Meet Mitchalene Brown | Hospitality Consultant

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

Hi Mitchalene, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
My thought process behind starting my own business stemmed from my extensive background in hospitality. With a degree in hospitality and tourism and over 10 years of industry experience, I noticed a troubling decline in health inspection scores and customer service standards. This prompted me to leverage my expertise to make a positive impact. I wanted to teach and guide others in the industry, ensuring that food safety and compliance standards are met and exceeded, ultimately improving the overall quality of service and customer satisfaction. I was a Residential Dining director for a large university when I moved to GA. After about 6 miserable months I realized how unhappy I was. I started bartending PT and made some business cards advertising Servsafe Classes. One day I went to work and gave them a resignation notice effective Immediately. This was 6 years ago and was honestly one of the best decisions I ever made. I started Bartending FT and just focused on building my brand and business. I used to call different restaurants, and just introduce myself. My first official ATL client was Chef Harper one of the owners of Toast. He connected me with people in his network and the rest is history. Now my clients reach out to me and 90% are word of mouth. Some of the services I provide:

1. **Food Safety Training:** Comprehensive training programs designed to ensure restaurant staff are knowledgeable about best practices in food safety, sanitation, and hygiene to maintain high standards and compliance with health regulations.

2. **Recruiting:** Expert recruitment services to help restaurant owners find and hire the most qualified and reliable staff, tailored to meet the specific needs of the establishment.

3. **Mock Health Inspections:** Detailed mock inspections to identify potential health code violations and provide actionable feedback, ensuring that restaurants are prepared for official health department evaluations.

4. **Permitting Process Assistance:** Guidance and support throughout the entire permitting process for opening a restaurant, including navigating regulatory requirements, completing necessary paperwork, and facilitating communication with local authorities.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is a hospitality consulting company specializing in food safety and compliance. What sets us apart is our deep commitment to ensuring that our clients not only meet regulatory standards but also excel in delivering safe, high-quality dining experiences. We provide tailored solutions and training programs that address specific needs, ensuring our clients are well-equipped to maintain high standards.

I am most proud of the tangible improvements we’ve seen in our clients’ health inspection scores and customer satisfaction levels. It’s incredibly rewarding to know that our work directly contributes to safer and more enjoyable dining experiences.

Getting to where we are today was far from easy. The journey required navigating numerous challenges, from building a client base to staying updated with constantly changing regulations. The biggest hurdle was establishing trust and credibility in a competitive market. To overcome this, I leveraged my extensive background in hospitality and tourism, as well as over a decade of industry experience, to demonstrate our expertise and commitment to excellence.

One key lesson I’ve learned is the importance of continuous education and adaptability. The hospitality industry is always evolving, and staying ahead means constantly updating our knowledge and skills. Another crucial lesson is the value of strong relationships and clear communication with clients. Understanding their unique challenges and goals allows us to provide the best possible service.

What I want the world to know about my brand is that we are dedicated to elevating the standards of food safety and compliance in the hospitality industry. Our story is one of passion, perseverance, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As a black and female-owned business, we also strive to inspire and pave the way for other entrepreneurs who share our vision for a safer and more innovative hospitality industry.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If my best friend was visiting the area I would definitely need a week to take them to all of my faves:

Brunch:Breakfast at Barney’s, Toast on Lenox or Midtown, Le Petit Merche, ABC, and Thumbs up

Activities: Beltline, or Our 3rd Spot, and Jeju spa

Cocktails: The Cheetah, Jojo’s Beloved, or Boxcar

Dinner: Osha Thai, BOT, Pasha, Kabob Land, and Hawkers

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out Tiasha James and April Berry who have been very supportive and impactful to my business, by constantly bragging and sharing my business via word of mouth or social media. They both are entreprenuers and its amazing to have friends that not only have my back but that also supports my brand.

Instagram: Pineappleexphospitality