Every shift starts differently
Briefings depend on who happens to lead.
Fictional operations case · Munich 2026
Simulation · Not a client engagement
KERNWERK
A 90-day operational reset for a busy restaurant that has demand, talent and energy — but no shared system.
Open the system01 / Starting point
Busy is not the same as healthy.
KERNWERK is a fictional 76-seat urban restaurant with strong weekends and unstable weekdays. Guests like the product, but long ticket times, inconsistent leadership and unclear responsibilities drain performance from every shift.
- Format
- Modern neighbourhood restaurant
- Scale
- 76 seats · 26 team members
- Service
- Lunch, dinner and bar
- Mandate
- 90-day operational reset
02 / What is visible
Six symptoms. One missing operating system.
The pass becomes the bottleneck
Information arrives late and priorities change mid-service.
The menu works against the kitchen
Complexity sits in low-selling dishes and duplicated prep.
Service language is inconsistent
Guests receive different explanations, recommendations and recovery.
Stock moves without visibility
Par levels and responsibilities are unclear across bar, wine and kitchen.
Managers solve instead of lead
Daily emergencies replace coaching, review and planning.
03 / The 90-day reset
Observe. Stabilise. Train. Measure.
01
Days 01–14
Observe
Shadow every position, map the guest journey, review sales mix and identify friction at the pass, bar and handovers.
02
Days 15–30
Stabilise
Clarify roles, introduce opening and closing standards, reset pars and simplify the highest-friction menu elements.
03
Days 31–60
Train
Install briefing rituals, practical station training, consistent recommendations and a simple recovery framework.
04
Days 61–90
Measure
Run a weekly scorecard, coach managers from evidence and refine the system around real shift patterns.
04 / The core system
Tools the team can actually use during service.
Shift card
Priorities, reservations, shortages and ownership on one page.
Role matrix
Every task has an owner, a backup and a clear moment.
Pass rhythm
Defined calls, checks and escalation rules between kitchen and floor.
Menu matrix
Contribution, popularity, prep load and guest relevance viewed together.
Stock logic
Pars, count rhythm, variance review and ordering responsibility.
Weekly scorecard
A small set of numbers connected to observable shift behaviour.
05 / Simulation targets
Targets to validate — not claimed outcomes.
≤ 16 minMedian main-course ticket time
< 2%Weekly stock variance
1.6Beverages per cover
100%Guest issues closed in the same shift
06 / Team and leadership
The system should make good leadership easier.
KERNWERK does not rely on scripts alone. Managers learn to turn observations into short coaching moments, give ownership without losing standards and end each week with three priorities the team can remember.
Before service
Seven-minute briefing: demand, risks, focus and one learning point.
During service
Managers observe flow, remove blockers and coach without taking every task back.
After service
Five-minute close: what worked, what repeated and what changes tomorrow.
Every week
One scorecard, one team topic and three operational priorities.
07 / DIEGO PROJECTS scope
From diagnosis to a system that survives the consultant.
- 01Operational observation and gap analysis
- 02Guest-journey and service-flow mapping
- 03Menu and beverage performance review
- 04Role, shift and briefing architecture
- 05Practical training and manager coaching
- 06KPI scorecard and 30-day handover plan
KERNWERK is a fictional operational simulation created by DIEGO PROJECTS to demonstrate its consulting method. The business, engagement and figures are illustrative; no real client or achieved result is claimed.
KERNWERK / OPERATIONS SIMULATION
Strengthen your operation