[AmVess]

Gordon Ramsay is one of the most experienced and successful restaurateurs ever, and has had numerous failures along the way.

Before he became TV famous, he worked in his restaurant every day until 1 AM, and back to it 6 hours later...every day, for many years. People vastly underestimate the time and dedication needed to run a restaurant. If you aren't built for it like Ramsay, you will regret it.

For a lot of owners, it's a really good way to earn not a lot of money for a massive amount of work.

[photoJ]

Right and with that much work you know how to fix a menu so your food cost is managed. You know how many servers you probably need for that day of the week and how likely they are to disappear. You know how your staff will steal your booze, pocket the tips, or kill you clientele with a food allergy. You know how many people will complain and you will have to comp their bill. You know you should stock pile supplies because the vendor will run out. For an industry that is terribly easy to get into as a bus boy/server, prep cook, its amazing to me that more people don't just start there. Or maybe they do, but they don't write hand wringing articles about how they failed.(hopefully because they'd didn't and are too busy working). I once heard a story about an area for wine production in USA that you could buy for reasonable amount of money. Every few years, a 50 year old man would come and buy it, and start to work it. After 10 years about the time he might be getting the hang of what it all entailed he would be tired and sell it to the next 50 year old. The locals just watched the same story play out over and over again...

[sjg007]

Same with the craft brewery folks as well.

[photoJ]

And the fixed costs upfront, not to mention the legalities!

[paulie_a]

I always thought Gordon Ramsey was a douchebag from a cursory glance. But after watching his shows and reading his books, he is pretty awesome. I think he is justified in being annoyed by amateurs asking for help then arguing/ignoring his advice.

[mgkimsal]

> I think he is justified in being annoyed by amateurs asking for help then arguing/ignoring his advice.

Anyone who is an expert in their field should feel justified in being annoyed by people asking for help then ignoring or arguing with said help. Happens to me on a regular-enough basis that I can usually predict how a request for help is going to turn out. Not alway, but often enough.