10 Lessons in Unreasonable Hospitality {Review}

Will Guidara spent his life pursuing hospitality – something that he learnt from his father. One of his most notable career achievements was taking Eleven Madison Park from a struggling two-star New York City brasserie and turning it into the best restaurant in the world with three Michelin Stars. In Unreasonable Hospitality, Will shares his hospitality philosophy, a philosophy that can be used in any business. It is one where you view hospitality not as something you do but as an act of service – and unlock the magic that comes from being unreasonable in the way you make people feel. By choosing to be in the hospitality business, anyone can find the magic in what they do – for themselves, the people they work with and those they serve.

Unreasonable Hospitality is the best learning book I picked up this year. It’s engaging, thoughtful and inspiring in a practical way. He shares his story like a true story teller – not glancing over the failures and hardships but using them to share the lessons they brought with them. It’s a book any business owner, manager and even employee can find value in and one that will make you want to be a little unreasonable in what you give. Fun Fact, Will is married to Christina Tosi who exudes the same joie de vivre in baking as he does in hospitality. 

Let your energy impact the people you’re talking to, as opposed to the other way round.

Run toward what you want, as opposed to away from what you don’t want.

Don’t cannonball. Ease into the pool. No matter how talented you are, or how much you have to add, give yourself time to understand the organisation before you try to impact it.

Criticize the behaviour, not the person. Praise in public; criticize in private. Praise with emotion. Criticize without emotion. Praise is affirmation, but criticism is investment.

The first time someone comes to you with an idea, listen closely; because how you handle it will dictate how they choose to contribute in the future.  Dismiss them that first time, and you’ll extinguish a flame that’s difficult to rekindle.

It may not be possible to do everything perfectly, but it is possible to do many things perfectly. That’s the very definition of excellence: getting as many details right as you can.

The value of a gift isn’t about what went into giving it, but how the person receiving it feels.

Luxury means just giving more; hospitality means being more thoughtful.

Nobody knows what they’re doing before they do it. Growth happens outside of your comfort zone.

As you grow, you can’t lose the very thing that gave you the opportunity to grow. When you consider expanding, in any form, you have to first stop and identify what makes your culture unique and decide in advance to protect whatever it is.

You want to become a master of hospitality, you’re a business owner or manager or anyone that wants to take their career to the next level.

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