TP ThinkingProcess

Process Improvement the Ramsay Way

Gordon Ramsay has been touring America, visiting restaurants to improve their business. He follows a standard process to improve their performance, primarily based on customer focus. The general format of each programme is shown below:

Be the customer > Investigate the food > Observe the staff > observe operations and customers > Inspect the kitchens >
                   
Interview staff and management > Design changes (vision, menu, operations, people) > Pilot the changes > Review and learn > Embed passion and ongoing improvement  

...Obviously  with a few expletives along the way!

An example of him following this process is the Sabatiello's Restaurant. (Watch on You Tube ).

Much of his approach follows sound and recognisable principles, (See the ThinkingProcess methodology ). What comes across very strongly though it the focus on the customer. Even with customer focus being a core element of many company improvement programmes, there is something to be learnt from Nightmare Kitchens.

Ramsey as the customer

  • Gordon starts by being the customer! Most projects and improvement methods encourage using the "voice of the customer", but Gordon gets such a better sense of what the customer is getting by going through the experience himself. He orders and eats the food and assesses it from a customer point of view (whilst also being aware of the service and observable staff relationships). This is not always possible - but may be so in many cases. We think you should give it a try!
  • Gordon observes the operations, not just in the kitchen, but also in the restaurant. How do the staff interact with customers? What do the customers think? How much is being returned and why?
  • Gordon observes the impact on customers once the changes have been made. Improvements are piloted with real customers, and their reactions noted.

There are many other themes that come from this programme, but the focus on the customer has to be the most striking.