What the Hell's Kitchen Chef Taught Me

I usually don't watch "reality" shows or make time for "makeover" shows, but every once in a while I surf past one at get curious enough to stay tuned. Last night I stumbled on to "Kitchen Nightmares," Where Chef Gordon Ramsay goes into various restaurants that are not doing so well and fixes them up. In some cases all they need is a re-focusing of the menu and better efficiency in running the business. In others, the just need to be neutron-bombed and completely re-done from the ground up. In every case, after a visit to the restaurant as a customer and an observation of an evening, Gordon shuts down the place, makes changes, and when the place re-opens, it is a big success, and when he revisits, the place is doing even better because they have stuck with the changes.

Of course nothing is ever as perfect or quick as it appears on TV, but one thing does come through. In almost every case, the restaurants were poorly and inefficiently manged, certain egos were getting in the way of good work, and things needed to change. Gordon totally broke down the owners' and manager' egos and then showed them how to make the business work. Also, simplicity, focus, and efficiency were a big part of wheat he brought to the business.

This is a good lesson for a lot of us, especially people like me who are "all over the place." We have to cut out the crap, ditch the excess baggage which is holding us back, and focus on our strength. Ego is nothing. Success is everything.