Salt & System

Every dish, dialed in.

Culinary consulting for restaurants, caterers, bakeries, and international food concepts in Connecticut and across New England. I taste what a dish is missing, rework it, write a recipe your cooks can follow, and help you sell it to the guests who will value it.

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It starts with the palate

My strongest tool is how I taste. Within a bite or two I can tell you where a dish is out of balance and what to change. I can usually pick out the cooking method, the shortcut taken, the step that was rushed, and the ingredient letting the plate down.

  • Salt

    Seasoned all the way through, not just on the surface.

  • Fat

    Enough richness to carry flavor without weighing the plate down.

  • Acid

    The brightness that wakes a dish up and keeps people eating.

  • Heat

    Warmth that builds and has a purpose, rather than heat for its own sake.

  • Sweet

    Balance against bitterness, sourness, and spice.

  • Savory

    Depth from browning, stocks, ferments, and time.

Having cooked and eaten across dozens of cuisines, I can borrow a fix from one tradition to solve a problem in another. That's the gap most kitchens never see.

Who I work with

  • Independent restaurants

    Owners with a dish that isn't selling, a menu that has gone stale, or food cost that keeps creeping up.

  • International and family concepts

    Cooks bringing a cuisine to American diners who want to stay true to the food while fitting the local market.

  • Caterers, bakeries, and food startups

    Bakers, caterers, and new brands who need a recipe tightened up, written precisely, and priced right.

Two halves of a good kitchen

I work both sides of a dish: the flavor that brings people in, and the analysis that turns it into something profitable.

Salt

The food and drink.

Menu development
Focused menus built around what you cook best, what your guests order, and what your kitchen can execute.
Dish and recipe rescue
A fresh take on a dish that isn't landing: I taste it, find what's off, and rework it until it's the plate people come back for.
Recipe development
New dishes, reworked classics, and specials, tasted and adjusted until they are right.
International cuisine
Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Thai, Mexican, South American, barbecue, baking, and more, with respect for how the food is meant to taste.
Drinks programs
Coffee and tea service, whiskey lists, and beer pairings that fit the food and the price point.

System

The method and the numbers.

Precise recipes and costing
Weights, yields, and plate costs written down, so the dish comes out the way it should and you know what it earns.
Menu analysis
Your sales data, read plainly: which dishes earn their place, which need work, and which to drop.
Pricing and marketing
Using your sales data to position a dish, find the guests who value it most, and price it for what it's worth.
Menus, web, and design
Printed menus, websites, and digital assets that look as good as the food.

Bringing your cuisine to American diners

This is my specialty. A dish that sells out at home can stall here because of price, sourcing, or a menu guests don't know how to order from. I help you adapt the business without flattening the food.

  • A menu guests can navigateClear descriptions and structure that invite people in without dumbing anything down.
  • Local sourcingWhere to find the ingredients that matter, and smart substitutes for the ones that don't travel.
  • Pricing for this marketPlate costs and price points that work for Connecticut rents and wages.
  • Precise recipesYour dishes written down with weights and method, so they come out the way you make them.
  • Local connectionsIntroductions to chefs, restaurants, and suppliers across Connecticut's food scene.

How an engagement works

Every project is sized to what you need, from one dish to a full menu.

  1. Taste

    I eat your food and tell you plainly what's working and what isn't.

  2. Diagnose

    We look at the dish and your sales numbers together and decide what to fix first.

  3. Rework

    I develop and test changes alongside your cooks until the plate is right.

  4. Hand off

    You keep the written recipes, costing, and menu copy.

I'm Dave Terricciano.

I'm a self-taught chef and baker with a discerning palate. I've worked in kitchens and alongside caterers, wrote about food as a blogger, and have spent years cooking my way across cuisines, from Japanese and Thai to Mexican, Italian, and barbecue. Coffee, tea, whiskey, and beer get the same attention to detail as the food.

I also hold a B.S. in Computer Science and an MBA in business analytics and marketing from Central Connecticut State University. That is where the system half comes from: I read the numbers, write precise recipes, build menus and websites, and help you market a dish to the people who will pay what it's worth.

I'm based in Wolcott, Connecticut, and connected with chefs and owners across the state. I'd rather tell you plainly what will help than sell you a long engagement.

Background

  • B.S. in Computer Science, CCSU
  • MBA in business analytics and marketing, CCSU
  • Kitchen and catering experience
  • Former food blogger
  • Baker and self-taught chef
  • Trained palate across dozens of cuisines

Also handy with

  • Web design and development
  • Art and digital design
  • Sales data, costing, and pricing analysis

What are you working on?

A dish that isn't landing, a menu that needs a fresh look, or a cuisine you want to bring to new guests. Send a note and I'll reply within two business days.

Email hello@saltandsystem.com

Instagram @saltandsystem