Restaurateur, Entrepreneur, Author of Unreasonable Hospitality
Restaurateur, Entrepreneur, Author of Unreasonable Hospitality
Will Guidara is the co-owner of Make It Nice, a hospitality group that currently includes Eleven Madison Park, the NoMad restaurants, and Made Nice.
A native of Sleepy Hollow, New York, Will has been immersed in the restaurant industry since the age of thirteen. A graduate of the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University, Will began his dining room training at Spago Beverly Hills and attended culinary school in the north of Spain. He then went on to various roles throughout Union Square Hospitality Group, previously serving as general manager of Eleven Madison Park. He is also the co-founder of the Welcome Conference, an annual hospitality-driven event held in Manhattan that brings together the best minds from the world of hospitality for a day-long discussion.
Humm and Guidara purchased Eleven Madison Park, and under their leadership, the restaurant has received numerous accolades, including four stars from the New York Times, three Michelin stars, and was given the highest ranking on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2017. EMP has also received seven James Beard Foundation awards, including Outstanding Service and Outstanding Restaurant in America.
Will went on to open the food and beverage spaces at The NoMad Hotel with Daniel Humm. At The NoMad New York, they have received a three-star review from The New York Times, one Michelin star, and a James Beard Foundation award. The duo then opened The NoMad Bar, which has earned a top spot on the World’s Best Bar list, followed by Made Nice, a counter-service restaurant located in the NoMad neighborhood.
His latest book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, teaches the essential lessons in hospitality that can be applied to any business.
Will and Daniel have also co-authored four cookbooks together: Eleven Madison Park: The Cookbook, I Love New York: Ingredients and Recipes, The NoMad Cookbook, and Eleven Madison Park: The Next Chapter.
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? In this conversation, Guidara details the radical reinvention that centered around memorable, over-the-top, bespoke hospitality. From surprising a family with a magical sledding trip to Central Park after their dinner to converting a dining room to a beach for a couple whose vacation was canceled, Guidara shares stories of how doing more paid off long run.
Guidara believes every business can choose to be a hospitality business—and shows us how we can all transform ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences.
We know that people and teams excel at a high-level when they feel in community with each other – aligned and connected. In the corporate workplace, this used to happen organically but in today’s post-pandemic world where most work is done remotely, the conditions of the game have changed – which means leaders must change how they’re playing the game. Today’s leaders need to be skilled at very intentionally creating the conditions for their teams to come together, to genuinely connect – and that’s what is at the heart of hospitality. Leaders who know how to take a collection of individuals and make sure they operate as a team will create more connected, inspired, effective, and happy employees. By applying ideas honed over the course of his career operating the world’s #1 restaurant, Will helps others do whatever it takes to be better hosts, and thus better leaders.
Too often, when we’re faced with a pernicious problem in business or our lives, we fall back on the tried-and-true: push harder, be more efficient, and cut back. Imagine, that instead, you asked yourself: what is the hospitality solution? What if you forced yourself to be creative, to develop a solution that worked because of—not in spite of—your dedication to generosity and extraordinary service? These are usually harder to execute, and coming up with them will definitely call on your creative side. But they’re almost always a win. During times of struggle – particularly in today’s economic climate – people tend to operate from a place of fear. In this talk, Will makes the case for why this is the perfect time to root your decisions in hospitality and give more, not less.
For most of America’s history, we functioned as a manufacturing economy; now, we’re a service economy—more than three-quarters of our GDP comes from service. So, whether you’re in retail, finance, education, healthcare, computer services, or communications, you are in the business of serving other people. Making good products is no longer enough, and serving efficiently is no longer enough – now, it’s how you make the people you work with and those you serve feel that matters most of all. In this talk, Will will share why he believes our world is on the precipice of becoming a hospitality economy, and how every business can choose to be in the business of hospitality, by transforming ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences.
Contact CAA Speakers at (424) 288-2898 or speakers@caa.com to book Will Guidara to speak at corporate or private events, keynote speeches, speaking engagements, workshops, fireside chats, motivational speaking, or virtual appearances.
Quick booking processAs one of the most influential talent agencies in the world, CAA handles all speaking engagements from contract to event day coordination.
CAA Speakers is the preferred booking agency to contact for Will Guidara’s speaking engagements. Contact speakers@caa.com for all Will Guidara in-person appearances and keynote speaking requests.
Contact Will Guidara's agentCAA Speakers can check Will Guidara's speaking calendar with direct access to availability and official pricing. While many websites may list Will Guidara, CAA Speakers is the direct source for authentic information about availability and pricing.
Will Guidara's speaking fee varies by event type, location, and requirements. As a top keynote speaker, Will Guidara's fee reflects their expertise and market demand.
Speaking fee factors:Additional costs: Travel, accommodation, A/V requirements, and optional meet-and-greets.
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Contact CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com for all Will Guidara speaking engagements.
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Yes, Will Guidara speaks at virtual events with professional-grade equipment and interactive presentation style.
Will Guidara's virtual event options:Virtual events offer global reach, flexible scheduling, and reduced travel costs while maintaining Will Guidara's engaging presentation quality.
Contact CAA Speakers for Will Guidara's virtual event availability and technical specifications.
Book Will Guidara for corporate conferences, industry events, private functions, and virtual presentations. Will Guidara customizes content for any audience size or event type.
Event types:Will Guidara engages audiences from private executive meetings to large conferences with thousands of attendees.
Contact CAA Speakers to discuss how Will Guidara can customize their presentation for your specific event.
Check Will Guidara's speaking availability through CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com. Book 3-6 months in advance for best date selection during peak seasons (September-November, March-May).
Availability factors:Contact CAA early in your planning process to secure Will Guidara for your preferred event date.
Book Will Guidara through CAA Speakers for guaranteed authentic representation and professional event coordination. CAA is the preferred booking agent for Will Guidara, with direct access to their speaking availability and decades of experience representing the world’s top keynote speakers.
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Yes, Will Guidara speaks at private corporate events, executive retreats, board meetings, and exclusive functions.
Private event types:Private event benefits: Customized content, enhanced interaction, complete confidentiality, and flexible scheduling.
Contact CAA Speakers for Will Guidara's private event availability and confidential pricing proposals.
CAA Speakers responds to Will Guidara booking inquiries within 24 hours during business days. Complex requests or international events may take up to 48 hours for detailed proposals.
Response timeline:Include complete event details (date, location, audience size, budget) for fastest response times.
Book Will Guidara 3-6 months in advance for best availability, especially during peak speaking seasons. Early booking ensures better date selection and rate negotiations.
Recommended booking timeline:Peak seasons: September-November and March-May book fastest. Contact CAA Speakers early for priority consideration.
Get Will Guidara pricing information by contacting CAA Speakers at speakers@caa.com with your event details. Receive detailed cost breakdown within 24-48 hours with no obligation to book.
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