CASE STUDY: Whos the Boss?

Leon has been head chef at the Elite Caf since it opened 25 years ago. The little restaurant has been a landmark in a small seaside resort town and up to a year or so ago had always been crowded with customers who came back to enjoy the same fresh seafood dishes they remembered from years before.

In the past year, however, there has been a noticeable drop in its business, owing to competition from several new restaurants that feature nouvelle cuisine, gluten-free offerings, and ethnic cuisines.

Leons boss, Dennis, the restaurant manager, is an eager young man fresh out of a college hospitality program. He sees what is happening and wants Leon to change the menu, but Leon flatly refuses. He says that the food is as good as it ever wasthe best food in townand that Dennis simply isnt promoting it properly and is probably making a lot of other mistakes, too.

Leon makes it clear that he has no respect for college graduates who havent paid their dues and gotten their hands dirtya figure of speech that is all too appropriate for Leon, whose sanitation practices are old-fashioned, too.

The other employees are aware of this ongoing situation between Leon and Dennis and are beginning to take sides. Dennis is aware that he must do something quickly. But what? Dennis sees his main problem as regaining the cafs share of the market and putting it out front, where it has always been. He can see only the following alternatives:

Fire Leon for insubordination. This is what he would like to do. But Leon is an excellent cook and no one on his staff can duplicate his chowder, his lobster bisque, and some of the other classics, and there are no recipes to follow.

Try it Leons waya marketing program emphasizing an old-timey image and ambiancethe good old days, tradition. Denniss heart is not in this approachhe does not believe that Leon is right and knows the other employees will protest.

Discuss the problem with his boss, the owner of the caf. She is an older woman who really doesnt understand the restaurant businessand besides, Dennis doesnt want to admit to her that he has a problem.

Get some expert advice on market trends and how to make a market study: Hire a consultant or pay a visit to his favorite professor at the hospitality Institute.

Case Study Questions

What do you think of Denniss four alternatives? What are the pros and cons of each? What are the consequences?

What do you think is the real problem? How would you define it?

What should Denniss objectives be?

Is Dennis himself part of the problem? If so, does this make it harder or easier to solve?

Are there other alternatives besides those Dennis has listed? Suggest as many as you can and give pros and cons for each.

Who do you think is right about the menu: Dennis or Leon?

Is it possible for Dennis to change Leons opinion of him? If so, how?

Do you think Dennis and Leon might ever get together using the win/win problem-solving method? Would it be appropriate in this situation?