elBulli

1.      What factors made elBulli the best restaurant in the world?

One of the factors that made elBulli the best restaurant in the world is adequate training procedures for the employees that ensured quality for services in the restaurant. Additionally, elBulli became the best restaurant due to its invention of a new and unique recipe, which provided the finest ingredients, with annual changes in the dishes. elBulli also provides a completely new and unseen way of offering food with creativity. The restaurant does not serve food, but emotions since it tries to give customers an entirely new experience.

2.      Which elements of the elBulli experience create value for customers?

One of the elBulli’s experience elements that create value for customers is providing reservations for the customers. Additionally, being received by Ferran Adrià himself and getting an opportunity to tour the kitchen, lounge, dining room, and terrace adds great value to customers by making them feel important. Besides, elBulli’s recipes are unique and impossible to copy.

3.      What are the most salient features of the creative process at elBulli?

One of the most salient features of elBulli’s creative process is the opening of the “El Taller” workshop in Barcelona by Adrià, where he developed new recipes for the new season during elBulli’s closure. Additionally, Ferran Adrià announced a creativity team consisting of 8 to 9 people who had the responsibility of researching various trends and emotions in the food industry. He divided the team into three groups, which traveled to various parts of the world to attend various courses so as to discover the latest trends. After elBulli had reopened, the new recipes got used predominantly during the season, with continuous improvements every day. Besides, the elBulli’s creativity process continued even after Adrià left the workshop to reopen the restaurant.

4.      Are there weaknesses in the restaurant operation? How would you fix them?

Yes, the restaurant has a broad range of challenges in its operations. One of such challenges is that there is no brand loyalty. Another challenge is high operational costs, a situation which puts the restaurant into a risk of structural losses. Besides, there is a low focus on the satisfaction of the customers, and the prices of various ingredients offered by the restaurant are unreliable.

I would fix such challenges by first increasing the flow of customers. I would then reduce the number of employees to cut down the restaurant’s operational costs. I would also increase the prices of certain menus, especially hard drinks, as well as try to acquire less costly raw materials and equipment. With such changes, the restaurant would make good profits, and would not require additional support from its big merchandise markets. Fixing such challenges facing elBulli’s operations would turn it into an improved restaurant and valuable to customers.

5.      What should Ferran Adria and the elBulli team do next? Can the elBulli philosophy be applied to potato chips? Fast food?

What Ferran Adria and the elBulli team need to do next is to continue with their invention processes and inspire the new generation of chefs around the world. Ferran Adria and the elBulli team also need to offer advice to upcoming chefs and restaurant leaders to enable them to give customers new experiences.

elBulli philosophy cannot apply to potato chips fast foods. As described in the case study, elBulli philosophy has multiple applications, including other industries that do not fall in the restaurant sector. Despite Adria and the elBulli team introducing fast food and getting dedicated to various consulting activities, the elBulli philosophy, according to the case study, cannot authentically apply to mass products. That is because the elBulli dishes served in the restaurant get considered as an art, and the art does not form part of the daily needs like in the case of groceries. Therefore, elBulli philosophy cannot apply to both potato chips and fast food.

6.      What should come first, creativity or the customer? From a system’s thinking perspective, how would you describe their organization?

Creativity should come first; then the customer comes next. As described in the case, Ferran Adrià emphasized the importance of creativity as opposed to customer satisfaction. for Adrià, elBulli was more of an invention center or a place of making art with food rather than a restaurant whose aim is to satisfy the needs of customers. Putting creativity first before the customers is a means of creating high cuisine experiences. Besides, giving creativity a priority leads to the development of new recipes, which in turn contributes to satisfying customer needs and improving customer experience.

From a system’s thinking perspective, I would describe elBulli as a special organization that is incomparable to other businesses. ElBulli is also an expert in creativity and innovation as it creates entirely new and unique recipes that enhance customer experience.