Steve Young
Pro Football Hall of Fame QB | Super Bowl XXIX MVP | 2x NFL MVP | Co-Founder & Chairman, HGGC | Leadership & High Performance
Will Guidara
Former Co-Owner of Eleven Madison Park, #1 Restaurant in the World | New York Times Bestselling Author, Unreasonable Hospitality | Founder, Welcome Conference
The organizations that win today are those that make people feel valued. Will Guidara, former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park and bestselling author of Unreasonable Hospitality, has built a career proving that service excellence—when practiced with intention—transforms industries. His leadership philosophy: exceed expectations through creativity, generosity, and human connection.
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Will Guidara biography
Will Guidara is a world-renowned restaurateur, hospitality innovator, and New York Times bestselling author whose leadership transformed Eleven Madison Park into the #1 restaurant in the world. As co-owner, he led the restaurant to earn three Michelin stars, four stars from The New York Times, and the top position on The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2017. His work has redefined service as a strategic discipline rooted in human connection, generosity, and intentional care.
A Cornell University School of Hotel Administration graduate, hospitality speaker Will Guidara built his career on a principle he calls “unreasonable hospitality”: exceeding expectations not through grand gestures alone, but through deeply personal, creative acts of service that make people feel seen and valued. This philosophy became the foundation of his bestselling book, Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect, which has resonated far beyond the restaurant industry, influencing leaders in business, healthcare, education, and customer experience worldwide.
Beyond the dining room, Will founded the Welcome Conference, an annual gathering that unites hospitality professionals, entrepreneurs, and creative thinkers to share insights and celebrate the power of service-driven leadership. He has also co-authored four cookbooks and has been recognized as one of Crain’s New York Business “40 Under 40” and received WSJ Magazine’s Innovator Award for his contributions to hospitality and business innovation.
Unreasonable Hospitality as a Leadership Framework
Will’s message extends well beyond restaurants. He argues that hospitality—when practiced with intention—is the most powerful tool leaders have to build trust, solve problems, and create cultures where people thrive. In an era defined by remote work, digital disconnection, and transactional relationships, his approach offers a practical, human-centered alternative: lead with generosity, personalize every interaction, and give people more than they expect.
As a speaker, Will Guidara brings rare clarity to what it takes to build high-performing teams and differentiate in competitive markets. Audiences—from Fortune 500 executives to healthcare administrators to startup founders—value his ability to translate service excellence into actionable leadership principles. His keynotes are filled with memorable stories, strategic insights, and a compelling case for why hospitality is not just a customer service tactic, but the defining leadership skill of our time.
Will Guidara Speaking Videos
Will Guidara - The Secret Ingredients of Great Hospitality
Will Guidara - The Secrets of Unreasonable Hospitality
Will Guidara Keynote Topics
Drawing from his experience leading Eleven Madison Park to the #1 spot in the world, Will shares how his team created unforgettable experiences by personalizing every interaction and empowering employees to go off-script. He explains the "one size fits one" approach—where genuine attention to individual needs turns routine service into loyalty-building moments—and shows how this mindset applies to any industry. Audiences learn practical strategies for differentiating through care, creativity, and connection.
In today's economy, success depends on how you make people feel. Will explores why we are moving from a service economy to a hospitality economy, where empathy, attention to detail, and genuine care set brands apart. He challenges leaders to transform transactional interactions into extraordinary experiences that deepen relationships and drive long-term loyalty. This keynote offers a roadmap for building brands that compete not just on product, but on human connection.
Connection is the foundation of great leadership—and hospitality is how you build it. Will reveals how leaders can intentionally cultivate trust, collaboration, and belonging within their teams, especially in remote and hybrid work environments. Drawing lessons from running the world's top restaurant, he illustrates how the mindset of a great host helps leaders create workplaces where people feel valued, perform at their best, and stay engaged.
When challenges arise, most leaders focus on cutting costs or doing more with less. Will invites audiences to think differently—by leading with generosity instead of fear. He demonstrates how applying hospitality principles to problem-solving sparks creativity, strengthens relationships, and drives innovation even in difficult times. His message is clear: the most powerful way to overcome obstacles and inspire others is to give more, care more, and lead with heart.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Will Guidara
Why Will Guidara?
Booking Will Guidara for your event is a strategic investment in leadership transformation. As the former co-owner of Eleven Madison Park—the #1 restaurant in the world—and bestselling author of Unreasonable Hospitality, Will has proven that service excellence is a competitive advantage in any industry. His keynotes are filled with actionable insights on building trust, personalizing experiences, and leading with generosity. Whether your audience is in hospitality, healthcare, retail, finance, or technology, Will's message resonates: the organizations that win are those that make people feel valued. His storytelling is engaging, his lessons are practical, and his impact is lasting. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Will Guidara to your next event.
What is "unreasonable hospitality"?
"Unreasonable hospitality" is Will Guidara's philosophy of exceeding expectations through deeply personal, creative acts of service. It's not about luxury or extravagance—it's about making people feel seen and valued in ways they didn't anticipate. At Eleven Madison Park, this meant turning routine dining experiences into unforgettable moments: surprising a guest with a street cart hot dog served on fine china because they mentioned missing New York, or hand-delivering a guidebook to a couple exploring the city. Will believes this approach applies far beyond restaurants. In business, it means personalizing customer interactions, empowering teams to go off-script, and leading with generosity rather than transactional efficiency. His book, Unreasonable Hospitality, provides a roadmap for applying these principles to any organization.
How did Eleven Madison Park become the #1 restaurant in the world?
Under Will Guidara's leadership as co-owner and general manager, Eleven Madison Park achieved extraordinary recognition: three Michelin stars, four stars from The New York Times, and the #1 position on The World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2017. This success was built on a culture of "unreasonable hospitality"—a commitment to exceeding expectations through creativity, attention to detail, and genuine human connection. Will empowered his team to personalize every interaction, encouraged them to be fully present with guests, and fostered an environment where small, thoughtful gestures became the restaurant's signature. The result was not just culinary excellence, but an experience that made diners feel uniquely cared for. This philosophy has since become a leadership model studied across industries.
What topics does hospitality speaker Will Guidara cover?
Will Guidara's keynotes focus on hospitality as a leadership discipline and strategic differentiator. He covers how to build customer loyalty through personalized service, why hospitality is the defining leadership skill in today's economy, how to create cultures of trust and belonging within teams, and how generosity—not austerity—drives innovation during challenging times. His talks are grounded in real stories from Eleven Madison Park and translated into actionable frameworks for leaders across industries. Audiences walk away with practical tools to elevate service, strengthen relationships, and inspire excellence. To book Will Guidara for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Will Guidara as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Will Guidara as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Will Guidara's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Will Guidara or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Will Guidara speaking fee?
Will Guidara speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Will Guidara to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Will Guidara.
How can I contact Will Guidara?
We only work with Will Guidara on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Will Guidara and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Will Guidara speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Will Guidara for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Will Guidara for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Will Guidara is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Will Guidara for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
