Anthony works at the intersection of food, culture and place – connecting the dots, from early thinking through to delivery.
Approach
Every project is different — so the approach is practical, collaborative and shaped around the needs, scale and ambitions of the work.
Anthony is often brought in where disciplines overlap — across food, hospitality, tourism, design and place — supporting farmers, producers, hospitality businesses, tourism destinations, visitor attractions and public bodies through moments of opportunity, transition and change.
Much of Anthony’s work happens behind the scenes — supporting projects through early thinking, strategic direction, creative development and sensitive moments of transition. Many collaborations evolve quietly over long periods of time, often involving confidential advisory work across food, hospitality, tourism and placemaking.
AOT™ typically works with clients on:
shaping early-stage ideas and defining direction
advising on local and circular food systems, culture, tourism and place-led strategy
developing concepts, narratives and immersive guest experiences
shaping food and hospitality experiences rooted in local culture, craft and sustainability
working alongside farmers, producers, chefs, hospitality experts, designers, architects and marketing agencies
supporting research, benchmarking and feasibility
acting as a sounding board for founders, teams and leadership groups
guiding projects from early concept through to delivery
Projects are delivered through bespoke teams assembled around each brief – drawing on a trusted network of designers, chefs, producers, researchers, communicators and specialist partners.
The focus is always on clarity, collaboration and building meaningful long-term connections between people, place and community.
Curious by nature.
Rooted in people, place, design and long-term thinking.
Considered in approach.
Areas of work
AOT™ works across interconnected areas of food, hospitality, tourism and culture — combining strategy, concept development, storytelling and practical delivery in response to the needs of each project.
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AOT works with tourism agencies, destinations, producers, hospitality businesses and public bodies to shape strategic direction rooted in food, culture, place and lived experience.
This work brings a food systems and place-based lens to tourism planning, destination development and placemaking — aligning policy, practice and action on the ground.
What this can include
tourism and destination strategy
food and cultural direction for placemaking and experience frameworks
food policy, standards and advisory support
sustainability, resilience and climate-aware food systems thinking
research, travel insight and benchmarking
feasibility studies and concept testing
facilitating collaboration across stakeholders
The result is a grounded strategy that connects place, people and product — designed to work in practice.
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AOT works with chefs, hospitality businesses, estates and property owners to shape food and hospitality concepts that are distinctive, commercially grounded and rooted in place, flavour, nourishment and guest experience.
This work is particularly strong at early-stage development and reimagining projects — where food, drink and hospitality are treated as central to the overall experience, not secondary to it.
What this can include
hospitality and culinary concept development
strategic support for chefs and food-led teams
at-home ranges, retail concepts and food products
aligning menus, products and guest experiences
ingredient integrity, flavour and nourishment-led hospitality thinking
supporting hospitality projects through growth, renewal or transition
The result is grounded hospitality concepts that balance guest experience, commercial viability and long-term relevance.
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Food × Place × Design
AOT works alongside designers, agencies and in-house teams to ensure that food, place and hospitality speak the same language.
Often brought into projects where disciplines overlap, AOT serves as a cultural and culinary reference point — helping shape ideas, narratives and experiences that feel coherent, grounded and distinctive.
This work supports the development of concepts without displacing existing creative leads — bringing strategic clarity, cultural insight and real-world hospitality understanding into the process.
What this can include
food-, hospitality- and place-led storytelling
creative and narrative direction
messaging and positioning development
advisory input across design, copy and digital projects
website and content strategy
cultural and culinary insight for creative teams
aligning guest experience with brand and place
The result is work that feels coherent, grounded and culturally relevant — where food, hospitality and place are fully integrated into the overall experience.
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AOT works with growers, producers, gardens, estates and hospitality businesses to shape what to grow, what to make, and how best to use it — always rooted in season, place and long-term thinking.
This work connects land, flavour, nourishment, production and hospitality — helping shape food systems, products and experiences that feel coherent, resilient and grounded in reality.
AOT also supports chefs, growers and food businesses looking to translate their craft into considered products, ranges and guest experiences — grounded in integrity, provenance, biodiversity and flavour rather than trend.
The approach is practical and systems-led, helping connect growing, making, storytelling and use into one joined-up process.
What this can include
crop and growing strategy
biodiversity and flavour-led growing systems
product, preserve and range development
seasonal planning and intelligent use of harvests
circular and low-waste food thinking
aligning growing and production decisions with brand, audience and experience
translating raw ingredients into hospitality, retail or at-home formats
supporting food businesses through growth, refinement or transition
The result is food and product thinking that feels coherent, resilient and rooted in real systems — from soil to finished experience.
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AOT designs food-, hospitality- and place-led experiences that communicate story, culture and values through thoughtful programming and lived experience.
This work often acts as a form of activation — translating strategy, policy, identity and ambition into meaningful experiences for audiences, guests, stakeholders and communities.
Projects are grounded in hospitality, storytelling and cultural connection — bringing people closer to place through food, conversation, atmosphere and participation.
Whether intimate gatherings, public-facing programmes or large-scale collaborations, the focus is always on creating experiences that feel considered, memorable and deeply rooted in context.
What this can include
food and cultural experience design
bespoke gatherings, dinners and activations
producer-, grower- and chef-led programmes
tourism-facing showcases and international hospitality moments
stakeholder and community engagement through food
educational and conversation-led programming
immersive dining and place-based storytelling
translating values and strategy into public experience
The result is experiences that move beyond attendance — creating connection, memory and lasting cultural value.
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Anthony is regularly invited to contribute to public conversations around food, hospitality, tourism, sustainability and cultural identity — through writing, speaking, hosting and moderation.
His approach combines deep practical experience with curiosity, cultural insight and the ability to connect ideas across disciplines and audiences.
This work ranges from intimate conversations and industry gatherings to festivals, conferences, judging panels, media appearances and international programmes — often helping translate complex ideas into accessible, engaging and grounded discussion.
At the centre of this work is communication: helping people better understand food, place, systems, hospitality and the cultural forces shaping them.
What this can include
keynote talks and public speaking
panel moderation and hosting
festival and conference programming
writing and editorial contributions
media appearances and interviews
stakeholder facilitation and conversation design
industry judging and advisory roles
educational and cultural discussions
The result is conversations and public programmes that create clarity, curiosity and cultural connection.
Selected projects
A selection of projects, collaborations and commissions in the public domain.
Collaborators
A trusted network is assembled for each project.
Led by Anthony O’Toole, collaborators bring expertise across design, strategy, communications and experience – shaped to suit each brief.
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Lisa Gildea
Brand design, visual direction and storytelling
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Jean O'Connell
Destination development, commercial strategy and communications
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Santina Kennedy
Food and drink tourism, hospitality and guest experience
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Sharon Noonan
Host, facilitator, public relations and strategic connections
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Lorraine O’Dwyer
Folklore, wild food and place-based storytelling
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Seáneen Sullivan
Chef, publican, sustainability and community activation
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Susan Boyle
Drinks, cultural storytelling and programming
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Ali Honour
Sustainable kitchen systems, training & plant-forward hospitality
Work featured in
Start a conversation
Anthony works with a small number of projects and commissions at a time, focused on considered, collaborative and future-facing work.
If you’re working on something that needs clarity, momentum or a different way of thinking, or would like to explore a writing, media or speaking collaboration, get in touch.