Classic American Kitchen Nightmares Update: Leadership Lessons Learned
Classic American was a small restaurant located in west Babylon New York, a close knit suburban community located on an island. The restaurant was owned by Colleen and Naomi. They started as waitresses at a small quaint restaurant called Classic American.
In 2000,they bought the business from their boss. Soon after buying the restaurant, Colleen made her son Kevin the head chef and her boyfriend Dom the unofficial manager.
The restaurant used to be packed in the beginning but as time passed, the number of customers began to decline .Under the leadership of Colleen and Naomi, the restaurant would run out of food items on the menu frequently.The manager failed to fulfill his duties.
The owners had a friendly and easy going relationship rather than running a business smoothly. This forced Colleen to move back home as she was unable to afford the expenses of the restaurant. It was quite surprising for Gordon to discover that none of the people showed any leadership skill.
Did Gordon manage to save Classic American from destruction? Find out in our Seascape Kitchen Nightmares Update!
Key Takeaways
- Initial Challenges: The restaurant suffered from poor food quality, outdated systems, and lack of leadership.
- Gordon’s Assessment: Ramsay found frozen food, kitchen chaos, and a lack of communication among the staff.
- Improvement Plan: Gordon revamped the interior, redesigned the menu, and introduced a new POS system.
- Relaunch Success: With new responsibilities and a revamped environment, the staff delivered an exceptional dining experience.
- Lessons Learned: The importance of leadership, fresh ingredients, and organized operations became clear for the owners.
Table of Content
Ramsay’s Initial Assessment of Classic American
When Gordon arrived at the restaurant, he was happily greeted by Dom. At a quick glance over the dining area, he knew that something was wrong with the restaurant as there was no sign of a single customer. Eventually, the manager introduced himself and the owners to Gordon.
He ordered the following food and rated it as mentioned below:
- Fried Calamari Caesar Salad: The calamari was soft, chewy and mushy. It was frozen rather than served fresh.
- Bomb Burger: The meat was chewy with no seasoning.
- Mac and Cheese: The presentation was not good and the food didn’t taste fresh.
Gordon and the Owners of Classic American
Gordon had a brief discussion with the owners regarding the existing conditions of the restaurant. The restaurant was opened 10 years ago and the owners had spent a quarter million to buy the business. The owners were also on a payroll and their pay was due for over a year. They overlooked key responsibilities at the restaurant which caused it to decline gradually. The manager himself had no experience in the field and often showed careless behavior.
Core Issues and Challenges at Classic American
There was a lot going on at the Classic American. The head chef was clueless of the quality of food being served to the customers. The food items used were frozen rather than freshly prepared. To make matters worse, the orders were served with extensive delay.
This was caused by handwritten tickets which caused great confusion to the chefs. The waitresses were bound to take orders by hand because the ticket machine was broken. This further caused inconveniences in the timely serving of the orders.
Apart from the food, the owners lacked good leadership and organizational skills. Colleen was impatient and incapable of handling the huge influx of the customers. Food items on the menu would always run out of stock. This was due to negligence from the manager’s side. He had a defensive behavior and often accused the owners for being irresponsible.
A lack of communication between the owners and the staff greatly hindered the operations in the kitchen. The head chef didn’t take responsibility for the food he put out. The waitresses serving at the restaurant showed signs of negligence over the duties assigned to them.
Gordon Ramsay’s Improvement Plan for Classic American
The restaurant was revamped overnight and Gordon gave it a more classic touch with aesthetically pleasing vibrant colors. Their menu was redesigned to contain selective food items with a better taste. In addition to this, a POS system was installed to handle the orders. This was followed by the reveal of a new and vibrant sign for the restaurant displayed outside. Each table at the restaurant now had its own copy of the menu.
A number of mouth-watering dishes were added to the menu which included all the classic american dishes which included wedgie salad, slider trio and turkey swiss club. Colleen and Naomi decided to deal with the restaurant affairs professionally, keeping their long-term friendship aside.
The Relaunch of Classic American
Inspired by the new decor and the new menu, the staff was eager for the relaunch. The owners decided to split responsibilities with Naomi taking control of the kitchen and Colleen leading the staff in the dining room.It was on their shoulders to work things to perfection. In no time, the orders were flying out of the kitchen.
The new dishes were being cooked and served on a timely basis. With expressions of never ending satisfaction and contentment, the customers were pleased with the food. As dinner service came to an end and happy customers left the restaurant, the restaurant proved at making the greatest comeback under Gordon’s mentorship. Gordons praised everyone for their determination and hardwork.
Conclusion
Colleen and Naomi had a long-term friendship that put their business at stake. The restaurant faced several issues ranging from substandard food items to lack of leadership skills. All these issues came to an end when Gordon stepped into the restaurant. Under Gordon’s leadership, the interior as well as the menu was redesigned and the owners successfully fulfilled their duties as true leaders.
The successful relaunch caused great satisfaction among the owners and the staff. The restaurant lacked the basic elements required to run a business such as discipline and determination. All these elements along with Gordon’s side by side guidance made the classic american dream come true.
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Take a look at the entire catalogue on our website Kitchen Nightmares Hub.
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