Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect

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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 But before I had the experience to let the conversation flow, one of my favorite questions to ask was, "What's the difference between service and hospitality?"

Unfortunately, what we couldn't have possibly known (because it was our first year at this event, and because we were the very first restaurant called) is that when they call your name, they're also projecting your image onto a gigantic screen at the front of the auditorium, so that everyone can see you celebrating your win. Will gives us the best reason to be unreasonable—the people we serve. His approach to hospitality is novel, noble, and not at all exclusive to the restaurant industry. If you want to revolutionize the way you do business, you need this book!”— DaveRamsey, bestselling author and radio hostIt felt like "The Art of Gathering" in its emphasis of elevating a moment. The cost of experience was well-defined. I learnt so much about the return on investment in people. Throughout this book, I felt supremely reminded of Gift Economy, as the author spoke on the Hospitality Economy - citing it often as the guideline. Guidara justified this extravagant generosity by using a 95/5 practice in his budgeting; he was stringent and disciplined in the 95%, leaving room for dreaming and creativity in the 5%. Not only did he create "legend" moments for the customers at EMP, but he asked his employees to join in as "dream leaders," actively taking stake in turning a moment into magic.

Consistency is one of the most important and underrated aspects of being a leader. A person can’t feel safe at work if they’re apprehensive about what version of their manager they’re going to encounter on any given day” Imagine every famous chef and restaurateur you've ever heard of milling around, drinking champagne and catching up with friends-and not one of them was talking to us. I'd never felt so much like a freshman at a new high school trying to figure out where to sit in the cafeteria, not even when I was a freshman. When you create a hospitality-first culture, everything about your business improves-whether that means finding and retaining great talent, turning customers into raving fans, or increasing your profitability. It's my hope this book will be part of the movement ushering in this new era. But my motivation isn't your bottom line-or not my only one, anyway. Because what I'd really like to do is let you in on a little secret, one that the truly great professionals in my business know: hospitality is a selfish pleasure. It feels great to make other people feel good.Except we weren't celebrating. We were at the very bottom of the list! Mortified to see our dejected faces on the thirty-foot-tall screen, I elbowed Daniel, and the two of us mustered a smile and a wave, but it was too little, too late: an auditorium filled with the most celebrated chefs and restaurateurs in the world-our heroes-had already borne witness to our devastation. The night was over for us before it had even begun. One of the five best management books I have ever read. Plus, it is the most engaging and entertaining – by a wide margin. This is, flat out, not a book to miss.”– Roger Martin, writer, strategy advisor and management thinker