Ep 12. Golden Krust

Undercover Boss is an American reality show that premiered on CBS in 2010. The show features high-level executives as they go undercover in their own companies to examine the inner workings of their organization. The seventh season of the show, which aired in 2016, featured an episode titled Golden Krust.

Golden Krust is a popular Caribbean restaurant chain based in the United States. The episode begins with Lowell Hawthorne, the CEO of Golden Krust, going undercover to investigate the various aspects of his business. Hawthorne, who has been running Golden Krust for over two decades, is anxious to see how his employees are faring on the ground level.

The episode starts by showing Hawthorne donning a new identity as "Wayne Johnson", a Jamaican immigrant who is looking for a job. Hawthorne, who is known for his flamboyant style, dyes his hair black, puts on a fake mustache, and wears a back brace to disguise his identity. Hawthorne's first stop as Wayne is at a Golden Krust bakery in the Bronx, New York.

At the bakery, Hawthorne meets Marva, a friendly woman who trains new staff members. Marva put Hawthorne through his paces, teaching him the art of baking Jamaican patties while getting to know him. Through her, Wayne learns a lot about the bakery operations, particularly how much goes into baking the perfect patties. He later meets multiple employees from different departments of Golden Krust giving him an opportunity to understand the value of the specific roles and positions they play in the company.

Throughout the episode, Hawthorne comes face-to-face with the challenges his employees encounter daily. From dealing with cranky customers to working long hours, the CEO finds himself in situations that he had never thought of before. While working in the company's commissary department, for example, Hawthorne struggles to keep up with the pace and high standards of his colleagues on the production line.

In the end, the episode ends on a heartwarming note with "Wayne Johnson" revealing his true identity to the employees he met and spoke with. He used this time to receive feedback and to appreciate the work of his colleagues. Hawthorne learns that his employees are much more integral to the success of Golden Krust than he ever thought, which will inform his future business decisions.

Golden Krust provides insight into the challenges of running a Caribbean food business in America. From the challenges of retaining authentic recipes to maintaining quality standards with expansion, Hawthorne's work as an undercover CEO provides valuable insights into the intricacies of his business, while at the same time highlighting the struggles and joys of the hardworking employees behind Golden Krust. Overall, it is a remarkable episode that showcases the inspiring stories of dedicated employees doing their best to maintain the mission of the company. It serves as an inspiration to all entrepreneurs to put in the effort to connect with their employees and truly appreciate the hard work they put in.