The Burger Kitchen Kitchen Nightmares Update: Financial Struggles and Poor Reviews
A trendy neighborhood in Los Angeles, California was home to Burger Kitchen. It was owned by Alan and Gen Saffron. Alan was a meat enthusiast and opened a hamburger restaurant. Due to insufficient funds, he had to borrow money from his son Danielle. The money was Danielle’s inheritance which he got from his grandfather. He was forced to invest $ 250,000 into the business.
The business was also not going well as frozen and pre-made patties were used for burgers. Customers often complained that they were dry. The declining business had strained family relations and affected the work environment.
Was Gordon able to establish Burger Kitchen as the best hamburger restaurant in the city? Find out in our Burger Kitchen Kitchen Nightmare Updates!
Key Takeaways
- Family Conflict: The strained relationship between Alan and Danielle, stemming from the forced investment of Danielle’s inheritance, impacted the restaurant’s operations.
- Quality Issues: The use of frozen and pre-made patties led to consistently poor food quality, driving customers away.
- Operational Chaos: Frequent staff turnover, mismanagement, and a poor ticket system created a chaotic work environment.
- Gordon’s Intervention: Gordon identified core issues, renovated the space, revamped the menu, and improved the kitchen’s operations.
- Relaunch Success: Despite initial challenges, the relaunch of Burger Kitchen showed promise and improved customer feedback.
Table of Content
Gordon and the Owners of Burger Kitchen
Alan greeted Gordon as he walked into the restaurant. He introduced Gordon to his wife Gen and they sat down for a meeting. Gordon asked how long they had been open. Alan replied that they had been open for the last 16 months (with reference to 2010). He told him that the business had been declining and they were losing $5 to 6 grand every month. They had changed almost 20 servers, 10 chefs, and revamped the menu 10 times.
Gordon then asked about the investments to which Gen replied that Alan had invested $250,000 into the business. Due to insufficient funds, their son also invested another $250,000 into Burger Kitchen. Alan told him that he worked in the day and Danielle worked the night shift because they didn’t get along. Gordon asked him about the food quality to which he replied that he would rate it 4-5 stars as it was good now.
Ramsay’s Initial Assessment of Burger Kitchen
After getting an overview of the restaurant’s circumstances, Gordon moved on to the food assessment. Before ordering anything, Gordon asked Marilyn the waitress about the restaurant issues. She said that there was a lack of management and the food wasn’t cooked properly.
He then ordered and rated the food as follows:
- California Burger: The bread was sweet and doughy and the meat was bland and tasteless.
- Cowboy Burger: The patty was too big, flavorless, and greasy.
- Australian Meat Pie: The meat pie wasn’t cooked properly. The dough was raw on the top and soggy at the bottom
- Natural with White Cheddar: The patty was raw and uncooked in the middle.
After the disappointing lunch, Gordon decided to have a meeting with the staff. Alan introduced him to David who was the executive chef. Gordon told them about the horrible and bland dishes. David said that they cooked them according to the recipes given by the owners and they didn’t allow him to make any changes. David also claimed that they hadn’t paid his wages. Gordon asked him to cook him a burger to evaluate his capabilities.
Gordon then decided to meet with Danielle in his apartment to get his perspective on the business. He asked about how he was forced to invest in the business. Danielle told him that the money was in the trust account which was under his father. Alan invested it in the Burger Kitchen and told him after he had invested it. Danielle said there was no proof or any records that proved that he was a partner in the restaurant. Gordon reassured him that he would set things right.
Ramsay went back to the Burger Kitchen to taste the burger made by David. He was surprised to see that Alan had also made a dish. It was a Wagyu patty with different spices and a cheese slice on top. It wasn’t able to meet Gordon’s expectations. David’s burger was delicious and Gordon rated it 9 out of 10. He then advised everyone to focus on their jobs as he would be observing them the next day.
Core Issues and Challenges at Burger Kitchen
The following day, the restaurant got busy as the customers came in. Danielle was responsible for expediting, hosting, and serving. Alan and Gen were only hosting instead. Gordon saw a lack of communication between Alan and Danielle. There was also confusion in the kitchen as David had to expedite in her absence.
Despite the issue, the kitchen was able to prepare food on time. But the customers weren’t satisfied with their orders. The tickets were being rushed and the orders got mixed up because the ticket system wasn’t good. This also started an argument between Danielle and David which resulted in him getting fired. Customers started to leave the dining room due to terrible food. After some time, David returned to get his pay cheque. Gen and Alan asked Danielle to deposit $1,000 into the bank to pay off David.
The next day, Gordon invited the staff to a theater and introduced them to the people working at Yelp. Each one of them explained the reason behind their bad reviews. Danielle tried to make his father understand that he needed to focus on the food quality instead of focusing on the ratings. Gordon then introduced the owner and the executive chef of the foundry to tell them how he dealt with bad reviews on Yelp. He advised them to not take these reviews personally but to treat them as lessons to improve the business. Alan realized that he was wrong and promised to make things right.
Gordon then moved on to address the tension between the family. He asked the family who was in charge to which Alan replied that he was in charge by default but he didn’t want to be. There was also distrust between the father and son. Danielle didn’t trust his father because he used his funds without his consent and there wasn’t any evidence to prove it. Gordon’s plan to reconcile the family resulted in arguments among them. He encouraged them to put away their differences and communicate with each other. Gordon then moved to mentor the chefs and showed them how to cook a classic burger.
Burger Kitchen got busy with customers as it opened for the dinner service the next day. Danielle was expediting while his parents were handling the front house. The kitchen got to work as the orders started to come in and dishes started to hit the table. Specials of the night were popular among the customers but the dishes from the old menu didn’t receive good reviews. Burger Kitchen faced some obstacles during the service as the tickets were mixed but were able to get back on track due to Danielle’s leadership.
Gordon Ramsay’s Improvement Plan for Burger Kitchen
Gordon’s team spent the night renovating the place. He presented the staff with the new look of the Burger Kitchen. The place was upgraded to blend in the trendy neighborhood. New murals and pop art were installed on the walls. Booths were replaced with new furniture. A chalkboard was installed to engage customers and gain feedback. The staff was surprised to see a complete change in the restaurant. Gordon also installed a new ticket system in the restaurant.
Ramsay then moved on to the new and upgraded menu. It offered a variety of dishes and matched the trendy business around the restaurant.
The menu included:
- Classic potato fries,
- Parmesan fries, Onion rings,
- Classic burger,
- Lamb burger,
- Western-style beef burgers, and
- Asian-style beef burger.
Gordon also announced that he had invited some bloggers to evaluate the food offered at the restaurant. These bloggers came from Yelp, Tasting Table, Ciao, Urban Spoon, Serious Eats, and Blackboard Eats. The relaunch was a second chance for the Burger Kitchen to revive its reputation and make it a success.
The Relaunch of Burger Kitchen
As the restaurant opened for the relaunch, it got busy with customers. The new ticket system was working efficiently and the kitchen was receiving the tickets on time. They got busy with work as the orders started coming in. The dishes were being served to the customers on time under Danielle’s leadership. However, Alan left his post at the bar and either went to the kitchen or stayed at the tables too long.
This created a hassle for Danielle and distracted him from expediting. Some unsupervised burgers made their way to the customers in his absence. These burgers weren’t prepared properly and were sent back to the kitchen. Gordon advised Danielle to slow down and focus. The kitchen was able to get back up on track and finish the orders. In the end, the relaunch was a success.
Conclusion
The journey of Burger Kitchen under Gordon Ramsay’s guidance was transformative. The restaurant faced numerous challenges. These include poor food quality, family conflicts, and financial strain. However, through Ramsay’s intervention, the establishment was given a fresh start. Burger Kitchen had a revamped menu, staff training, and a modern renovation. The restaurant managed to overcome obstacles and finish the night successfully. Though the road was tough, the improvements provided Burger Kitchen with a second chance to thrive in a competitive market. It highlighted the importance of teamwork and quality in the restaurant industry.
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