What does Ground Up Projects actually do?

Ground Up Projects is a hospitality advisory practice founded by Dan Anton - the creator of Lahpet, one of London's most talked-about restaurant concepts of the last decade.

The practice advises founder-led hospitality businesses across four interconnected areas: concept and brand identity, operational alignment, commercial and financial governance, and site design & build. The unifying belief is that most hospitality businesses fail not because of one big mistake, but because the foundations were never properly set.

Is this just about branding, or can you help with operations too?

Both - and the two are inseparable. Brand and concept form the foundation: if you don't know what you are and why it matters, no amount of operational efficiency will save you. But a well-defined concept that runs badly will still fail.

Dan advises on cost structures, menu engineering, staffing models, supplier relationships, and the day-to-day decisions that determine whether a business is genuinely profitable - not just busy.

When's the right time to bring in an advisor?

Earlier than most people think. The most common scenario is a business that's doing reasonably well on the surface but the founder knows something isn't quite right - margins are soft, the team keeps changing, the concept feels fuzzy to the people inside it, let alone the guests.

That said, Ground Up Projects also works with businesses at the pre-launch stage, helping founders pressure-test their concept before committing significant capital. And occasionally with established operators who want a second opinion on a major decision.

Do you work outside London?

Yes. The practice is London-based but the work isn't. Dan is open to projects elsewhere - the principles of what makes a hospitality concept work don't change with the postcode.

What does the engagement actually look like?

It varies. Some engagements start with a focused diagnostic - a few sessions to understand the business properly and identify where the leverage points are. Others are longer-term advisory relationships where Dan is a regular presence, involved in decisions as they happen.

There are no off-the-shelf packages. Every engagement is scoped based on what the business actually needs, not what fits a standard deck.

How is working with Ground Up Projects different from hiring a consultant?

The difference is that Dan has built something real. Lahpet went from a market stall to a critically acclaimed restaurant - through all the stages that most consultants only read about. That experience means the advice is grounded in what actually happens, not what the theory says should happen.

There are no associates, no junior teams. When you work with Ground Up Projects, you work directly with Dan.