Garnish - Redefining fine dine experiences
Overview
Garnish is designed for fine dining restaurants, where exceptional customer experiences and complex operations demand innovative solutions. It streamlines service, enhances guest interactions, and supports the high standards of fine dining through smart, intuitive tools.
Categories
My Role
Anwesha | Sanchayan | Sameh
Service Design | Internet of Things | System Design | Concept
1.5 month
Conducted site visits and interviews at 4-5 locations
Synthesized findings through thread mapping and other tools
Storyboarding the user's journey
Worked on the high fid screens for chef's flow
Team
Duration
Isn't fine dining already perfect?
While fine dining promises a flawless experience, the reality behind the scenes can be messy. Industry reports show that up to 68% of customer complaints in high end restaurants stem from service lapses.
These issues often trace back to coordination breakdowns between front of house and kitchen teams. Even in Michelin-starred venues, small errors — a delayed plate, a missing garnish, a misread order chips away at the premium experience.
Framing the Challenge
“How might we create an ecosystem for the owners & employees of fine dining restaurants to enable real-time communication thereby enhancing operational efficiency & customer experience.”
“How might we create an ecosystem for the owners & employees of fine dining restaurants to enable real-time communication thereby enhancing operational efficiency & customer experience.”
The Problem in a Nutshell
Unpredictability of daily footfall leads preparing excess stock, which results in food wastage and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Restaurants face customer retention challenges due to negative experiences, especially in handling service failures.
Inefficiencies and miscommunications between FOH and BOH create friction, with each side blaming the other, fueling a cycle of repeated mistakes.
During peak hours, FOH overload leads to inconsistent orders, forgotten details, and rushed guest experiences.
Inefficiencies and miscommunications between FOH and BOH create friction, with each side blaming the other, fueling a cycle of repeated mistakes.
Unpredictability of daily footfall leads preparing excess stock, which results in food wastage and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Restaurants face customer retention challenges due to negative experiences, especially in handling service failures.
During peak hours, FOH overload leads to inconsistent orders, forgotten details, and rushed guest experiences.
What it took to see behind the curtain
The biggest challenge was gaining authentic insights which meant navigating busy dinner rushes, piecing together fragmented systems, and reading between the lines of polished, “everything’s fine” responses.
[Secondary Research]
Information gaps - Operational nuances in fine dining couldn’t be fully understood through market analysis alone.
We did on-site shadowing to capture workflow subtleties, and communication patterns that market reports overlooked.
Tech assessment limits - Existing systems (KOT, reservations, inventory) worked in silos, making full ecosystem mapping difficult.
Conducted work-flow mapping with each department separately, then overlaid findings to reconstruct the broader operational ecosystem.
[Primary Research]
Bias control — Some responses were idealized rather than reflecting real challenges.
Matched the interview data with direct observations and informal off-shift conversations to uncover pain points participants hesitated to share in formal settings.
Who we spoke to
9 Managers
10 Back of house
12 Front of house
Managers
Receptionist
Waiters
Head Chef
Customer
30+
Managers
Thread Mapping
Helped visualize connections between different components of the system, uncovering deeper insights.
Tools that helped
Persona Creation
Unique goal-based personas were developed providing a deeper understanding of their behaviors and core needs.
Affinity Mapping
Helped identify patterns and relationships within the collected data and create the basis for the different personas.
Introducing Garnish!
The Garnish Service Ecosystem
The final solution involved creating a connected system that streamlined restaurant operations by integrating various digital tools for different stakeholders. The system would continuously update and store daily data on tables, orders, and customer feedback, providing a comprehensive solution for seamless restaurant management across all departments.
Once we had explored a range of IoT possibilities, we began sketching out how they might work together. A rough system map was made, with key connection points in our proposed ecosystem. From there, the value table became our compass, helping us pair each idea with the right sensors, chart its data flow, and define the value it would deliver.
Benchmarks We Looked At
Our design decisions weren’t just about fixing what was broken — they were measured against clear benchmarks to ensure the system would hold up in real service conditions. These benchmarks became our guardrails, helping us balance speed with accuracy, automation with human touch, and innovation with reliability.
Accountability
Every role change, task handoff, and delay is time-stamped and attributed, making it easy to trace responsibility when things go wrong.
Managers can review these logs later to identify training needs or process bottlenecks.
Assurance
Guests receive consistent service, even during peak hours, thanks to live task prioritization and status tracking.
FOH and BOH staff can confirm task progress without verbal check-ins, reducing uncertainty.
FOH and BOH staff can confirm task progress without verbal check-ins, reducing uncertainty.
Confidence
Staff know the system reflects the latest kitchen and dining room status, so they can make quick decisions without second-guessing.
Managers gain a reliable overview of operations, with proactive rather than reactive problem-solving.
Final Service Blueprint
Role Specific Interfaces - Each stakeholder’s interface was stripped of non-essential data to reduce overwhelm.
Prioritized Task - Notifications were designed with urgency tags to ensure the right action happens at the right time.
Service Call Buttons - Added for guests to improve FOH responsiveness without disrupting service flow.
Live Kitchen Boards - Structured to mirror plating sequences, helping chefs anticipate upcoming orders.
Manager Alerts - Designed to flag potential service failures before they happen.
Chef's Flow (my task)
Design Highlights
Progressive Disclosure - Each role sees only what's relevant to them, reducing cognitive overload.
Live Synchronization - Data updates instantly across all devices.
Humanized Alerts - Prompts that aid decision-making without creating panic.
First Iteration
Second Iteration
Final Screen
Waiter's Flow (Task done by - Sameh Waghmare)
Manager's Flow ( Task done by - Sanchayan Banerjee)
Learnings
Sometimes the most valuable changes were simple, clearer labels, better grouping of information, fewer taps to reach a common task.
Even the smallest service environment has variables, background noise, staff rotation, unpredictable guest requests. Thinking about these edge cases became very crucial while designing.
We found that tools which blended into existing routines were adopted quickly, while those that required major changes to habits risked being ignored, no matter how innovative they seemed.
Garnish - Redefining fine dine experiences
Overview
Garnish is designed for fine dining restaurants, where exceptional customer experiences and complex operations demand innovative solutions. It streamlines service, enhances guest interactions, and supports the high standards of fine dining through smart, intuitive tools.
Categories
My Role
Anwesha | Sanchayan | Sameh
Service Design | Internet of Things | System Design | Concept
1.5 month
Conducted site visits and interviews at 4-5 locations
Synthesized findings through thread mapping and other tools
Storyboarding the user's journey
Worked on the high fid screens for chef's flow
Team
Duration
Isn't fine dining already perfect?
While fine dining promises a flawless experience, the reality behind the scenes can be messy. Industry reports show that up to 68% of customer complaints in high end restaurants stem from service lapses.
These issues often trace back to coordination breakdowns between front of house and kitchen teams. Even in Michelin-starred venues, small errors — a delayed plate, a missing garnish, a misread order chips away at the premium experience.
Framing the Challenge
“How might we create an ecosystem for the owners & employees of fine dining restaurants to enable real-time communication thereby enhancing operational efficiency & customer experience.”
“How might we create an ecosystem for the owners & employees of fine dining restaurants to enable real-time communication thereby enhancing operational efficiency & customer experience.”
The Problem in a Nutshell
Unpredictability of daily footfall leads preparing excess stock, which results in food wastage and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Restaurants face customer retention challenges due to negative experiences, especially in handling service failures.
Inefficiencies and miscommunications between FOH and BOH create friction, with each side blaming the other, fueling a cycle of repeated mistakes.
During peak hours, FOH overload leads to inconsistent orders, forgotten details, and rushed guest experiences.
Inefficiencies and miscommunications between FOH and BOH create friction, with each side blaming the other, fueling a cycle of repeated mistakes.
Unpredictability of daily footfall leads preparing excess stock, which results in food wastage and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Restaurants face customer retention challenges due to negative experiences, especially in handling service failures.
During peak hours, FOH overload leads to inconsistent orders, forgotten details, and rushed guest experiences.
What it took to see behind the curtain
The biggest challenge was gaining authentic insights which meant navigating busy dinner rushes, piecing together fragmented systems, and reading between the lines of polished, “everything’s fine” responses.
[Secondary Research]
Information gaps - Operational nuances in fine dining couldn’t be fully understood through market analysis alone.
We did on-site shadowing to capture workflow subtleties, and communication patterns that market reports overlooked.
Tech assessment limits - Existing systems (KOT, reservations, inventory) worked in silos, making full ecosystem mapping difficult.
Conducted work-flow mapping with each department separately, then overlaid findings to reconstruct the broader operational ecosystem.
[Primary Research]
Bias control — Some responses were idealized rather than reflecting real challenges.
Matched the interview data with direct observations and informal off-shift conversations to uncover pain points participants hesitated to share in formal settings.
Who we spoke to
9 Managers
10 Back of house
12 Front of house
Managers
Receptionist
Waiters
Head Chef
Customer
30+
Managers
Thread Mapping
Helped visualize connections between different components of the system, uncovering deeper insights.
Tools that helped
Persona Creation
Unique goal-based personas were developed providing a deeper understanding of their behaviors and core needs.
Affinity Mapping
Helped identify patterns and relationships within the collected data and create the basis for the different personas.
Introducing Garnish!
The Garnish Service Ecosystem
The final solution involved creating a connected system that streamlined restaurant operations by integrating various digital tools for different stakeholders. The system would continuously update and store daily data on tables, orders, and customer feedback, providing a comprehensive solution for seamless restaurant management across all departments.
Once we had explored a range of IoT possibilities, we began sketching out how they might work together. A rough system map was made, with key connection points in our proposed ecosystem. From there, the value table became our compass, helping us pair each idea with the right sensors, chart its data flow, and define the value it would deliver.
Benchmarks We Looked At
Our design decisions weren’t just about fixing what was broken — they were measured against clear benchmarks to ensure the system would hold up in real service conditions. These benchmarks became our guardrails, helping us balance speed with accuracy, automation with human touch, and innovation with reliability.
Accountability
Every role change, task handoff, and delay is time-stamped and attributed, making it easy to trace responsibility when things go wrong.
Managers can review these logs later to identify training needs or process bottlenecks.
Assurance
Guests receive consistent service, even during peak hours, thanks to live task prioritization and status tracking.
FOH and BOH staff can confirm task progress without verbal check-ins, reducing uncertainty.
FOH and BOH staff can confirm task progress without verbal check-ins, reducing uncertainty.
Confidence
Staff know the system reflects the latest kitchen and dining room status, so they can make quick decisions without second-guessing.
Managers gain a reliable overview of operations, with proactive rather than reactive problem-solving.
Final Service Blueprint
Role Specific Interfaces - Each stakeholder’s interface was stripped of non-essential data to reduce overwhelm.
Prioritized Task - Notifications were designed with urgency tags to ensure the right action happens at the right time.
Service Call Buttons - Added for guests to improve FOH responsiveness without disrupting service flow.
Live Kitchen Boards - Structured to mirror plating sequences, helping chefs anticipate upcoming orders.
Manager Alerts - Designed to flag potential service failures before they happen.
Chef's Flow (my task)
Design Highlights
Progressive Disclosure - Each role sees only what's relevant to them, reducing cognitive overload.
Live Synchronization - Data updates instantly across all devices.
Humanized Alerts - Prompts that aid decision-making without creating panic.
First Iteration
Second Iteration
Final Screen
Waiter's Flow (Task done by - Sameh Waghmare)
Manager's Flow ( Task done by - Sanchayan Banerjee)
Learnings
Sometimes the most valuable changes were simple, clearer labels, better grouping of information, fewer taps to reach a common task.
Even the smallest service environment has variables, background noise, staff rotation, unpredictable guest requests. Thinking about these edge cases became very crucial while designing.
We found that tools which blended into existing routines were adopted quickly, while those that required major changes to habits risked being ignored, no matter how innovative they seemed.
Garnish - Redefining fine dine experiences
Overview
Garnish is designed for fine dining restaurants, where exceptional customer experiences and complex operations demand innovative solutions. It streamlines service, enhances guest interactions, and supports the high standards of fine dining through smart, intuitive tools.
Categories
My Role
Anwesha | Sanchayan | Sameh
Service Design | Internet of Things | System Design | Concept
1.5 month
Conducted site visits and interviews at 4-5 locations
Synthesized findings through thread mapping and other tools
Storyboarding the user's journey
Worked on the high fid screens for chef's flow
Team
Duration
Isn't fine dining already perfect?
While fine dining promises a flawless experience, the reality behind the scenes can be messy. Industry reports show that up to 68% of customer complaints in high end restaurants stem from service lapses.
These issues often trace back to coordination breakdowns between front of house and kitchen teams. Even in Michelin-starred venues, small errors — a delayed plate, a missing garnish, a misread order chips away at the premium experience.
Framing the Challenge
“How might we create an ecosystem for the owners & employees of fine dining restaurants to enable real-time communication thereby enhancing operational efficiency & customer experience.”
“How might we create an ecosystem for the owners & employees of fine dining restaurants to enable real-time communication thereby enhancing operational efficiency & customer experience.”
The Problem in a Nutshell
Unpredictability of daily footfall leads preparing excess stock, which results in food wastage and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Restaurants face customer retention challenges due to negative experiences, especially in handling service failures.
Inefficiencies and miscommunications between FOH and BOH create friction, with each side blaming the other, fueling a cycle of repeated mistakes.
During peak hours, FOH overload leads to inconsistent orders, forgotten details, and rushed guest experiences.
Inefficiencies and miscommunications between FOH and BOH create friction, with each side blaming the other, fueling a cycle of repeated mistakes.
Unpredictability of daily footfall leads preparing excess stock, which results in food wastage and inefficiencies in inventory management.
Restaurants face customer retention challenges due to negative experiences, especially in handling service failures.
During peak hours, FOH overload leads to inconsistent orders, forgotten details, and rushed guest experiences.
What it took to see behind the curtain
The biggest challenge was gaining authentic insights which meant navigating busy dinner rushes, piecing together fragmented systems, and reading between the lines of polished, “everything’s fine” responses.
[Secondary Research]
Information gaps - Operational nuances in fine dining couldn’t be fully understood through market analysis alone.
We did on-site shadowing to capture workflow subtleties, and communication patterns that market reports overlooked.
Tech assessment limits - Existing systems (KOT, reservations, inventory) worked in silos, making full ecosystem mapping difficult.
Conducted work-flow mapping with each department separately, then overlaid findings to reconstruct the broader operational ecosystem.
[Primary Research]
Bias control — Some responses were idealized rather than reflecting real challenges.
Matched the interview data with direct observations and informal off-shift conversations to uncover pain points participants hesitated to share in formal settings.
Who we spoke to
9 Managers
10 Back of house
12 Front of house
Managers
Receptionist
Waiters
Head Chef
Customer
30+
Managers
Thread Mapping
Helped visualize connections between different components of the system, uncovering deeper insights.
Tools that helped
Persona Creation
Unique goal-based personas were developed providing a deeper understanding of their behaviors and core needs.
Affinity Mapping
Helped identify patterns and relationships within the collected data and create the basis for the different personas.
Introducing Garnish!
The Garnish Service Ecosystem
The final solution involved creating a connected system that streamlined restaurant operations by integrating various digital tools for different stakeholders. The system would continuously update and store daily data on tables, orders, and customer feedback, providing a comprehensive solution for seamless restaurant management across all departments.
Once we had explored a range of IoT possibilities, we began sketching out how they might work together. A rough system map was made, with key connection points in our proposed ecosystem. From there, the value table became our compass, helping us pair each idea with the right sensors, chart its data flow, and define the value it would deliver.
Benchmarks We Looked At
Our design decisions weren’t just about fixing what was broken — they were measured against clear benchmarks to ensure the system would hold up in real service conditions. These benchmarks became our guardrails, helping us balance speed with accuracy, automation with human touch, and innovation with reliability.
Accountability
Every role change, task handoff, and delay is time-stamped and attributed, making it easy to trace responsibility when things go wrong.
Managers can review these logs later to identify training needs or process bottlenecks.
Assurance
Guests receive consistent service, even during peak hours, thanks to live task prioritization and status tracking.
FOH and BOH staff can confirm task progress without verbal check-ins, reducing uncertainty.
FOH and BOH staff can confirm task progress without verbal check-ins, reducing uncertainty.
Confidence
Staff know the system reflects the latest kitchen and dining room status, so they can make quick decisions without second-guessing.
Managers gain a reliable overview of operations, with proactive rather than reactive problem-solving.
Final Service Blueprint
Role Specific Interfaces - Each stakeholder’s interface was stripped of non-essential data to reduce overwhelm.
Prioritized Task - Notifications were designed with urgency tags to ensure the right action happens at the right time.
Service Call Buttons - Added for guests to improve FOH responsiveness without disrupting service flow.
Live Kitchen Boards - Structured to mirror plating sequences, helping chefs anticipate upcoming orders.
Manager Alerts - Designed to flag potential service failures before they happen.
Chef's Flow (my task)
Design Highlights
Progressive Disclosure - Each role sees only what's relevant to them, reducing cognitive overload.
Live Synchronization - Data updates instantly across all devices.
Humanized Alerts - Prompts that aid decision-making without creating panic.
First Iteration
Second Iteration
Final Screen
Waiter's Flow
(Task done by - Sameh Waghmare)
Manager's Flow
(Task done by - Sanchayan Banerjee)
Learnings
Sometimes the most valuable changes were simple, clearer labels, better grouping of information, fewer taps to reach a common task.
Even the smallest service environment has variables, background noise, staff rotation, unpredictable guest requests. Thinking about these edge cases became very crucial while designing.
We found that tools which blended into existing routines were adopted quickly, while those that required major changes to habits risked being ignored, no matter how innovative they seemed.
Made with love, coffee and tears.
Made with love, coffee and tears.
Made with love, coffee and tears.