Bask46 Kitchen Nightmare Update – Before and After
Bask46 was a family-run gastropub in Woodland Park, New Jersey, which opened its doors six months ago. Owned by Steve and Sandi Baskinger, the restaurant was their biggest project yet, with over $1 million invested in the business.
Their menu featured American classics like artisanal pizzas and burgers, along with special items such as cheesesteak egg rolls. Despite the owners’ hopes, Bask46 was struggling big time. It was losing $15,000 monthly due to a confusing menu and problems with the head chef, Bobby Fortunato. Bobby was known as an “arrogant overpaid chef,” who refused to change his cooking style.
The kitchen was disorganized, and the food quality was poor. Steve, with his 20 years of restaurant experience, was hands-on in running the place. But with oversized portions and a complex menu that was hard to execute, the Baskingers found themselves at a loss on how to turn their dream restaurant around.
But, did the owner’s luck turn around with the help of Chef Ramsay? Find out in our Bask46 Kitchen Nightmare update!
Key Takeaways:
- Menu simplification: A smaller, focused menu improved food quality and kitchen efficiency.
- Organization matters: A clean, well-organized kitchen is crucial for smooth operations and good food.
- Leadership is key: Steve needed to step up as a boss to manage the restaurant effectively.
- Portion control: Right-sized portions reduced waste and improved customer satisfaction.
- Adaptability: Chef Bobby learned to stay calm and adjust his methods under pressure.
- Communication: Better communication in the kitchen led to improved food quality and service.
- Investment in change: The owners’ willingness to make changes was vital for the restaurant’s turnaround.
- Quality over quantity: Focusing on food quality rather than complex dishes improved customer experience.
Table of Content
Ramsay’s Initial Assessment
Gordon Ramsay’s arrival at Bask 46 was met with disappointment. Right off the bat, he realized there was no menu, and the QR code didn’t work. The positive thing was that the restaurant looked new, organized and modern, as it was only opened 6 months ago. Ramsay ordered loaded baked Mac and Cheese, which was made with their signature cheese sauce. He also ordered the BarBQ wings, tacos and cheesesteak egg rolls. After receiving the food, he began dissecting it one by one.
- Loaded Baked Mac and Cheese: The onions were raw, flavors were terrible and he wasn’t a fan of the signature cheese sauce.
- BarBQ Wings: The wings were way overcooked, because of the different proportions of the chicken.
- Cheesesteak Egg Rolls: Gordon found the classic homemade cheese sauce drenched in the egg rolls as well. He wasn’t a fan of it and disliked the egg rolls as a result.
- Tacos: The proportion size of the tacos was too much for Gordon’s liking.
Ramsay quickly spotted problems with the menu itself and noticed how aggressive the head chef, Bobby Fortunato, was acting. He cut one taco in three pieces and then sent them to Gordon rather than make new ones. These issues set a negative tone for Ramsay’s visit right from the start. Moreover, he also noticed that people were taking their food as a takeover. This confirmed to him that the proportions are too much, and there isn’t any quality control being done.
Gordon and the Owners
After trying the disappointing menu, Gordon spoke with the owners. He asked why they thought their restaurant was struggling. Sandi explained that while they’d run smaller businesses successfully before, they didn’t expect this one to become so difficult to manage.
Gordon then inquired about their monthly losses. The owners’ answer: $15,000 per month. This left Gordon stunned. He was even more surprised to learn they had put $1 million into the business. The couple pointed out that the kitchen was their biggest problem.
What made things worse was that Chef Bobby was earning $100,000 a year. This information painted a clear picture of the financial strain the restaurant was under, and helped Gordon understand why the owners were so worried about their business’s future.
Core Issues and Challenges
Gordon went into the kitchen to see how things were stored. It was messy and poorly organized, making it hard for staff to work well. Things were all over the place, and no one seemed to know where anything was. This mess made it tough for cooks to make good food consistently. The kitchen’s chaos was a big reason why the restaurant was struggling.
The management and staff had some clear weak points. They didn’t store ingredients properly, which led to waste and poor food quality. Finding fresh ingredients was a challenge because nothing was put away correctly. This made cooking harder and slower than it should have been. The staff’s bad habits in food prep were costing the restaurant a lot of money. Gordon was shocked to know how slimy the chicken wings were, and not a single ingredient was stored properly. That led to the ingredients not being fresh, and the food coming out as stale and raw.
Dishes often came out wrong – some were overcooked, others didn’t taste right. The wings that Gordon Ramsay tried were just one example of food that wasn’t good enough. These problems with the menu and food were turning customers away and hurting the restaurant’s reputation. Gordon had enough of the shocking quality of the food and lack of responsibility shown by Chef Bobby, he closed the dinner service immediately.
Gordon Ramsay’s Improvement Plan
Gordon went to Steve and Sandi’s home to give them a wake up call. He made them realize how crucial it was for Steve to start being a boss of his own restaurant. Gordon also told him how important it was for the success of their business to recoup the $1 million investment they’ve made. While they were at home, Gordon redesigned the interior and exterior of their restaurant. It became more lively and would potentially attract more customers.
Gordon, Sandi and Steve went to the restaurant where he introduced a smaller, but dynamic menu. Complete opposite to what it was before. He emphasized on keeping a good proportion of the food on the plate, so it doesn’t go to waste. At the same time, he told the owners to keep a menu, as not having one was a disaster. The revamped menu was the previous one, but it was done right. Mac and cheese done the right way, bar bq wings with the right proportions, and tacos which didn’t have an overload of things.
Sandi and Steve were extremely happy with how Gordon revamped the restaurant and their menu. The whole staff tried the new and improved menu, and were awe-struck with how delicious the food was. With the restaurant being booked for the evening, Steve told Sandi to take the night off and enjoy with her kids.
The Relaunch
Bask46 relaunched with a new and improved look for their restaurant. Gordon’s team worked day and night for the design which the founders liked, even better than before. The guest list included the mayor of the city, which put pressure on the owners to deliver a fantastic evening. Steve was optimistic throughout the relaunch, as it was a new beginning for him, chef Bobby and the entire Bask46 crew.
People started ordering their food from the physical menu, and chef Bobby became more organized and started calling them out. Orders were soon flying out of the kitchen according to Gordon Ramsay’s standards. The difference between now and then was paramount. Customers were loving the food, and the atmosphere couldn’t have been any better. It was a dream start for Gordon and Bask46.
The orders then started to stack up, which was becoming too much for chef Bobby. He started to get flustered and was about to go his old ways. He didn’t communicate and was shutting down in front of his crew. Steve’s worst nightmare came to life when on the opening day, chef Bobby sent out a raw chicken wing. Gordon tried to calm Bobby down and told him to relax instead, rather than sending out food just for the sake of finishing orders. The words resonated well with Bobby, and he picked up the pace again, sending out delicious mouth-watery dishes. The dinner service ended well on a high note, and Bobby impressed chef Ramsay with his consistency and grit.
Conclusion
The transformation of Bask46 taught everyone important lessons. They learned that a simpler menu, better organization, and good communication were key to success. The process wasn’t easy, but it showed how much could change with hard work and the right guidance. Chef Bobby learned to stay calm under pressure, while Steve stepped up as a true leader. Gordon advised Steve to give Bobby a 30 day notice to improve himself, otherwise getting a new head chef was crucial.
Gordon Ramsay’s help made a big difference, turning a struggling restaurant into one that could serve great food and make customers happy. The owners were grateful for the chance to save their dream. In the end, Bask46’s story showed that even when things look bad, there’s always hope if you’re willing to change and work hard.
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