The Menu is the Blueprint for
Operational Excellence.
The Menu Focused Approach™ (MFA) is our proprietary Quality Management System (QMS) that turns your menu from a simple list of dishes into the performance engine of your entire food & beverage operation.
Improvement
SOPs
Training
Reviews
Tools
Checklists
Dashboards
Templates
The Menu Focused Approach™
One Menu Centric System. Total consistency.
Start at the center.
The menu defines what you serve. Operations (kitchen, bar, service) execute it daily. The outer ring—SOPs, training, dashboards—keeps quality consistent over time.
One source, total alignment.
The "MFA" Effect
Compounding Value Over Time
Measurable Goals From a Fully Implemented System.
Typical MFA Goals:
- 25% Increased Labor Efficiency: Less overtime and fewer wasted hours through structured production schedules.
- 15% Reduced Food Cost: Fewer surprises and less waste through menu-driven purchasing logic.
- 20% Lower Annual Staff Turnover: Clear expectations and better training lead to more confident, stable teams.
- 98% Execution Accuracy: Members and guests receive the same elite experience every visit.
*Real examples and case studies are available upon request.
Systems Thinking is the Original Culinary Standard- MFA is the evolutionary result
The Menu-Centric QMS isn’t a modern management theory—it is a 21st-century restoration of the principles that built the world’s most iconic luxury brands.
The Escoffier Standard
Auguste Escoffier realized a kitchen fails when it depends on a single personality. He created the Brigade de Cuisine not just as a hierarchy, but as a system to capture knowledge and standardize execution.
The Ritz Predictability
César Ritz proved that luxury comes from a seamless, predictable system. MFA brings this rigor to modern clubs, replacing the fragility of personality-driven kitchens with operational stability and control.
Rooted in Hawaii. Designed for Your Club.
In Hawaii, a system is a form of Malama (stewardship). By providing clear, documented standards, we remove the stress of "firefighting" and provide the structure needed for local talent to rise into leadership roles.
Respect for the Team
A stable MFA protects employees from burnout and clarifies roles.
Respect for the Land
MFA engineered menus reduce waste and protect resources through smarter procurement and waste management.
From Assessment to Implementation
Assess & Diagnose
We review your menus, operations, finances, and brand standards to identify the gap between your current situation and MFA model.
Design & Develop
We collaborate with your leadership and culinary teams to create a MFA that aligns menus and operations with your club’s vision and brand — turning ideas into actionable processes.
Implement & Train
The system is brought to life with the customized MFA model that we design for your Club in order to close the gap between your current strategies and operations and the world class MFA solution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Menu Focused Approach (MFA) – FAQs for Country Club Leadership
1. What is the Menu Focused Approach (MFA)?
MFA turns your menu into the central engine for every food & beverage decision, aligning staffing, training, service, purchasing, and finances.
2. Why implement MFA?
To become a sustainable world class food and beverage operation through reduced waste, increased efficiency, strengthen member trust, and elevate operational stability.
3. Who is MFA for?
Private clubs, luxury resorts, and hospitality teams committed to creating a world class operation.
4. What results can we expect?
Measurable improvements in all Key Performance Indicators and a stronger and more sustainable culture that will result in becoming a world class operation.
5. Does MFA impact the whole club or just the Food and Beverage Operation?
MFA affects kitchen, bar, service, and leadership alignment, creating a club-wide model for operational consistency.
6. Is MFA scalable and resource-intensive?
Yes. It’s designed for repeatable, sustainable MFA that grow with your operations.
7. Is MFA scalable and resource-intensive?
MFA requires an upfront investment of time to assess current operations, design a system tailored to your club, and implement it with leadership. However, it is not resource-intensive long-term—it integrates with your existing team and workflows, creating structured, replicable processes that save time, reduce waste, and improve performance across departments. The philosophy is scalable and can be applied beyond food & beverage to golf, and maintenance, delivering measurable results without ongoing strain on resources.
8. How do we get started with MFA?
Lao Group begins with a strategic assessment of your club’s operations, financials, and leadership structure. From there, we create a customized implementation plan to stabilize operations, improve profitability, and deliver a consistent, elevated member experience. Step-by-step frameworks, training, and accountability tools ensure a seamless integration into daily operations.
Stop Managing Chaos. Start Building Your System.
With the Menu-Focused Approach (MFA), chaos ends and performance soars. Give your General Manager control, simplify operations, align your board, management, and team, and deliver consistent, world-class member experiences. Streamlined menu-driven systems reduce waste, optimize staffing, and increase efficiency—while creating space for innovation and growth.
MFA isn’t just a system—it’s a strategic investment that strengthens your brand, your team, and your bottom line.