Introduction
Gusto 54 is a Global Restaurant Group (GRG) that has several restaurants across the country. Its story begins with Janet Zuccarini, whose Italian father, an award-winning chef, carried on his dishes to her German mother (Harris, 2018). Specifically, his spaghetti and tomato sauce were famous among Zucarrini’s acquaintances (Harris, 2018). She further states, “Children would want to visit my home” (Harris, 2018, par. 1). Her father also taught her the value of hospitality (Harris, 2018). She believes that after working as a maître d’ at a few of the world’s most influential hotels, he learned how to make guests feel special. Being the CEO and founder of Gusto 54 Global Restaurant Group, Janet had devised a separate ingredient list for each of her seven restaurants, creating her unique recipe for success. Janet explains, “It is not a one-size-fits-all solution” (Harris, 2018, par. 2). As a result, Janet has created unique dining experiences for the one million people who visit her establishments annually.
However, the company’s history over the last few years has been marked by a series of profound events that have jeopardized the existence of the Gusto 54 GRG. The reason for this was the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent public excesses associated with the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and general social discontent in society. The main decision taken by Zucarrini was to invest the company’s resources in organizational aspects – such as gender and race equality and inclusion. Thus, the subsequent analysis and report of critical positions on this issue is the main objective of this paper.
Analysis
Advantages and Maintaining Before COVID-19
The very successful restaurant chain was also undergoing significant development, having just launched Gusto 501 weeks before. Hence, the financial situation was assessed as fast-growing, as there was a need for urgent investment in new ventures. This growth was logical since a serious advantage allowed the catering business to stand out from the competition. According to the company’s history information, this advantage could be a special recipe inherent in small family cousins (Harris, 2018). Providing this kind of service in a mass market is considered an unusual solution and attracts a high number of customers. However, this kind of advantage does not mean that Gusto GRG would not have continued to grow in the event of subsequent adverse events. Since the catering sector requires constant investment in new menus, seasonal renewals, and the management and quality control of existing businesses, problems may have arisen for another reason. As a result, there is a high probability of uncertainty in this matter, but there would not have been a sharp decline with the existing responsible approach.
Gusto 54’s Culture in 2020
An analysis of the working culture in Gusto 54 prior to the measures taken is also an important aspect of the analysis. In particular, it can be concluded from the available information that there were certain social issues (Birbrager & Konrad, 2021). This can also be inferred from the fact that, following George Floyd’s case, the BLM drew attention to the issue of racial inequality in the restaurant chain (Birbrager & Konrad, 2021). Nevertheless, the approach was changed in the future to a different one, which has caused a positive shift in the social media. It is described in the following statement of executives: “We pride ourselves on being culturally relevant and there is nothing more relevant than fighting ongoing injustices against the black community” (Gusto 54, 2020, par. 1). Consequently, problems with inappropriate positioning of internal team processes were present before, but were not adequately addressed.
Present Values in The Company
To date, values such as equality, inclusion, LGBT friendliness, anti-racism, and a general atmosphere of diversity have been the company’s key focuses. Based on the information on Gusto 54’s official website, the key mistakes that hindered the cultural development of the collective were realized (Gusto 54, 2020). Moreover, the concept of family relationships between employees and employers, which Zuccarini has developed since the restaurants were founded, has also been significantly strengthened. A clear manifestation of this attitude is the mention of maximum frankness and the rejection of the corporate language inherent in organizations of this size. The phrase “From day one we have operated in the spirit of famiglia, even so far as having “treat everyone like family” as one of our company values,” indicates that (Gusto 54, 2020, par. 1). Thus, an informal atmosphere is the main direction chosen by the management in this case.
Analysis of The Committed Steps
The steps that have been taken by Gusto 54 GRG to stabilize the financial situation in view of COVID-19 and the subsequent impact made by BLM are agreed upon and supported by me. The main objective of such changes is to preserve the business, the brand, and the financial income. During the pandemic, Zuccarini was focused on preservation as she saw eateries around her close. She had no intention of bringing Gusto 54 to the same conclusion; hence, she assumed that everyone who worked for the firm in March was still employed there when the quarantine was enacted (Birbrager & Konrad, p. 5). However, the workers were not paid since it would have caused the restaurants to fail. Zuccarini required everyone to be adaptable and prepared to put the Gusto 54 ahead of their interests to save her firm. With survivability as the primary objective, all choices taken after March 2020 were based on the mentality mentioned above (Birbrager & Konrad, 2021, p. 5). Therefore, the information presented confirms a logical and far-sighted entrepreneurial approach that can be considered the only right one under the prevailing circumstances.
Main Challenges: Existing and Theoretical
The final section of the analysis is represented by the main problems faced by Gusto 54 and those that were likely to have been exacerbated if COVID-19 had not occurred. Based on the information available, the main obstacle was the growing customer base and the increasing number of new restaurants, which were significantly more significant than the company’s existing management accounts (Birbrager & Konrad, 2021). This could have had severe negative consequences on matters such as the logistics of ingredient supply, the consistency of recipes, and the quality of dishes at all Gusto 54 GRG outlets. However, events in 2020 interrupted the process described, thus making it a critical challenge that was already occurring but had never progressed into a serious concern.
Conclusion
In conclusion, this analysis allows the main aspects of the changes that Gusto 54 underwent during COVID-19 and the emergence of the BLM to be analyzed. The advantages and the possibility of maintaining them before the pandemic were examined, revealing uncertainties about the future of the company’s then approach. Moreover, the culture of the restaurant business was studied, in particular the main mistakes made by the management. However, an analysis of current values demonstrated a new, more socially responsible approach. The analysis of the committed steps by Zuccarini explained the responsible approach that the executive had taken, thereby saving the business. In conclusion, the existing and theoretical challenges listed gave a perspective on what could have happened to the Gusto 54 GRG in different scenarios.
References
Birbrager, L., & Konrad, A. (2021). GUSTO 54 (B): Relying on organizational culture in crisis. Ivey Publishing, 1–7.
Gusto 54. (2020). From day one we have... Gusto 54 Catering.
Harris, T. (2020). A taste for success: How Janet Zuccarini built the Gusto 54 global restaurant group. Women of Influence.