Boston Restaurant Owner Creates New AI Assistant to Streamline Back Office Tasks

BOSTON — The restaurant industry is notoriously tough, operating on razor-thin profit margins where every dollar counts and managers routinely spend hours buried under administrative paperwork. To address this challenge, a Boston restaurant owner has developed a new artificial intelligence tool designed to streamline back-office operations and boost the bottom line.

The technology, named Colette, is the brainchild of Eli Feldman, co-owner of the Boston restaurant Shy Bird. Feldman created the system to act as an efficiency assistant that automates time-consuming office tasks, allowing managers to spend more time on the restaurant floor. Importantly, creators emphasize that the system is not designed to replace human employees, but rather to amplify their capabilities and ease their daily workload.

Colette assists management teams with complex tasks such as menu planning and inventory tracking. For instance, a chef can ask the AI for advice on designing a seasonal item, such as a summer watermelon and strawberry salad, and the tool will instantly scan current in-house inventory to determine which ingredients are already available.

The platform also features advanced sales forecasting capabilities, though it relies heavily on human collaboration to stay accurate. During a recent shift, Colette projected daily sales at 12,500 dollars. However, the restaurant team adjusted that forecast up to 15,500 dollars based on real-world factors the AI could not track, such as local sports crowds walking through Fenway Park and the lively energy on Brookline Avenue. Ultimately, the human-adjusted forecast proved correct as the restaurant surpassed its targets.

Though Colette launched just two months ago, it is already being utilized by roughly three dozen restaurants nationwide, including the local Coda Restaurant Group. Ted Hawkins, a managing partner with Coda Restaurant Group, noted that automating small 15-to-20-minute administrative tasks makes back-office life far more tenable for managers, which directly translates into a better overall product and experience for dining guests.

Feldman believes the platform has the potential to revolutionize the broader hospitality industry, envisioning a future where different restaurants build their own specialized AI agents and share them across the network. With the restaurant industry employing one in ten people across the United States, Feldman notes that finding tech-driven ways to increase profitability is essential to securing the livelihoods of millions of American workers.

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