About Will
Restaurateur, Eleven Madison Park, The #1 Restaurant in the World, Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author, ‘Unreasonable Hospitality’
He 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, and from 2006, to 2012 acted 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.
In 2011, Will Guidara and Daniel Humm 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 in 2017 was given the highest ranking on the list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. EMP has also received seven James Beard Foundation awards, including Outstanding Service and Outstanding Restaurant in America.
In early 2012, Will went on to open the food and beverage spaces at The NoMad Hotel. 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. In 2014, Will and Daniel opened The NoMad Bar, which has earned a top spot on the World’s Best Bar list. In 2017, they opened Made Nice, a counter-service restaurant located in the NoMad neighborhood.
While running the restaurant Eleven Madison Park, Will Guidara discovered the remarkable power of giving people more than they expect, and used this idea of Unreasonable Hospitality to turn a struggling two-star brasserie into the #1 restaurant in the world. This radical reinvention was a true partnership between the kitchen and the dining room, creating memorable, over-the-top, bespoke hospitality. Today, every business can choose to be a hospitality business—we can all transform ordinary transactions into extraordinary experiences. In his presentations, Guidara urges us all to find the magic in what we do—for ourselves, the people we work with, and the people we serve.
Will and Daniel have 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.
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Will in Action
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“Will had a phenomenal impact on our teams from both Paris and New York. His enthusiasm and passion for hospitality resonated with everyone. He offered out of the box thinking and ideas, and he delivered his message with genuine authenticity and emotion. He inspired so, so many of us, and we are grateful to have had the opportunity to connect with Will and his unique experience. Already the wheels are in motion at Hermes for Unreasonable Hospitality!”
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“Just wanted to say a massive thanks for all your help and that Will was great today and the audience really connected with him with what he said, there was lots of lightbulb moments. Thanks again”
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“Will was fantastic and absolutely a highlight of our event. We have gotten great feedback from our attendees. He was candid and compelling, and our group left even more inspired.”
