Unreasonable Hospitality - The Field Guide

Put the ideas of the New York Times bestseller Unreasonable Hospitality into action with this beautifully illustrated, interactive companion guide from Will Guidara, former co-owner of the legendary restaurant Eleven Madison Park.

With his book Unreasonable Hospitality, Will Guidara issued a compelling invitation: "No matter what business you're in, you can make the choice to be in the hospitality industry." His lessons about service and leadership celebrated the one principle that never goes out of season: the human desire to be taken care of.

If Unreasonable Hospitality is the why, then The Field Guide is the how.

This practical, step-by-step journal offers a clear roadmap for applying Guidara’s lessons in real life, helping you turn generous thinking into consistent action. Inside, you’ll learn how to:






Build and lead your team with consistency, integrity--and yes, hospitality
Develop a culture of hospitality with five essential components--excellence, communication, collaboration, feedback, and repair--and the systems that will keep those values front and centre
Create bespoke gestures with the power to transform ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences--as well as how to create a ready-made toolkit of simple, repeatable actions that still feel personal


Featuring deeply personal stories, his own as well as those of readers he's encountered, the book is packed with practical exercises that are as relevant to the CEO of a Fortune 500 as they are to the ambitious intern at the front desk. Each can be done on your own, with your team, or company-wide at the annual retreat.

Beautifully designed and illustrated in full colour, this delightful, participatory guide—meant to be marked up and discussed—will have you feeling like a kid about to crack open a new colouring book. You'll walk away inspired, with a power pack of specific, immediately actionable ideas to help you elevate the magic in what you do—for yourself, the people you work with, and the people you serve.