In this episode, Chef Gordon Ramsay visits Italian restaurant, Leone’s, in Montclair, New Jersey. Leone’s was a popular business for over a decade. Two years prior to this episode, the owner, Rose, fell into a coma after having kidney stones removed and her son, Michael, stepped in to run the restaurant. There were various norms, or expectations concerning acceptable and unacceptable behaviors, held by Rose, head server Trudy and other staff that made Leone’s a successful business for so long (Engleberg and Wynn 36). After Rose was hospitalized and Michael took over, the business was driven to the ground. Achievement norms were held at a high standard which resulted in a delicious menu. This type of norm determines “the quality and quantity of work expected from group members” (Engleberg and Wynn 37). At the peak of their success, Leone’s kitchen was serving some of the best Italian food in Montclair, but when Michael took the helm, these standards steeply dropped over the course of two years. This is not a rare occurrence, especially in the food service industry. My firsthand experience is that when your group expectation lacks a standard for its product, everybody on the job does something different. I worked at a deli …show more content…
When Chef Ramsay inspected the restaurant, this exclusion was evident because he appeared to have little knowledge of what was happening in the kitchen and in the office. Having a highly disruptive member in a group will kill productivity and cohesion. From what I’ve seen in the workplace, you can confront the member, have an open conversation and try to find a solution. In most cases, the best thing that could’ve been done is fire the employee, but in the case of Leone’s, a family-run business, the only option is for Michael to turn the business around or close it
Stephen Boos has worked in the food service industry for over 30 years. He started as a bus person and subsequently trained as a chef’s apprentice. Steve’s mother believed that a college education was something that everyone should receive. She felt that a college degree was a good investment in Steve’s future. In 1976 at his mother’s insistence, Boos moved to Northeastern Ohio to attend Kent State University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After graduation, Steve began working for East Park Restaurant as a line cook. Using his education as a foundation, Steve made a point to learn everything he could about running a restaurant, from cutting meat to the bi-weekly food and beverage orders. His versatility, keen business sense, and ability to control costs resulted in Steve’s promotion to General Manager, as role he has held since 1995.
Management keeps Ehrenreich and other employees under surveillance. They monitor the behaviors of the employees for any signs of theft, drug use, sluggishness, or anything that might be concerned worse. The managers and assistant managers are what some employees’ think are “class enemy”. Most of the management is former cooks or clerks that have crossed over to the other side. Ehrenreich views those former cooks that as “corporate as opposed to human”. Assistant manager are paid only about $400 a week and follow the directions of a corporation that exists far away from the actually location of the restaurant. Management only job is to ensure that money is being made and to not cut the employees any slack. “You give and you give and they take”, Gail another employee informs Ehrenreich. Gail vows to never work in management again for this reason.
Companies have learned to deal with this working around these quirks if the employees work can well together, that makes people happy, increasing work flow. But if one person disrupts this flow, by interrupting people’s norms in the workplace, then they will suffer the loss end. Oroczo says there are other behavior habits that the company may not agree with but in specific situations may be accept as an office norm. “This is the refrigerator. You may put your lunch in it.
Etzioni states that when people work at fast food businesses, it sets an nonacademic standard of working conditions. Workers are being taught specific roles in the workplace that are mapped out for them the way it is required to be, which leaves “[...] no room for initiative, creativity, or even elementary rearrangements” (Etzioni). Etzioni shares his idea that fast food industries are training “robots”. These “robots’ follow commands mindlessly, whether it be cutting into homework or family time, dropping out of school, or doing whatever it takes just to keep a job that is supposed to be the initial training ground in work experience.
Born of the idea to preserve authentic Italian cuisine, Academia Barilla has faced strategic issues to increase profitability and growth. Offering not only high quality food products, but an education on Italian gastronomy, Academia relies on a differentiated marketing message of authenticity, with the quality to prove it. While striving to teach buyers of the difference between imitation and true Italian cuisine, Academia must continue to seek new strategies to reach a broader customer base. By studying the firm’s core competencies, and performing analysis on the industry, Academia has the tools necessary to meet their objectives.
In his essay “The Eco-Gastronomic Mirror: Narcissism and Death at the Dinner Table” Jordan Shapiro explores the psychological aspects of the human relationship with food. He comments on the ways in which the imperfections in the food are masked in the kitchen. The author reiterates his experience at the hands of older male chefs and the things he saw and felt while training in the kitchen. He endeavors to debunk the myth that cooking in a large kitchen is anything but noisy and infernal, as portrayed by movies such as “Ratatouille (2007)”.
Case study number two is a four-page article written by Marian L. Houser and Astrid Sheil, and it’s titled “How Do You Get Anything Done Around Here?” The article focuses on the concept of real organizational experiences, but primarily Kate Elliot’s experience and dissatisfaction with her job at Donaldson Family Foods, Inc. Kate’s a hard-working, educated woman who is initially impressed with the Donaldson Food, Inc., especially at the opportunity that she has to become the national brand manager. As time goes on, and her first project’s assigned, Kate notices countless negatives within the organization, including how the company remains a low-growth business, its employees’ lack of competitiveness and hurry, and the SMART group’s “Black Hole,” a term referring to the grinding halt that’s applied to all initiatives, ideas, and proposals. In this case, Kate’s cooking bag project faces the dueling black hole. Throughout my paper, I will relate and apply Kate’s experience to organizational culture and socialization, how the conflict is handled, both verbal and nonverbal communication, and possible suggestions for Kate.
The restaurant business is a challenging industry and if a company has a strategy that works for them as well as their employees, it should stay the course and tweak as needed.
Ehrenreich didn’t want to be a waitress any more than some waitresses, but she did it for her research. Ehrenreich once stated that, “Waitres sing is also something I’d like to avoid, because I remember it leaving me bone-tired when I was eighteen.” (13). Her first job was at Hearthside, a restaurant in Key West, Florida. She was hired as a waitress, starting at $2.43 plus tips. She worked the afternoon shift. Hearthside was being managed by a West Indian man by name of Phillip. The management wasn’t the best. They treated their employees disrespectfully. At an employee meeting, they were threatened by the management. Ehrenreich stated, “I have not been treated this way-lined up in the corridor, threatened with locker searches, peppered with carelessly aimed accusation-since junior high school” (24). When they were just standing around, the manager would give them extra work to do. According to Ehrenreich, “You start dragging out each little chore because if the manager on duty catches you in an idle moment, he will give you something far nastier to do. So I wipe, I clean, consolidate catsups bottles and recheck the cheesecake supply, even tour the tables to make sure the customer evaluation is standing perkily.” (22). They were hired at Hearthside to serve the customers. There are twenty-six tables in the whole restaurant. All the food must be placed on the food trays; small items were to be carried in a bowl, and no refills on the lemonade (1...
The quality control in Pizza My Heart begins from procurement to kitchens at every location. The first thing that sets it apart from others is local sourcing to en...
In the book Fast Food Nation: The Darks Side of the All-American Meal, Eric Schlosser claims that fast food impacts more than our eating habits, it impacts “…our economy, our culture, and our values”(3) . At the heart of Schlosser’s argument is that the entrepreneurial spirit —defined by hard work, innovation, and taking extraordinary risks— has nothing to do with the rise of the fast food empire and all its subsidiaries. In reality, the success of a fast food restaurant is contingent upon obtaining taxpayer money, avoiding government restraints, and indoctrinating its target audience from as young as possible. The resulting affordable, good-tasting, nostalgic, and addictive foods make it difficult to be reasonable about food choices, specifically in a fast food industry chiefly built by greedy executives.
On Tuesday October 18, the members of Group 6 met to discuss the challenges facing Remycake Bakery and its employees. During this meeting, we discussed the problem solving and decision making modes we will implement to help Remycake Bakery, the communication tactics to utilize, and a final problem or topic statement for our next group activity. Our team evaluated the Remycake Bakery to assess the changes that have caused a rise in customer complaints over the last six months. The founders of Remycake Bakery believed the culture produced at RemyCake was what made their bakery unique, original, and what set it apart from competitors.
Editorial. Nations Restaurant News 11 Nov. 2005: n. pag. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 5 Mar. 2013.
Brinker is seen as one of the most influential chain builders in food service history. He believes that winners attract winners. He shows confidence in himself and has successfully led several companies in a highly competitive industry in which most fail. He surrounds himself with people who believe in themselves and are successful. He feels success is contagious. Brinker has developed a followership at Brinker International of effective followers. Effective followers are the most valuable to a leader and an organization because of the contributions they have. These followers practice self-management and self-responsibility which means they can be relied on hence the protégé Ron McDougall who took the reins as leader when Brinker retired, as well as, aligning McDougall’s predecessors. All believe what Brinker developed at Brinker International, a culture driven by integrity, teamwork, passion, and an unwavering commitment to making sure each and every guest has an excellent dining experience. He also helped promote an ethical organizational culture where people respect one another and work collaboratively in seeking to provide excellent meals and service. Effective followers are also committed to both the organization and a purpose, principle, or person outside themselves. They invest in their own competence and professionalism and focus their energy for maximum impact.
Dan Bartlett (2014). Kitchen Brigade: Who Does What?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.artinstitutes.edu/adv/files/kitchen_brigade.pdf. [Last Accessed 10 February 2014].