Unreasonable Hospitality

The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect

By: Will Guidara

Narrated by: Will Guidara

Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins

Publisher's summary

The must-hear national bestseller that's redefining hospitality and inspiring people in every industry.

- JP Morgan NextList Pick

- Featured in FX's The Bear and Showtime's Billions

Will Guidara was twenty-six when he took the helm of Eleven Madison Park, a struggling two-star brasserie that had never quite lived up to its majestic room. Eleven years later, EMP was named the best restaurant in the world.

How did Guidara pull off this unprecedented transformation? Radical reinvention, a true partnership between the kitchen and the dining room—and memorable, over-the-top, bespoke hospitality. Guidara’s team surprised a family who had never seen snow with a magical sledding trip to Central Park after their dinner; they filled a private dining room with sand, complete with mai-tais and beach chairs, to console a couple with a cancelled vacation. And his hospitality extended beyond those dining at the restaurant to his own team, who learned to deliver praise and criticism with intention; why the answer to some of the most pernicious business dilemmas is to give more—not less; and the magic that can happen when a busser starts thinking like an owner.

Today, every business can choose to be a hospitality business—and we can all transform ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences. Featuring sparkling stories of his journey through restaurants, with the industry’s most famous players like Daniel Boulud and Danny Meyer, Guidara urges us all to find the magic in what we do—for ourselves, the people we work with, and the people we serve.

©2022 Will Guidara (P)2022 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Guidara makes his nonfiction debut with an enthusiastic guide for leaders [and asserts] sage advice about leadership.”–Kirkus Review

"Will Guidara is one of the very best in the hospitality business, but this book is for everyone. His insights on how to be a great entrepreneur cut through the noise."–David Chang, chef and founder of Momofuku, and host of Ugly Delicious

“Working alongside Will Guidara is the ultimate masterclass in how to thoughtfully improve the lives of those around you. He is now sharing his truly remarkable gift with the world in this keenly observant and heartfelt must-read, for anyone looking to stand out from the pack.”–Dan Levy, Emmy® award winning writer, actor, director, and producer of Schitt's Creek

Unreasonably and unexpectedly AWESOME

I am beyond inspired by this book. At a time that I am reworking manager training materials this has been so great to read.

Sad When it Ended

Wow, I really didn’t think a professional book that I listen to on my way to and from work would make me sad to hear it end. This is a must-read for those in hospitality and I highly recommend it for all professionals and leaders. Hearing these stories of hospitality actually moved me to tears. Truly an inspiration from start to finish; if my career is a thimble in comparison to Will Guidara’s I can consider it a success.

Remarkable story, extraordinary book.

One of the best books on hospitality I have ever read. Remarkable story, extraordinary book.

Very helpful for an aspiring cafe owner

I’m building a brunch cafe from the ground up and this book has been incredibly insightful. I definitely recommend it for any aspiring or current business owner.

Encouraging you to be your BEST

I literally devoured this book.
So many profound insights, plenty tips on how to be your best at anything you do. My business will surely thrive because of the wisdom and love that was imparted in this book.
P.S I am most definitely traveling to New York to spoil myself at the magnificent Eleven Madison Park restaurant.

Reaching for excellence in relationships

Will describes what it means to see, truly see people! It is an encouragement to take a lesson in this since I feel others judgements about the “crazy” things that seem natural.

A must read for anybody in the hospitality industry

As a person who has been in the hospitality business for the last 45 years,I have read many books and information on how to make my practice better. This is by far the best book I have ever read on the subject. Will Guidara’s insights on getting the most out of your staff and yourself in a positive way is priceless. I would encourage anybody whether you’re in the hospitality business or not to read this book. If we could just start looking at world in what positive contributions that we can make,we’d all be better for it.

Great for other businesses as well!

I loved the book, I could find in myself a better way of looking at my own business, like doing something totally unrelated , but still very meaningful in my knitting shop.

Refreshing

A new outlook for many things we may already know but have dropped along the way. Just the right spark of motivation and creativity that I needed this year. Awesome Job, Thank you.

Amazing book!

This is a great tool for leaders in any industry. Fantastic and a hard book to put down.