Our story began with a young chef’s passion for designing kitchens. And not just any kitchens… kitchens built to deliver on a front-of-house experience. That foundation, grounded in real-world restaurant operations and a passion for culinary excellence, is what makes us who we are today.
Led by that same chef today, we’ve evolved into a thriving group of hospitality and design professionals. RealFood Hospitality, Strategy & Design is a strategic consultancy and full-service design studio (RF DesignStudio). While kitchen design remains a core specialty of ours, we’ve organically expanded our expertise and offerings to meet the ever-evolving needs of the modern hospitality industry.
Our Evolution
BEFORE 1996 | The Preface
A young Ed Doyle gets his first break in the dish pit of a place called The Magic Pan. It was here his love for restaurant cheffing blossomed, a passion as sweet as a crepe stuffed with créme fraîche.
IN 1996 | RealFood is Born
Fast forward a few decades of kitchen gigs and executive chef posts, Ed is called on by the Boston chef community to design kitchens like his own. In the height of the farm-to-table movement, he officially opens for business as RealFood Consulting (no space, capital F, no s).
EARLY 2000s | Desks & Doors
What started as one chef helping his peers design better-functioning kitchens becomes the foundation for a growing foodservice design consultancy. Ed opens the first official RealFood office on Franklin Street in Cambridge, MA.
AROUND 2009 | RealFood is Catching On
As demand grows and clients begin requesting more than just kitchen design, Ed begins to fill out the team with seasoned restaurant professionals. RealFood Consulting (still no space, capital F, no s) moves to a bigger space on Blanchard Street in Cambridge, MA.
EARLY 2018 | The Big Break
Now a team of more than a half-dozen, RealFood is engaged to work with a high-profile private country club in Southeast Florida that happens to be managed by AZ-based golf management powerhouse, Troon.
EARLY 2019 | Joining the Family
Following the success of the aforementioned Florida project, RealFood Consulting is acquired by Troon, with the aim of enhancing the Troon portfolio access to specialized food & beverage expertise. Demand continues to rise, and the RF team grows.
LATE 2019 | A New Identity
RealFood Consulting rebrands to RealFood Hospitality, Strategy & Design (still no space, capital F, no s), a name that better captures its full-service offerings and solutions.
END OF 2020 | New(ton) Digs
RFHSD announces new office in Newton, MA, which also serves as Troon’s Northeast headquarters. The professional team grows to a dozen, plane-hopping on the regular to service clients across the US.
EARLY 2021 | A Feather in the Cap
RFHSD makes its first acquisition, a Florida- and Maine-based foodservice design consultancy with serious architectural and engineering chops.
MID-2023 | Strategic Growth
The firm continues to expand its Southeast footprint with the acquisition of JAX Design Group, Inc., a Florida-based firm specializing in healthcare, community living, education, and institutional food facility design.
SUMMER 2024 | Hello DesignStudio
RealFood introduces RF DesignStudio, adding interior design to its suite of offerings, allowing the company to support clients through the complete hospitality business lifecycle.
Q1 2025 | New England Strong
RFHSD acquires TJM Consulting Inc., a respected Maine-based firm known for its technical expertise in K-12, healthcare and government sectors. Following the retirement of TJM’s founder, RealFood steps in to carry the company’s legacy forward and deepen its New England footprint.
On the Horizon
A future of limitless possibilities. Away we go.
YEARS IN BUSINESS
PROJECTS COMPLETE
STATES WORKED IN
RFHSD TEAM MEMBERS
HOSPITALITY SECTORS SERVED
REFERRAL & REPEAT CLIENT RATE
