I visit La Gaviota most weekends and occasionally during the week, you are right the food is shite at the moment, problem is I feel I cant stop going despite everytime I eat there I feel depressed and sick. Your brother has a wonderful business model. I do hope the continual shite food doesnt stop me going next year.
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My brother's restaurant 'La Gaviota' is in trouble...
- Thread starter Pavilionaire
- Start date
dingodan
New member
- Feb 16, 2011
- 10,080
See it all the time of Kitchen Nightmares.
This kind of thing usually stems from the sacking of a little bald loud mouth kitchen porter, who tends to have in hindsight been the only person left working at the restaurant who understood it's history or cared, and who was really the person who was banging heads together in the kitchen all along.
#BRINGBACKCHARLIE
This kind of thing usually stems from the sacking of a little bald loud mouth kitchen porter, who tends to have in hindsight been the only person left working at the restaurant who understood it's history or cared, and who was really the person who was banging heads together in the kitchen all along.
#BRINGBACKCHARLIE
Mattywerewolf
Well-known member
I'd suggest he approaches a different set of recruitment consultants for the next head chef hire.
Ernest
Stupid IDIOT
Try the Cliftonville, the 2 dinners for £6.49 MENU is EXCELLENT
Oops sorry
terryberry1
Well-known member
This is a very good advert for your brothers restaurant, I'm sure he will be pleased 
Del Fenner
Because of Boxing Day
Excellent OP. I would advise your brother to rebrand as Il Palazzo di Cristallo.
Seasidesage
New member
Sack the chef, sack the chef and er sack the chef! Do it now and in January buy some new ingredients. Did I mention sack the bloody Chef?
#binthechef
#binthechef
Norman Potting
Well-known member
Was a little confused with this thread until I put the title into Google Translate.
Bwian
Kiss my (_!_)
- Jul 14, 2003
- 15,898
Excellent OP. I would advise your brother to rebrand as Il Palazzo di Cristallo.
That place has had too many health warning issued over the years. Even soup kitchen users don't want to go there on their 3 for 1 nights.
BensGrandad
New member
Your story is the typical one regarding restaurants in that you are completely in the hands of the chef in that they fall out and leave and the trade goes with them. He has 2 choices sell up and get what he can for the business or try again with a new chef. It is a sorry state but a fact of life a restaurant is as good as the chef.
Has your Brother considered clearing out the entire larder, less that nice Spanish Dish and the stalwarts at the back, and bring in an entire new menu, something with a bit of bite that'll interest the clientele? Maybe also change the chef, they need to be organised and make sure everyone in the "restaurant" knows what they're doing?
Does he have a buyer for the ingredients? I've always found this is best left to the chef and try not to interfere with them?
Also, if he sells pies, why not make them a little less expensive, he'd sell more!
Does he have a buyer for the ingredients? I've always found this is best left to the chef and try not to interfere with them?
Also, if he sells pies, why not make them a little less expensive, he'd sell more!
wehatepalace
Limbs
Woosh !This is a very good advert for your brothers restaurant, I'm sure he will be pleased
wehatepalace
Limbs
Woosh !
The_Viper
Well-known member
I have to say OP, I am really pleased with your post, it sums up what would look like an untenable position for the 'chef' in any other job and that we really need help ASAP.
The thing is I'm not sure what I liked more, the comparison or the genuine reactions to the OP
The thing is I'm not sure what I liked more, the comparison or the genuine reactions to the OP
tinycowboy
Well-known member
Did your brother formerly run a little bistro called "Il teatro di alberi"? Bit of a dump, but served up some cracking stuff. I saw Glenn Murray in there a few times.
Hornblower
Well-known member
- Jul 7, 2003
- 1,707
The last time I was there the clientele turned very nasty.
Sorry to hear this. Seems like the wife and chef are the problem, definitely need to get rid of them at least. Some of the staff have been downgraded as well - some barely know how to deal with the pass. I do know the place incidentally, eat there quite often and it's definitely not as busy as it was, lots of empty tables now and mutterings of 'not coming back here until they change things'. Have also seen a few people leave before their coffee arrives - they used to blame the transport but now it's obviously the fayre being dished up.
Only thing to bear in mind is that a lot of the customers are fickle and will look for any excuse to moan. Surprising that some of the worst complainers used to eat at his other ramshackle place down the road years ago where the food and dining room were both truly turgid. Obviously nice comfy chairs and TV screens aren't enough to keep this lot happy.
Only thing to bear in mind is that a lot of the customers are fickle and will look for any excuse to moan. Surprising that some of the worst complainers used to eat at his other ramshackle place down the road years ago where the food and dining room were both truly turgid. Obviously nice comfy chairs and TV screens aren't enough to keep this lot happy.
I've been many times, but couldn't face the cuisine last week. From the review I read in the local rag, this seems to have been a good move. One of their biggest problems is the food sourcing manager they brought in (who doesn't get along with any chefs from what I can tell). Sauces tell me he's a complete Berk.