Roles & Clients
Twenty years of rooms, programs, and launches.
Every bar and restaurant Brian Howard has run, directed, or consulted for — from The Drawing Room's 2010 Tales of the Cocktail run to the programs he's building now through Liquid Chef Consulting.
The Drawing Room
Top 5 cocktail program nationally — Tales of the Cocktail 2010.
Restaurant August
Bar Director / AGM at John Besh's first restaurant — fine-dining operational standards.
Cityscape, Hilton SF
$10M beverage programs across 5 outlets. $5M rooftop relaunch of SF's tallest bar.
August 1 Five
New-build Managing Partner with Chef Manish Tyagi. Year-one sales $1M over projection. Trained Jordan White here.
Hojoko
Pre-opening consulting for the Cushman Concepts izakaya at Verb Hotel Fenway. Concurrent menu evaluation for O-Ya.
Berber
Turn-key launch of a 350-seat North African supper club with live cirque. Michelin Bib Gourmand 2021 and 2022.
Ettan
Bar program development for Ettan — Cal-Indian in Palo Alto. Michelin-recognized; 2026 James Beard finalist.
Hotel San Francisco
10-day post-COVID operational relaunch at 653 Commercial — same address the Barbary Belle build now occupies.
Sushi Confidential
Turn-key launch of Randy Musterer's first Sushi Confidential. Brand now operates 7 locations.
The Chapel
F&B consulting for a 400-cap music venue with 85-seat bar + 75-seat restaurant. 1914 former mortuary, 10+ years operating.
Novela
3-month beverage reboot for the Mission Street literary cocktail bar. Draft cocktail system from build to service.
Shinmai
Build-out consulting and operations launch for a 220-seat Oakland restaurant.
Bhoga
24-month pre-opening consulting for a first-time operator opening a 50-seat Indian-with-full-bar concept in the Castro.
The Salt
Turn-key launch of a 220-seat Indian-inspired New American restaurant.
Casa Cubana
250-seat full renovation and reconceptualization — new concept, interior, systems, FOH/BOH retraining.
Kakui
Operational evaluation + conceptual upgrade for the Montclair Village sushi restaurant (same ownership as Shinmai).
Waimea Plantation Cottages and Resort
Resort hospitality engagement on Kauai — 10-month purchase-and-sale process supervision.