margin, distorting pricing, or creating hidden pressure - and decide the next move.

Restaurant owners usually come to Davide when things feel like this:

Revenue is coming in, but profit keeps disappearing

Pricing feels impossible — raise prices and guests complain, hold them steady and margins shrink

Staff turnover is constant and morale is unpredictable

Delivery apps, costs, and expectations keep rising while control keeps shrinking

Every decision feels reactive instead of strategic

You've tried other consultants and got advice that sounded reasonable and changed nothing

You may still be busy. You may still be respected.But something underneath the business isn't working the way it should anymore.

Selected media & documentary appearances

Davide’s public challenge to Yelp became the subject of the feature-length documentary Billion Dollar Bully, a segment on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and multiple television and radio appearances across the U.S. and UK.

This Is For You If:

You're at your wit's end. You've run out of patience with the slow drift and you know something has to change - not in six months.

You’re working constantly, absorbing pressure from every direction, and it’s beginning to feel like you have less control, not more

The restaurant is running, but you can sense something is structurally misaligned

Advice so far has felt generic, or disconnected from reality

You're not looking for a programme, a long course, or ongoing coaching - you just want answers you can act on immediately

You want an experienced operator to see clearly and speak honestly — not someone recycling textbook advice that doesn’t fit your situation

You want to talk to someone who has been in your shoes and solved the kinds of problems that don’t show up in theory

Every other consultant will make you feel safe.

That's the problem.

 

When you're in trouble - real trouble - you don't need someone who makes you feel comfortable. You need someone who will look at the actual problem and tell you the truth, even when it's not what you want to hear.

 

Most restaurant owners don't end up at their wit's end overnight. They got there because they did everything right. They hired the consultants. They read the books. They followed the advice. Safe, sensible, reasonable advice - that kept circling the same ideas and never quite fixed the real thing.

 

Because here's what no consultant tells you: there's nobody standing next to you when you turn the key in the lock at 6am. Nobody there when a member of staff doesn't show up, when a supplier calls about an unpaid invoice, when you look at the numbers at midnight and wonder how much longer you can keep going.

 

I know that moment. I've been in it.

 

I'm the chef who turned the tables on Yelp - the most powerful review platform in the US - and won. Not by playing it safe. By understanding the real problem and making a move nobody else would dare make.

John Fox (see case study below) couldn't pay his electricity bill. Six months later his business turns over half a million pounds a year. We didn't get there with safe advice. We looked the problem in the eyes and turned it around.

 

If you are sick and tired of hearing solutions that sound great in theory but fall apart the moment you open the door — I'm the call you make next.

The Restaurant Strategy Intensive

A one-to-one strategic conversation.

75 minutes
£375 or $500 (depending on country)
Live. Private. Direct.

No sales pitch
No follow-up obligation

This is not a discovery call. 

It's not a funnel.

It’s disciplined thinking time, where we examine your situation, your model, your positioning, and the decisions you’re avoiding so that you leave knowing exactly what to change, what to stop, and what to commit to.

 

For many owners, that single conversation becomes the turning point.


Not because everything is fixed in 75 minutes, but because the direction is finally clear. And when direction becomes clear, financial decisions become cleaner. Pricing becomes more confident, waste reduces and income stops feeling random. The business starts behaving like a system instead of a gamble.

 

Some clients choose ongoing support as they execute the changes. Others implement independently.


The session stands on its own.

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Title

What we do in the session

During your 75-minute session, we will:

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Examine the real pressure points: online reviews, difficult customers, staffing instability, shrinking margins.. and identify which one is actually costing you the most money

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Analyse how reputation pressure is affecting your pricing, positioning, and confidence.

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Look at your staffing structure: availability, management patterns, accountability, and whether the system supports you or drains you.

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Map the full operating system (concept, leadership, food, team, customer behaviour) to find where margin is leaking and where effort isn’t translating into income

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Decide what must change first, and what can wait until later..

What to expect

You don’t need to prepare extensively.
You don’t need a pitch, a plan, or perfect answers.
 

I’ll ask a few orienting questions, then we work live.
 

Sometimes the session confirms what you already suspected.
Sometimes it names what you couldn’t see while inside it.
 

Either way, the goal is the same:
Clear thinking.
Restored authority.
Clean direction.

Running hard in the wrong direction is expensive.

Most owners recover the cost of this conversation in the first decision they stop getting wrong.

What this changes

When direction becomes clear, restaurants stabilise. You stop reacting to everything. You stop chasing ten problems at once. Instead, you focus on the few structural decisions that actually change the trajectory.

 

The extra compromises, the small “yes” decisions that didn’t sit right, the wrong “no” decisions. The customers you bent for, and the staff behaviour you tolerated. The pricing you hesitated to adjust. 

 

And when that becomes clear, financial decisions shift almost automatically. You stop underpricing out of fear. You stop tolerating low-value behaviour. You stop carrying unprofitable complexity just because it’s always been there. 

 

Often, income improves not because you are working harder - but because you have stopped leaking energy.

None of it happens dramatically....I know that. It happens gradually, and over time those small decisions create a situation you didn’t consciously choose.

 

You don't have a motivation problem. You have a perspective problem. And that's exactly what this conversation fixes.

 

In a proper strategy conversation with me, you get to step outside of that pattern. You can see how you got here, what’s structural, what’s emotional, and what just sort of drifted. And once you can see it clearly, the way forward reveals itself.

 

Fix What's Holding Your Restaurant Back

For many owners, that shift begins with a single structured conversation with someone who has built, broken, rebuilt and repositioned restaurants for 30 years.

About Davide

I’ve spent decades inside restaurants — as a chef, owner, and operator.

 

I built and ran Botto Bistro in the Bay Area, where I deliberately invited one-star Yelp reviews — and turned it into one of the most talked-about restaurant stories in the U.S. It wasn't a stunt. It was proof that the rules everyone else follows aren't the only way to win.
 

I’m known for seeing patterns quickly, naming uncomfortable truths without drama, and cutting through noise.


I'm not for everyone. But if you're ready for honesty over comfort, I'm exactly who you need.

Schedule Time with Davide

Questions

Is this only for struggling restaurants?

No.

Some clients are firefighting.
Others are profitable but know something feels misaligned.

The session is for operators who are willing to look properly at the business — not just push harder

Is this a sales call?

No.

The session is exactly what it says it is — focused thinking time.
There is no obligation to continue working together.

If further support makes sense, we can discuss it.
If not, you leave with clarity.

What should I prepare?

Bring whatever is real.

That might be your numbers.
It might be a problem you can’t quite name.
It might simply be the feeling that something isn’t working.

You don’t need a polished presentation.
You need honesty about what’s happening.

What happens after the session?

You’ll leave with clear direction.

Some clients implement independently.
Some choose ongoing advisory support.

Either way, the session stands on its own.

Ready to fix it?

You've read enough. You already know something has to change.

No pitch. No long-term commitment. Just focused thinking time on what actually matters.

BOOK IN USD- $500

BOOK IN GBP- £375

75 minutes · Delivered live via Zoom · Recording provided

CASE STUDY: Botto Bistro - Turning Reputational Pressure into Leverage

The Context

 

I designed Botto Bistro to be deliberately unconventional: high-quality Tuscan food served in a stripped-back, counter-service setting with a strong brand voice and clear boundaries. It had loyal customers and a distinct identity.

 

Then the pressure came from somewhere else: online reviews.

 

In the U.S., Yelp is the dominant restaurant review platform. For many independent owners, it carries enormous influence over visibility and reputation.

 

The message from their advertising team was consistent: if you advertise with us, your visibility improves.

 

For a lot of restaurant owners, that creates a feeling of dependency - or pressure.

 

 

The Move

 

Rather than react defensively, I examined where the leverage actually sat.

If star ratings were the mechanism of control, then star ratings were the pressure point.

 

Instead of protecting our score, we neutralised it - offering customers a discount for leaving a one-star review and removing the platform’s psychological hold over the business.

 

The Outcome

 

Rapid increase in foot traffic and revenue

Thousands of new customers driven by viral exposure
National and international press without paid PR
Feature-length documentary (Billion Dollar Bully)
Segment on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah
Television and radio coverage across the U.S. and UK
Strengthened brand loyalty and long-term positioning

 

The campaign didn’t damage the business, it strengthened it.

 

It proved that when you understand the system, you can reposition it.

 

READ THE FULL CASE STUDY HERE  ➡

Before opening Botto, I had already run a successful high-end restaurant in Sausalito, California. White tablecloths, expensive wines, well-known guests. It was profitable, but it came with constant performance pressure and a growing sense of entitlement from customers. I didn’t want to build another version of that.

 

Botto was designed differently from the beginning. It was small, counter service only, no formal table setting. The food remained authentic and high quality, but the environment made it clear this wasn’t a place for theatrics. You ordered at the counter. You carried your own plate. The tone was lighter, sharper, more direct.

We also shaped the culture deliberately. Funny signs. Clear boundaries. No free bread just because someone expected it. That tone attracted the right people. It discouraged the wrong ones. Over time, the restaurant developed a loyal following that understood what it stood for.

 

The Yelp situation didn’t begin as a grand strategy. It started with aggressive advertising calls. The message from them was always the same: if you advertise with us (the biggest review platform in the USA), your visibility improves. For many restaurant owners, that pressure feels unavoidable.

 

Instead of reacting emotionally, I looked at where the leverage actually was. Yelp’s influence rested on star ratings. So rather than trying to protect our stars, we removed their power.

 

We offered customers 25% off a pizza if they left a one-star review.

 

At first, it was a local joke. Then it went viral thanks to a local reporter. Within days, thousands of one-star reviews appeared from across the country. Business owners who were frustrated with the system participated. Customers came to see what this “worst-rated restaurant” actually was.

 

Traffic increased significantly. Revenue increased. Brand loyalty strengthened. Instead of being anxious about ratings, we controlled the narrative.

 

Yelp sent a cease-and-desist letter. We responded by doubling the discount to 50%. Media outlets picked up the story. The campaign became the subject of a feature-length documentary (Billion Dollar Bully), a segment on The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, and multiple television and radio appearances across the U.S. and UK.

The exposure wasn’t paid for. It wasn’t orchestrated by a PR agency. It came from taking a clear position and executing it consistently.

 

More importantly, the restaurant stopped operating from fear. Customers weren’t coming because of stars. They were coming because the place had identity. That identity became stronger than any platform rating.

The lesson wasn’t about being provocative. It was about understanding systems. When you identify where control sits, you can decide whether to comply — or redesign the game entirely.

 

That mindset is the same one I bring into every strategy conversation.

After 38 years in hospitality, I thought I had tried everything. My business was struggling badly and I was close to walking away.

 

Davide saw things I couldn’t see. He helped me make the hard decisions I needed to make.

 

I’m now out of debt, making money again, and my relationship at home is stronger. I can honestly say his guidance changed the direction of my life. 

John Fox, Owner of Liberty Square Sports Bar, Kings Hill
Title

CASE STUDY: From a Failing Restaurant to a £500K+ Sports Bar

The Context

 

John had decades in hospitality, but by 2024 his restaurant in King's Hill, Kent, was draining him. Revenue had collapsed, foot traffic was thin and staff turnover was constant. Suppliers were calling and the pressure at home was rising.

 

The business wasn’t just struggling — it was misaligned.

 

The First Strategy Session

 

In our first structured conversation, we didn’t start with marketing, we diagnosed identity. Within that session it became clear the core issue wasn’t efficiency - it was fit. 

 

The restaurant concept did not align with the owner’s strengths, personality, or appetite for operational pressure.

 

That clarity changed the direction of every decision that followed.

Instead of trying to optimise a model that didn’t suit him, John made a decisive pivot.

 

The Strategic Shift

 

Over the following months, we supported the repositioning:

 

  • Closed the restaurant concept
  • Repositioned as a sport bar
  • Removed food complexity
  • Leased the kitchen for fixed monthly income
  • Simplified staffing and operational flow

 

The Outcome

 

The sports bar now turns over more than £500,000 per year, with £2,500 per month in fixed kitchen rental income. It operates seven days a week, but John works just three. Staffing is stable. Operations are structured. His marriage is intact.

 

The transformation began with clarity.

 

The rest was execution.

READ THE FULL CASE STUDY HERE  ➡

I didn’t go to John’s restaurant as a consultant. I went to speak with him about possibly supplying some Italian food for an event.

 

While I was there, I observed the service and the kitchen. It didn’t take long to see structural problems. The kitchen was disorganised. The freezer was full and the fridge nearly empty - which usually tells you the operation is relying on storage rather than freshness. Service lacked rhythm. Staff were active, but no one clearly owned the room.

 

John has decades in hospitality. He’s capable. He’s steady. But this particular restaurant was draining him.

Before I left, I suggested we schedule a proper strategy session - away from service, without distraction - to look at the business objectively.

 

In that first conversation, we went back to basics.

 

We simplified the menu. Cut waste. Tightened ordering. Reorganised flow. Clarified roles. Tried special nights. Adjusted pricing. Pushed social media.

 

There was some improvement.

 

But something deeper was wrong.

 

You can fix operations. You cannot fix misalignment.

 

The restaurant model demanded an identity John didn’t naturally have. It required obsession with food reviews, chef precision, constant refinement under pressure.

 

At one point I told him plainly: “This business is not yours.” Not because he wasn’t capable — but because it didn’t fit him. He didn’t want chef drama. He didn’t want to live by review culture. He didn’t want to build his identity around something that drained him.

 

What he loved was atmosphere. Beer. Sport. Conversation. Energy at the bar. Once that became clear, the decision followed.

 

Instead of trying to save a dying restaurant, he did something most owners are too afraid to do. He ended it.

He changed the name. Reworked the layout. Put screens on the walls. Removed the food pressure. Leased the kitchen to a pizza operator for £2,500 a month in fixed income. The offer became simple. The identity became clear.

 

Within weeks, the room felt different.

 

People don’t respond to marketing alone — they respond to alignment.

 

The tension lifted. Staff relaxed. Customers stayed longer. Traffic built naturally.

John chose to continue working with me as he executed the transition, refining structure and maintaining discipline during the repositioning. The clarity came quickly. The execution required commitment.

 

Today the business turns over more than £500,000 a year. It’s open seven days. It's stable and profitable and best of all, it feels wonderful when you walk through the door. John works structured hours and goes home without carrying the weight of the world. He's a happy, satisfied man whose smiling face tells the whole story.

 

The difference wasn’t a marketing trick. It was a decision.

 

Sometimes strategy isn’t about adding more. It’s about removing what doesn’t belong.

Don't wait until there's nothing left to save

The owners who get the best results are never the ones who waited until the last minute.

 

By the time most people find me, they've already been through the journey. They tried to fix it themselves. They searched online. They hired a consultant. They followed the process. And somewhere along the way, things kept getting worse - until they ended up looking for the guy who seemed a little too aggressive at first but actually makes things work.

 

I understand that journey. It's real. And I'll take that call whenever you're ready to make it.

 

But here's what I want you to hear: the less you wait, the more room there is to turn things around properly. Not in crisis mode. Not with your back against the wall. With actual space to think, to move, and to do it right.

I'm the man who took on Yelp - one of the most powerful corporations in the restaurant industry - turned it into free publicity, packed my dining room, and made them look like fools. I don't believe in impossible.

So if you're already at the wall, call me. I'll be straight with you about where you stand and what it's going to take.

 

And if you're not there yet - call me anyway. That's actually when I can help you most.

~ Davide

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