"Unreasonable Hospitality" - Summary

Will Guidara, co-owner of the renowned New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park, advocates for businesses to prioritize exceptional hospitality for both customers and employees.

Guidara's journey began at an awards event for the world's top restaurants. He and his partner, Daniel Humm, were disheartened to find their restaurant at the bottom of the list. This disappointment sparked a desire to transform their restaurant into a place that not only offered excellent food but also made people feel valued and cared for. This passion for hospitality was ignited during a memorable childhood dinner at the legendary Four Seasons restaurant in New York.

Guidara's parents, both of whom worked in the airline hospitality industry and fell in love there, further influenced his perspective. His mother, despite battling terminal brain cancer, would wait in the car for Guidara's tennis practice to finish. Her warm smile upon his return taught him the impact of a heartfelt welcome.

Guidara's commitment to hospitality was put to the test when he hosted renowned chef Daniel Boulud for a guest chef dinner at his college. He went the extra mile to make Boulud's team feel welcome, taking them to his favorite local bar and throwing an after-party. This act of kindness was returned when Boulud invited Guidara and his grieving father for a special dinner at his restaurant following Guidara's mother's passing.

This experience underscored for Guidara the dignity of service work and the unique capacity of hospitality professionals to bring joy or provide solace during significant life events. He distinguishes between excellent service, which he describes as "black and white" or technically correct, and outstanding hospitality, which adds "color" by making people feel genuinely cared for.

Guidara concludes by sharing how he made hospitality the cornerstone of his restaurant business. He is convinced that focusing on gracious, personalized, "unreasonable" hospitality can revolutionize any service industry in today's shift from a manufacturing to a service economy. He contends that the way businesses make people feel will set the great apart from the average. Guidara's hope is to inspire professionals across all fields to prioritize hospitality and human connection.