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

By Will Guidara

The must-read New York Times bestseller that's redefining hospitality and inspiring readers in every industry. 

- Featured in FX's The Bear and Showtime's Billions
- JP Morgan NextList Pick

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.

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Published Oct 25, 2022

288 pages

Average rating: 8.26

112 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

BrandiDevlinAZ
May 26, 2024
10/10 stars
I loved this book!
Faith Balaban
Mar 22, 2024
9/10 stars
Very excited to chat through this as a group of healthcare professionals. Recommended by our board!
Silver Rhodes
Jun 27, 2026
9/10 stars
I loved the upbeat positivity that the author infuses in his writing. Throughout his book, Mr. Will Guidara’s enthusiasm for his work is apparent and infectious to all. Courageously, he states a few flaws and his course of action to improve, a trait of a good leader. No one is perfect including those “in charge” and he admits that. Would love to go to one of his restaurants and meet him personally so he can talk about his experiences to us as fans of his book. Maybe my book club can arrange to “zoom” him in? Haha! After reading this book, I will never see the restaurant business the same again…….plus, it really made me hungry :)
Lina11
Jun 26, 2026
9/10 stars
I had the honor and pleasure of dinning at 11 Madison when it was all vegan. It is by far the most memorable dinning experience and the kitchen tour was icing on the cake. I just love this book.
RHF
Oct 19, 2025
8/10 stars
This book depicts several ways of going beyond to please guests whic in my opinion is the true goal of hospitality.

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