Yanni’s Greek Cuisine Kitchen Nightmares Update: From Mousaka to Authentic Greek Dishes
Yanni’s Greek restaurant was a family-run restaurant located in Finney Ridge, Seattle. It was owned by Peter Avgoustiou but was opened in 1984 by his father. The restaurant was a success when it opened. However after the initial boom, business started to decline.
The restaurant had great potential but was facing various crises. The change in the neighborhood resulted in a decline in customers. Moreover, Peter was old school and had a tenacity to micromanage. Peter’s wife blamed his resistance to change as a core issue. The family relations also affected Yanni’s work environment. Alyse, Peter’s daughter was the chef and couldn’t take criticism well. The loss in business resulted in huge financial losses.
Was Gordon able to make the restaurant a town-famous spot? Find out in our Kitchen Nightmare Update!
Key Takeaways
- Family Conflicts: Yanni’s family dynamics, particularly the tension between Peter and Alyse, negatively impacted the restaurant’s success.
- Outdated Menu: Changes in the neighborhood and Peter’s resistance to updating the menu contributed to the restaurant’s decline.
- Gordon’s Criticism: Gordon Ramsay found several issues with Yanni’s food, including poor taste and outdated presentation, which Peter initially denied.
- Unhygienic Conditions: The walk-in fridge contained moldy, expired food, posing a serious hygiene issue that Peter and Alyse downplayed.
- Successful Relaunch: With Gordon’s guidance, Yanni’s introduced a fresh menu and revamped decor, leading to a successful relaunch and positive customer feedback.
Table of Content
Gordon and the Owners of Yanni’s
Before going to the restaurant, Gordon stopped by a coffee shop for the meeting as per Peter’s request. After meeting up, Gordon asked about the issues in the restaurant. Peter told him that when Yanni’s opened in 1984, it was just him and his dad. The restaurant was a success and the business was making money.
In 2007, the ownership was transferred to Peter. Peter highlighted the change in the neighborhood had resulted in declining business. He said that the young generation was hesitant to try their restaurant. Gordon then asked about the financial losses.
Peter revealed that they were losing almost $10,000 per month. Due to the shortage of staff, Karen and their two daughters worked in the restaurant. Karen was responsible for hosting, Alyse worked in the kicthen, and Triya was the server. Peter blamed the family for not being devoted and passionate to make the Yanni’s a success. Gordon asked about how he would rate his food to which Peter replied nine out of ten.
Gordon’s Initial Assessment of Yanni’s
After getting a background on the core issues of the restaurant, Gordon went to the Yanni’s. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by Karen. She introduced her daughters to Gordon and then sat down for a brief meeting. Gordon wanted to get the perspective of the rest of the family on the core issues. Triya cried due to the strain on the family relations.
Karen revealed that the business had been declining for the past couple of years. Triya said that the decor was outdated and the food also needed an upgrade. Karen blamed her husband for not upgrading the menu. Gordon was confused and called Peter to clarify the situation. This led to a confrontation between the family.
After the heated discussion, Gordon moved on to food evaluation. Gordon was surprised to see a long and comprehensive menu. He ordered and rated the food as follows:
- Pumpkin Hummus: Gordon was surprised to see a unique combination but it didn’t taste good as the hummus was garlicy. He also made Karen taste the dish
- Moussaka: The meat in the dish was sweet while the eggplant was bitter. Moreover, it was greasy at the bottom.
- House Gyro: The sauce on the gyro looked old and looked terrible.
After the food evaluation, Gordon gathered the family to give his assessment. The gyro and the hummus weren’t satisfactory. Peter was in denial regarding his food and disagreed with Gordon. Alyse got offended by Gordon’s criticism. Gordon advised them to take his criticism professionally and do better.
Core Issues and Challenges at Yanni’s
As the restaurant opened for the dinner service, it got busy with customers. Gordon’s mission for the night was to observe how the kicthen operated. The kicthen was working efficiently but the father and daughter duo seemed to be clashing. Peter was ordering around the kitchen and Alyse was working under pressure.
Moreover, the customers weren’t satisfied with their orders. They complained about the dishes being overcooked and bland. Peter wasn’t receiving criticism well and was yelling at the staff. Throughout the service, Peter ordered Alyse to prepare everything.
Gordon moved on to inspect the walk-in fridge. He was surprised to see unlabeled items with no expiration dates on them. He found old, moldy, and rotten ingredients in the fridge. The storage was also not proper. There was raw meat sitting next to the cooked meat. Gordon found old meat that was smelly and moldy.
Upon Gordon’s inquiry, Peter and Alyse told him that they weren’t used for cooking. This was creating hygiene issues in the kitchen. Gordon then showed them the discoveries he made in the walk-in fridge. Peter closed off the restaurant for the night after Gordon’s inspection.
The next day, Gordon gathered the staff for a meeting. Peter showed a willingness to cooperate with Chef Ramsay and heed his advice. However, he was still in denial about the food storage and quality. This started an argument between him and Chef Ramsay. Peter asserted that he served fresh food to his customers.
He wasn’t taking any responsibility for the foul quality of stored food. Karen stepped up and encouraged the staff to leave the past behind and make an effort to set things right. Gordon agreed with her and motivated the team to take responsibility for their actions. Peter and Alyse showed a willingness to make themselves better.
Gordon Ramsay’s Improvement Plan for Yanni’s
Gordon sat down with the family to overhaul the menu. He handed each of them the menu and asked them to cut off anything that was not selling. After mutual consensus, 21 dishes out of 64 were selected for the new menu. Gordon then worked on the new menu while keeping the recommendations in mind.
On the other hand, Gordon’s renovation team renovated and redesigned the dining room. The next day, Gordon showed Yanni’s new interior to the staff. There was a beautiful blue gradient paint on the walls. A wooden window frame replaced old stained glass. The dining room was now spacious and had a stunning and vibrant interior. The courtesy of Niagara China donated brand new china. Gordon also installed a new POS Lava system for Zephyr Hardware. It allowed the servers to take orders from the touch screens which directly went into the kicthen.
Gordon then introduced the staff to the new menu. It offered simple, fresh, and modern Greek dishes to match the needs of the young generation. Gordon had modernized the dishes while keeping the classic theme. The change in the restaurant boosted the staff morale and Peter’s acceptance to change had a positive impact on it. Gordon demonstrated some tips and techniques for Peter and Alyse to improve their efficiency.
The Relaunch of Yanni’s
With enthusiastic energy, Yanni’s opened for the relaunch and soon the place was bustling with customers. Karen and Trisa were handling the dining room, Peter was in the kitchen, and Alyse was expediting. However, as soon as the restaurant opened, Alyse and Peter started to clash. But with Gordon’s encouragement, the kicthen got back on track. The customers were loving the new menu and were satisfied with their orders. Yanni’s relaunch was a success with happy customers and hope for success.
Conclusion
Gordon Ramsay’s intervention helped turn Yanni’s Greek restaurant around. He identified key issues like outdated decor, poor food quality, and family conflicts. By addressing these challenges, he restructured the menu, and renovated the dining space. Peter, though resistant at first, began to accept change, improving the overall environment. Alyse and Peter’s relationship also saw improvement, allowing the kitchen to run smoothly. The relaunch was successful, with customers enjoying the fresh and modernized menu. Yanni’s family was now more motivated, and the restaurant showed great potential for future success.
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