199. How to be Hospitable: Will Guidara [reads] ‘Setting the Table.’

Today’s guest is Will Guidara, author of the national bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality. Known for transforming Eleven Madison Park into the number one restaurant in the world, Will shares insights from his journey in the restaurant industry and beyond.

Will embodies the delicate balance between two seemingly opposing forces: perfectionism and empowerment. As a former restaurateur and co-owner of Eleven Madison Park, he has always been passionate about creating memorable experiences through exceptional service. His book, Unreasonable Hospitality, is a testament to his belief in being as relentless in pursuing people as other restaurants are in pursuing product quality.

Will reads two pages from Setting the Table by Danny Meyer, his first boss and a mentor who profoundly influenced his career. These pages capture the essence of Will’s leadership philosophy—what he calls "constant gentle pressure"—a method of maintaining excellence without sacrificing the dignity of those around him.  [reading begins at 17:54]

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Hear us discuss:

"I made the choice to be as unreasonable in pursuit of people as the other restaurants on that list were solely in pursuit of product." [02:05] | "Hospitality and excellence are not friends. But if you pursue them both with persistence, you can achieve something truly remarkable." [09:29] | "Every superpower, if left unchecked, can be your villain story." [10:06] | "I pray the things that we are being forced to do today are things we choose to do tomorrow." [32:19] | "Ask yourself what right looks like and do that." [37:11]