Discover how vulnerability and connection drove Eleven Madison Park to become the world’s best restaurant.

In Episode 259 of Anecdotally Speaking, Mark shares a story from Will Guidara’s book Unreasonable Hospitality, which reveals how a touch of personal vulnerability sparked real connection between staff and patrons at Eleven Madison Park. This seemingly small act helped elevate the dining experience and played a part in the restaurant’s journey to becoming number one in the world.
Mark and Shawn explore key business lessons around vulnerability, feedback, leadership visibility, and the need to step out from behind the ‘command console’.
Whether you’re leading change or collecting stories in your organisation, this story reminds us that connection starts with modelling the behaviour we want to see.
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For your story bank
Tags: Storytelling, Leadership, Feedback, Connection, Vulnerability
This story starts at 2:45
Will Guidara, co-owner of Eleven Madison Park (EMP), set out to make his restaurant the best in the world. One of the many small but significant ideas he pursued was gathering guests’ ingredient preferences before ordering, allowing the kitchen to personalise each dish. Despite training his staff to ask diners if there were any ingredients they didn’t enjoy, they received no responses over the first few weeks.
Perplexed, Will decided to wait tables himself one evening. He quickly noticed that guests weren’t avoiding the question—they were avoiding embarrassment. In a fine-dining setting, many patrons felt reluctant to admit dislikes, fearing it would make them seem unsophisticated.
To break the ice, Will started volunteering his own preferences. He would say something like, “Personally, I can’t stand sea urchin. I know chefs rave about it, but I just don’t enjoy it. What about you?” By showing a little vulnerability and sharing something personal, he gave guests permission to open up.
Suddenly, diners started responding. “Actually, I hate beets. My mum used to make me eat them and I’ve never liked them since.” Or, “Please no celery, I just can’t stand it.” This small change created trust, allowed better service, and built a stronger connection. It also gave the kitchen valuable information to tailor the experience and surprise guests with thoughtful touches.
This was one of many “one-percenters” that Will and his team implemented—small improvements that, when accumulated, propelled EMP to be named the number one restaurant in the world. The story highlights that genuine connection begins with vulnerability, and leaders must model the behaviours they wish to see.