NOTE

Former navy captain: Simon Sinek, Leaders Eat Last (New York: Portfolio / Penguin, 2017).

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

Frustrated, the Imagineers reminded: Julianna Alley, interview by Simon Sinek, Disney Institute, Lake Buena Vista, FL, March 4, 2022.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

Thankfully, it was good: Frank Bruni, 'Two Upstarts Don Their Elders' Laurels,' The New York Times , January 10, 2007, https:// www.nytimes.com/2007/01/10/dining/reviews/10rest.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

In his review: Frank Bruni, 'Imagination, Say Hello to Discipline,' The New York Times , December 9, 2008, https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/dining/ reviews/10rest.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

He described watching: Frank Bruni, 'A Daring Rise to the Top,' The New York Times , August 11, 2009, https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/dining/

reviews/12rest.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

In writing about: Frank Bruni, 'Four Stars, More Thoughts,' The New York Times , August 12, 2009, https://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/08/12/fourstars-more-thoughts.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

But the engine: Jay-Z, Decoded (New York: One World, 2010).

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

As Oliver Strand wrote: Oliver Strand, 'At Eleven Madison Park, Fixing What Isn't Broke,' The New York Times , September 7, 2010, https://

www.nytimes.com/2010/09/08/dining/08humm.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

The review was titled: Pete Wells, 'A Stellar Band Rearranges Its Hits,' The New York Times , June 19, 2012, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/20/dining/

reviews/the-nomad-in-new-york.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

So you can imagine: Pete Wells, 'Talking All Around the Food: At the Reinvented Eleven Madison Park, the Words Fail the Dishes,' The New York Times , September 17, 2012, https://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/19/dining/at-thereinvented-eleven-madison-park-the-words-fail-the-dishes.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

Which was: a roomful: Pete Wells, 'Restaurant Review: Eleven Madison Park in Midtown South,' The New York Times , March 17, 2015, https:// www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/dining/restaurant-review-eleven-madison-

park-in-midtown-south.html.

GO TO NOTE REFERENCE IN TEXT

INDEX

The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of the book. Each link will take you to the beginning of the corresponding print page. You may need to scroll forward from that location to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

accounting, 33, 34-36, 38 Ace Hotel, 218-19 Achatz, Grant, 236 Adderley, Julian Edwin 'Cannonball,' 91 Adrià, Ferran, 3 adversity, 167, 170-72 affirmation, 147-54. See also praise persistence and determination, 153-54 Relais & Châteaux acceptance, 147-49, 153-54 sharing the spotlight, 149-51 using every tool in the tool kit, 152-53

meal with dad at Daniel, 18-19, 101 Relais & Châteaux recommendation, 148-49, 153 Bourdain, Anthony, 194-95 Bowie, David, 149 Brailsford, David, 120 brainstorming, 210, 238. See also Dreamweavers strategic planning sessions, 94-98 breathing techniques, 159-60 Brimfield Antique Flea Market, 225 Brooklyn Brewery, 108 Brooklyn Grange, 229 Brooks Brothers, 9 Browne, Kevin, 160-61 Bruni, Frank, 162, 228 New York Times three-star review, 118-19, 120-21, 129-30 New York Times four-star review, 174-75, 177-79, 180-81 bussing (bussers), 22, 49-50, 95, 199, 209-10

C

Café des Artistes, 23 calamari, at Ruth's Chris Steak House, 209-10 Campton Place, 52-53, 131

creativity,

33

D

Daniel,

14,

18-19, 57,

101,

147

Dreamweavers, 203-13, 238 Ducasse, Alain, 23

E

earning informality, 180-83 education. See Cornell University School of Hotel Administration 'education' on mission statement, 96 El Bulli, 3 Eleven Madison Park (EMP) decision-making process, 54-56 first meeting with Daniel, 54-56 as general manager. See general manager of Eleven Madison Park gifts and magical moments. See gifts hiring of Daniel Humm, 52-53 Hodgson's review, 89, 91, 92 Kelewae as general manager, 232-33 menu format, 192-95, 201, 237, 246-47 mission statement, 57-59, 89, 238, 245-46 New York theme tasting menu, 237-42, 245-48 New York Times two stars, 25, 52, 118-19 New York Times three stars, 118-19, 120-21, 129-30, 132, 147

F

financial crisis of 2008, 165-71 fine-dining rules, 77-79, 135, 207 firing fast, 141-42 first principles, 62, 245-48 Five Love Languages, The (Chapman), 137-38 food and wine tests, 75, 84 food runners, 56, 66, 108, 157, 168, 175 Food & Wine , 42, 150 Four Seasons, 9-10, 21, 44, 50, 101 French Laundry, 101, 147, 149 fried calamari, at Ruth's Chris Steak House, 209-10 Friedman, Ken, 164

G

Gallagher, Cornelius, 15-16 Garland, William 'Red,' 91 Garutti, Randy, 27-28, 41, 152 gelato spoons, 45-46 general manager of MoMA casual food operations, 41-48, 79, 99 general manager of Eleven Madison Park best offense, 163-79 breaking the rules, 77-81

building a cultural bonfire, 84-85

building relationships, 131-46 choosing conflicting goals, 96-97 creating culture of collaboration, 100-117 Danny's offer, 51-52, 53-54, 62 decision-making process, 54-56 departure and saying sorry, 230-33 earning informality, 180-83 finding the hidden treasures, 65-67 hiring a team, 81-85 inviting the team along, 62-63 keeping emotions out of criticism, 67-70 leadership and listening, 63-65 leveraging affirmation, 147-54 making it cool to care, 85-88 mission statement, 57-59, 89 pursuing excellence, 119-30 reconnaissance, 59-61 restoring balance, 155-62 setting expectations, 57-76 setting staff up to succeed, 74-76 strategic planning sessions, 94-98

H

hand signals, 123, 160-61, 189 handwritten notes, 72, 202-3 Hannock, Stephen, 52 Happy Hour meetings, 111-12, 113, 117 Harris, Neil Patrick, 252-53 Heefner, Sheryl, 231-32 hidden treasures, 65-67 hiring, 81-85, 142 building a cultural bonfire, 84-85 hires sending a message, 82-84 the person, not the résumé, 81-82 Hodgson, Moira, 89, 91, 92 holiday policy, 142-46 hospitality. See also improvisational hospitality; Unreasonable Hospitality Danny Meyer's Enlightened Hospitality, 24, 26-27, 28-31, 41 as a dialogue, not a monologue, 191-93

excellence vs., 96-97, 128 going above and beyond, 26-27 nobility of career in, 19-20, 98-99 reasonable vs. unreasonable, 185-87 hospitality culture, 1, 4-8, 10 hospitality economy, 6, 8, 254 hospitality solutions, 197-98 Hotel Splendide, 218 Humm, Daniel author's first meeting with, 54-56 author's split with, 252-53 at Campton Place, 52-53, 131 charger and finding the third option, 134-35 culinary field trips, 235-36, 243-44 dessert courses and conceding the win, 136 hiring at Eleven Madison Park, 52-53 James Beard Awards (2007), 131-33 managerial style of, 138-39, 140 mission statement, 57-59 new menu format, 193, 194 New York Times four stars, 181 street hot dog moment, 200

World's 50 Best Restaurants (2010),

1-4,

5,

183-86

World's 50 Best Restaurants (2017),

248-50

I

Ichkhan, Hani, 34-39, 44, 47 il laboratorio del gelato, 45-46 'important to me' card, 136, 194, 200 improvisational hospitality, 199-2124 creating a tool kit, 208-13 finding the Legend, 200-206 giving more is addictive, 206-8 opportunities in every business, 213-16 role of Dreamweavers, 203-13, 238 street hot dog moment, 199-200, 214 Independent Restaurant Coalition, 254 Infinite Game, The (Sinek), 100-101 informality, 181-83 Inn at Little Washington, 147, 149 Instagram, 80, 86, 150, 204-5, 206-7 'integrative thinking,' 97 intentions, 22, 91-93, 125 International Monetary Fund (IMF), 165

interview technique,

4-5

J

Jackson, Kenneth T.,

111

K

L

lunch service, 170-72, 174 Lutèce, 57

M

N

O

P

choosing conflicting goals, 96-97 knowing why work is important, 98-99 strategic planning sessions, 94-98 strategy for everyone, 93-96 word lists, 92-93, 95-96, 97 pursuit of excellence. See excellence

R

Ragan, John, 104, 108, 111, 144 'raindrops make oceans,' 168, 169 Rao's, 191-92 realtor gifts, 213-16 reasonable hospitality, 185-87 Redzepi, René, 3 Reeves, Keanu, 182 Relais & Châteaux, 147-49, 153-54, 155, 164 relationships, 131-46 conceding the win, 136 creating new traditions, 142-46 'don't go to bed angry,' 133-34 embracing tension, 133 finding the third option, 134-35

S

T

transactional feeling, 187-91 Tribeca Grill, 22, 171, 182-83 trusting the process, 36-37

U

Union Pacific, 23 Union Square Cafe, 23, 41, 63, 118 Union Square Hospitality Group, 23-24, 27-28, 32-33, 62. See also specific restaurants Enlightened Hospitality, 24, 26-27, 28-31, 41 Unreasonable Hospitality, 4, 5-6, 47, 72, 83, 117, 121, 124, 153, 185-98, 201, 226, 242-43 gifts and magical moments, 47, 202-17 hospitality as a dialogue, not a monologue, 191-93 reasonable vs., 185-87 removing transactional feeling, 187-91 role of Dreamweavers, 203-13, 238 treating everyone as VIPs, 195-97

V

Van Winkle, Julian, 108 Vietnam, 65 VIPs (very important persons), treating everyone as, 195-97

W

2010, 1-4, 5, 183-86 2015, 243-44 2016, 247-48 2017, 248-50 World Tea Expo, 106 Wright, Gary, 203, 224

Z

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

WILL GUIDARA is the founder of Thank You, a hospitality company that develops world-class destinations and helps leaders across industries transform their approach to customer service. He is a former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and the NoMad, and is the cofounder of the Welcome Conference, an annual hospitality symposium. He has coauthored four cookbooks, was named one of Crain's New York Business 's 40 Under 40, and is a recipient of WSJ Magazine 's Innovator Award. He lives in the Hudson Valley with his wife, Christina, and their daughter, Frankie.

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