Rooted Impact Consulting

Strategic Culinary & Hospitality Brand Advisory

Matthew Thompson, LLC
Cumberland, RI
info@chefmthompson.com
(401) 308-3081

We offer business consulting services in food safety, hospitality, sustainability, and nutrition.

Our logo embodies our consulting philosophy: inspire and empower businesses and individuals to create safe, sustainable, nutritious culinary experiences. It highlights our ability to integrate technical expertise with creative solutions, ensuring health and sustainability thrive harmoniously.

Whether we are collaborating with organizations to implement plant-forward menus, guiding institutions toward better food safety practices, or designing sustainable culinary programs, this logo is a timeless representation of our vision for a healthier, more sustainable world.

Our business is about transformation—of ingredients into meals, ideas into action, and challenges into opportunities. Our logo reflects the beauty of that transformation, firmly rooting your brand in the principles of growth, balance, and excellence.

Our Services

At Rooted Impact Consulting, we partner with growth-oriented food-service and hospitality brands to scale their operations, elevate their culinary philosophy, and deliver measurable impact. Whether you’re building a new grab-and-go concept, re-engineering your food-service platform, or engaging your leadership through keynote presentations, we bring deep expertise in menu innovation, operations, and hospitality brand design.

Operational scaling for multi-site food programs
Project management of menu innovation and brand launch
Comprehensive Food Safety Consulting
Brand Strategy & Concept Development — positioning your food business for growth.
Operational & Culinary Scale-Up — building the structure and systems to expand
Menu Innovation & Program Execution — from concept to consumer.
Executive Keynote & Workshop Presentations — delivering strategic insight to leadership audiences.
Ongoing Advisory & Project Management — the right partner through launch and scale.

Delivered by Rooted Impact Consulting™

Book a Consultation with us!

Looking for strategic support in culinary innovation, brand development, or operational scaling?

To learn more about how Rooted Impact Consulting™ can help you transform your food-service brand or to identify solutions that will move your organization forward, schedule a discovery consultation today:

Social media

Connect with Chef Matthew

I look forward to connecting to industry professionals. Please connect with me on Twitter and Instagram!

Golden hour in the Creative Capital 🌇✨ A calm evening on the Providence River—where history, art, and skyline meet. #ProvidenceRI #CreativeCapital #RiverwalkViews #Cityscape #EveningLight #rhodeislandlife #rhodeisland_igers #401love #newengland #newengland_igers #providence #rhodeislandphotographer #401love #rhodeislandrealestate #rhodeislandliving #rhodeislandphotography

Nature’s promise in the making 🍊💚 These baby citrus fruits are soaking up the sun—proof that good things take time. #CitrusSeason #GardenGoals #SlowFood #FarmToTable #GreenAndGrowing

Heirloom Carrot & Citrus Salad | Roasted rainbow carrots, blood orange segments, pickled fennel, arugula, and pistachio dust with a tahini-lemon dressing #sustainability #foodsystems #plantbased #vegan @restaurahospitality #vegansofinstagram #vegansofig #vegan #govegan #dairyfree #veganfood #veganfoodporn #veganfoodshare #whatveganseat #instavegan #instafood #rhodeislandrestaurants #pvd #providence #RI #rhodeisland #veganrestaurant #pvdvegan #pvdeats #poweredbyplants #plantbased #newenglandvegans #acfchefs #foodstagram #cleaneats #foodies #401love #instafoodie

Avocado-Cacao Mousse with California Strawberries & Chia-Coconut Crumble | Velvety mousse made with ripe avocado, raw cacao, and maple syrup #sustainability #foodsystems #plantbased #vegan @restaurahospitality #vegansofinstagram #vegansofig #vegan #govegan #dairyfree #veganfood #veganfoodporn #veganfoodshare #whatveganseat #instavegan #instafood #rhodeislandrestaurants #pvd #providence #RI #rhodeisland #veganrestaurant #pvdvegan #pvdeats #poweredbyplants #plantbased #newenglandvegans #acfchefs #foodstagram #cleaneats #foodies #401love #instafoodie

Chasing sunlight and dancing through cotton skies — there’s nothing like the view above the clouds to reset your perspective. #SkyHigh #AboveTheClouds #Wanderlust #Cloudscape #AerialView #TravelVibes #SkyPerfection #NatureFromAbove #InFlightInspiration #SereneSkies #AviationLovers #CloudChasers #WindowSeatMagic

My favorite service of the year: a radiant moment of faith and community at St. John Vianney Parish in Cumberland during the Easter Vigil Mass. The church glowed with candlelight as parishioners gathered to celebrate the resurrection — a powerful reminder of hope, renewal, and shared belief.

Roasted Pear & Cashew ‘Cheesecake’ almond crumble, chickpea chocolate mousse, orange, dark cherries, cinnamon twill, pear-hibiscus coulis #sustainability #foodsystems #plantbased #vegan @restaurahospitality #vegansofinstagram #vegansofig #vegan #govegan #dairyfree #veganfood #veganfoodporn #veganfoodshare #whatveganseat #instavegan #instafood #rhodeislandrestaurants #pvd #providence #RI #rhodeisland #veganrestaurant #pvdvegan #pvdeats #poweredbyplants #plantbased #newenglandvegans #acfchefs #foodstagram #cleaneats #foodies #401love #instafoodie

Let’s be honest—senior living dining needs a wake-up call. Most communities are still running food programs that prioritize cost over care. At SLIF, Matthew Thompson, MBA, PCIII, CEC, CCA, GRAE, Chief Culinary Officer at Restaura, will explore what it takes to spark a food revolution in senior living—and why it’s long overdue. From wellness-driven menus to smarter procurement, he’ll share real strategies that boost resident health and the bottom line. Join us in New Mexico for fresh ideas on the future of senior living. 📍 June 1-3 | Santa Ana Pueblo, NM 👉 https://hubs.li/Q03dNvgY0

Golden hour in bloom! Nothing says spring is on the way like a burst of forsythia on the farm. Nature’s sunshine is waking up the world again. #FarmVisit #SpringVibes #ForsythiaMagic #HelloSpring

Spring is in full bloom and so is thus community in the Pacifix Northwest. Nothing brings people together like fresh air, vibrant flowers, and good company. #SpringVibes #HyacinthBloom #GardenMagic #CommunityMoments #OutdoorJoy #NatureLovers

Cherry Blossoms in bloom. Traveling in Portland, OR this week

Cat Nap #caturday #catsofinstagram #cats #catstagram #cats_of_instagram #catsagram #cats_of_world #catscatscats #catsfollowers #cat #catlovers #catlover #rhodeisland #rhodeislandlife #401love #newengland #newengland_igers

Recipes

Featured

Feb 26, 2025

High-Protein Veggie Burger with Beans & Quinoa

Feb 26, 2025

Dec 23, 2024

Cranberry Turmeric-Ginger Refresher

Dec 23, 2024

Nov 18, 2024

Healthy Ingredient Swaps for the Holidays

Nov 18, 2024

Oct 28, 2024

Avocado Chocolate Mousse

Oct 28, 2024

Jun 26, 2020

Fourth of July Grilling Special

Jun 26, 2020

Jun 15, 2020

Rainbow Springroll

Jun 15, 2020

Blog

Featured

Themes from The Lorax

The Lorax is a powerful metaphor to illustrate how today’s chefs must act as stewards of both flavor and the planet, highlighting that the global food system alone accounts for 31 % of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions and that over 33 % of the world’s soils are degraded. As culinary professionals we are challenged to redefine success beyond profit, measuring it by nourishment, ecosystem health and accountability, and to “plant the next Truffula” through intentional sourcing, resilient menu design, and transparent systems thinking.

Candy for Breakfast? The Surprising Truth About Breakfast Bars

Many popular breakfast bars marketed as “healthy” contain sugar, additives, and processed ingredients comparable to candy bars, making them little more than dessert in disguise. By reading labels, choosing whole-food alternatives, and rethinking convenience, consumers can make smarter choices that truly fuel their day.

When You Invite a Chef for Dinner…

During a family apple-picking trip, the author observes that many perfectly fine apples lie discarded on the ground, overshadowed by the myth of supermarket-worthy perfection. This experience becomes a metaphor: leaders in food and hospitality should see potential in what others dismiss, reuse what’s undervalued, and redefine our relationship with food and waste.

Ugly Apples, Beautiful Purpose: Leadership Lessons from an Orchard

During a family apple-picking outing, the author confronts how supermarket expectations of perfection lead to massive food waste and a distorted view of what “good” produce is. By noticing the flawed but edible apples left on the ground, the post draws leadership lessons for culinary innovators: value imperfection, transform waste into opportunity, and reframe how we see food.

Nutrition Is More Than the Sum of Its Parts

Nutrition isn’t a math equation of single nutrients—it’s a symphony where whole foods, diversity, and context create harmony far greater than any isolated part. By moving beyond reductionist “nutritionism” and embracing synergy, bioavailability, and variety, we can nourish ourselves more fully and lead others toward a richer, purpose-driven understanding of food.

The Psychology of Menu Writing

The Psychology of Menu Writing” explores how subtle cues—word choice, structure, and design—shape what diners perceive and order. It argues that by thoughtfully applying behavioral principles (e.g. anchoring, decoys, sensory language), chefs and operators can turn menus from tools of persuasion into instruments of guest satisfaction and healthier choices.