We're Angela and Vaughan, the husband-and-wife team behind Craft & Counsel. We've walked your path—from washing dishes and serving tables to building multi-million dollar restaurant concepts across the country. After three decades in operations, we've packaged our hard-earned wisdom to help fellow restaurateurs thrive.
Our journey? Pretty unconventional. We met when Angela applied for a trainer position at Vaughan's rapidly growing Pizza Fusion concept (which expanded to 50 units across 13 states and 3 countries). Since then, we've created concepts that break molds: Kapow Noodle Bar ($23M across three locations), Penelope (crushing it at $4.5M from just 1,500 square feet), El Segundo Taqueria, and Shaker & Pie.
Here's what we bring to the table:
Angela's the systems wizard who makes big ideas actually work—creating training programs, HR frameworks, and operational tools that turn chaos into clockwork. She's also crafted award-winning beverage programs and launched Dugan & Dame, a successful craft cocktail brand.
Vaughan brings creative vision and operational know-how. As a certified Sake Sommelier with certifications from Meta, Google, HubSpot, and LinkedIn, he bridges artistic vision with business reality—from concept creation to lease negotiations, menu design to marketing strategy.
In 2024, we sold everything, packed up the cars with our 9-year-old son Bassil and moved to Asheville, NC, where Angela started Sacred Hill Farm (because we can't sit still).

We specialize in:
 • Concept Development
 • Training, HR & Manuals
 • Rescue & Rebranding
 • Marketing & Social Media
 • Menu Development & Cocktail Programs
 • Operational Systems
 • Site Selection & Leases
 • Financing

Why work with us? We know exactly what keeps you up at night because we've had those same sleepless nights. Whether you need a quick call for advice or hands-on help turning things around, we've got your back. Because at the end of the day, this industry isn't just what we do—it's who we are.

Craft & Counsel

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