The Sage Advisory Group

SAGE Advisory Group is a hospitality consulting firm located in Brooklyn, NY, founded by Michael Balsamo. We take a hands-on approach, collaborating with independent restaurant owners who manage 1–4 locations generating $1.5M–$3M each. Our focus is on operators who are building genuine businesses without the support of corporate infrastructure. We provide on-site, execution-focused services, embedding ourselves in restaurant operations to achieve measurable financial improvements, develop operational systems from scratch, and establish lasting accountability measures. Our current and recent projects include full-service restaurants, multi-location food concepts, and established fine dining establishments throughout the New York metro area and the Northeast. Our key services encompass reducing food costs and prime costs, creating and implementing standard operating procedures, establishing accountability systems for both kitchen and front-of-house, developing financial tracking and reporting frameworks, designing staff training programs, and managing restaurant launches and turnarounds. Typically, our clients experience an improvement of 3–5 points in their prime costs during the initial engagement cycle. SAGE is driven by Michael Balsamo, a seasoned professional with over 25 years in hospitality operations who has overseen large commissary operations, led multi-unit advisory projects, and crafted the financial and operational guidelines that independent restaurant owners require to secure their margins and run sustainable businesses.