EconTalk Will Guidara on Unreasonable Hospitality
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Mar 10, 2025 
Will Guidara, the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and author of 'Unreasonable Hospitality', shares insights on what extraordinary guest experiences entail. He discusses how personal connections and empathy in the restaurant industry can lead to memorable dining moments. Guidara emphasizes pre-meal meetings for team cohesion and draws parallels between kitchen chaos and childbirth. He also highlights the importance of meticulous attention to detail in culinary mastery and reflects on the power of mentorship and future ambitions sparked by the pandemic.
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Prioritizing Hospitality
- Make hospitality a priority in any business, not just restaurants.
- Strive to make customers feel as welcome as if you were inviting them into your home.
Personalized Experiences
- At Eleven Madison Park, staff learned guests' names beforehand, anticipating water preferences.
- They offered over-the-top services, like sending a family sledding in Central Park.
Thoughtful over Extravagant
- Thoughtful gestures, not extravagant spending, define true hospitality.
- View hospitality as a marketing investment; it generates positive word-of-mouth.
