Unreasonable Hospitality & Lessons from the World’s #1 Restaurant with Will Guidara

This week I sat down with Will Guidara , a world-renowned restaurateur and author of the best-selling book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect.

At the age of 26, Will took over Eleven Madison Park, a struggling two-star brasserie. Eleven years later, it was named the best restaurant in the world.

In this episode, you'll hear how Will pulled off this unprecedented transformation. You'll also get a masterclass in hospitality and actionable tips on how to turn an ordinary service (like financial advising) into exceptional experiences for your clients.

My Key Takeaways:

The Importance of Unreasonable Hospitality

• Unreasonable hospitality involves going above and beyond to create memorable, personalized experiences for guests. This approach isn't just about meeting expectations—it's about exceeding them in ways that surprise and delight, leaving a lasting impact.
• A small percentage of effort devoted to extraordinary touches can make your business stand out and drive word-of-mouth success. Will recommended the 95/5 rule, where 95% of the focus is on the fundamentals, like great food and service, while 5% is devoted to extraordinary touches that create unforgettable moments.
• Will emphasized the importance of reimagining the guest experience by combining the elements of going out and coming home. By making people feel genuinely welcomed and cared for, businesses can create a sense of belonging that turns customers into loyal advocates.

“Service is just doing the thing that people expect you to do. In my world, that’s giving the right plate to the right person within the right amount of time. But hospitality is the extent to which you are making the people you are serving feel seen.”  – Will Guidara 

The Power of a Shared Vision in Leadership

• The balance between creativity and control is crucial for creating a sustainable business that also feels personal and human. Businesses must empower their teams to deliver exceptional service while maintaining systems that ensure consistency and quality.
• At Eleven Madison Park, Will shifted the power dynamics to ensure that both the kitchen and dining room teams were on equal footing. By valuing all roles equally, the restaurant created a cohesive environment where everyone worked toward the same goal: an outstanding guest experience.
• Instead of selling his vision to the team, Will extended invitations for them to join him on the journey. This approach fostered a culture of shared purpose, where team members felt a genuine connection to the vision and were more committed to achieving it together.

“Rather than selling someone something, I tried to articulate our direction and then extend invitations for the team to join us on the journey. It creates a culture where people are more genuinely committed.”  – Will Guidara 

Integrating Work and Life for True Fulfillment  

• Will believes in integrating work and life rather than trying to keep them separate. By allowing these areas to flow together, he found more balance and fulfillment in both, reducing the guilt that often comes from trying to prioritize one over the other.
• Drawing inspiration from his parents, Will emphasized the importance of living with intention and integrity. Whether in your personal or professional life, this approach leads to a deeper sense of purpose and satisfaction because it aligns your actions with your values.
• Will’s approach to life and work is about more than just success; it's about creating a lasting impact. By focusing on how you make others feel and the legacy you leave behind, you can build a life and business that resonate on a deeper level with those around you.

“Beautiful things happen when you combine intention and integrity, when you ask yourself what you stand for and then live with intention to make sure that you embody that on a daily basis.”  – Will Guidara 

Want more great insights, lessons and ideas from Will?

Click the link above to snag your copy of Will Guidara’s book Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More than They Expect.

Doing Business and Doing Life.

During my interview with Will Guidara, something cool came up—turns out he's a producer for a show that’s been recommended to me by more than a few friends (Shout out to Scott and Cory!). The show is The Bear, and it's currently streaming on Hulu if you want to check it out. According to IMDb, Will was a producer for the latest season—yep, season three, which just dropped this year.

Now, here’s the kicker: While digging into the concept of "unreasonable hospitality," I discovered that Will’s book actually made an appearance in season two, episode seven, titled "Forks." I found this six-minute YouTube clip where Will breaks down what unreasonable hospitality is all about and how it plays out in that episode of The Bear.

I absolutely love his definition of service being how you deliver on expectations, and hospitality being how you truly make others feel. The clip ends with a fun story about how a bucket of Budweiser on ice turned a three-star Michelin experience into something unforgettable. Will's six-minute breakdown is absolute gold!

For those who want to geek out a bit more on this episode, there's also a breakdown by one YouTuber who thinks this specific episode is basically "perfect television"—clip by clip. Enjoy!