Thanks to my friend and colleague in Experiential Education, Mike Massingham, for gifting me this book. As educators and leaders, we often look outside of education for insights into how we can improve our schools, our leadership, and our communities. Will Guidara’s Unreasonable Hospitality is exactly the kind of book that offers those insights in spades. Through the lens of fine dining, Guidara shares lessons on leadership, culture, and service that are just as applicable to schools as they are to restaurants.

You would be interested in this book if you are…
(1) looking for practical leadership lessons from the industry leader in restaurants and hospitality
(2) wanting to explore how to improve the culture at your work one person and one team at a time
(3) interested in how someone discovers their path and purpose in life
(4) in need of a pep talk as a leader
(5) a foodie 🙂

Intention: Every Decision Matters

One of the strongest takeaways from this book is the emphasis on intention. Guidara writes, “Every decision matters, from the obviously significant to the mundane” (p. 22). That resonated deeply with me as I thought about our work in schools. How we design our spaces, how we start meetings, how we greet students and families—it all matters. Leaders set the tone, and every interaction shapes the culture we are trying to create. Excellence is a noble pursuit, but also an impossible one. As Guidara says, “It may not be possible to do everything perfectly, but it is possible to do many things perfectly” (p. 120). In schools, we can’t control everything, but we can control how we show up, how we lead, and how we shape the experiences of those in our community.

In this book, he recounts the sublime and the ridiculous of his successes and outright mistakes. This honest approach provides for some very practical advice for leadership.

Reexamining Traditions: Continuity vs. Change

Guidara challenges us to think about traditions differently. He writes, “New traditions work only if they’re authentic—if they fill a real purpose and satisfy a real need” (p. 146). In our organziations, we sometimes hold onto traditions because they’ve always been there, but that doesn’t mean they’re still serving us well. Conversely, creating new traditions just for the sake of change can feel hollow. Leadership, in many ways, is about curating traditions—preserving what matters, adapting what needs to change, and introducing new rituals that genuinely enhance the experience of our students, staff, and families. This is not an overnight process. It takes time, a reflective mindset, and a willingness to truly listen to the community.

When the author takes over 11 Madison Park, he is confronted with a very good restaurant as is, but his dreams and ambitions are not just “very good”. The story is a mixture of hard work, vision, and confronting norms not just of what he inherited, but of the industry itself. Lots to learn here from his experience on how to consider traditions, social and workplace mores.

Leadership Can Decay Perspective: Feedback as a Gift

One of the most powerful ideas in Unreasonable Hospitality is the acknowledgment that moving into a position of leadership can distance you from the ground floor. And we see this often in education, where teachers move up through the organization to eventually be one of the leaders. Often classroom educators will say “when was the last time you were in the classroom?” when disenchanted with a new policy or change in the operation of the schoo. Guidara notes, “Their perception is our reality” (p. 129). As leaders, we can become insulated from the day-to-day experiences of our students, teachers, and families. This is why feedback is such a gift. Instead of being defensive when criticism arises, we should welcome it as an opportunity to maintain perspective and improve. Everyone in an organization has a different vantage point, and the most effective leaders are those who value and incorporate those perspectives. If we are serious about building strong, thriving communities, we must create a culture where feedback is not just encouraged but expected.

And for ourselves as leaders, we need to condition ourselves to take the feedbacknot as a personal slight, but as a gift. There are many books out there that can support you in adopting this perspective, and I would recommend:

(1) Calm in the Chaos, by Bauer
(2) Permission to Screw Up, by Hadeed
(3) The Second Mountain, by Brooks

Establishing Culture Again and Again

One of the strongest connections between this book and education is the idea that culture isn’t something you set once—it’s something you establish over and over again. Guidara quotes a popular phrase, “…culture can’t be taught, it has to be caught.” (p. 82). In schools, where students, teachers, and families are constantly coming and going, the leader’s role in maintaining and reinforcing culture is critical. This is why hiring is so important.

“Because when you’re hiring, you’re hiring not only the people who are going to represent and support you, but the people who are going to represent and support the team already working for you” (p. 83).

One of the most compelling parts of the book was Guidara’s practice of hiring in teams—not just individuals, but small groups who can work together and serve as cultural catalysts. That idea has so much potential in schools, where a strong, mission-aligned team can transform the way we support students and each other.

Throughout the rise of 11 Madison Park, there are cultural challenges, and he stays firm on what he believes to be the right path. He is open to change and to shifts, but his vision is clear on the culture that he wants to create and the type of person that can support and thrive in that culture. Reading how he does this is full of great moments where you, as a reader- leader, can reflect on how his approach would or does resonate with your own.

“You have to be able to name for yourself why your work matters.”

Purpose: Why Your Work Matters

Throughout Unreasonable Hospitality, Guidara returns to the importance of purpose. “You have to be able to name for yourself why your work matters.” (p. 99). This aligns so well with the ideas in How to Navigate Life by Dr. Belle Liang and Tim Klein, which I’ve written about before. Purpose is what sustains us through challenges and setbacks. In schools, where the work can be both deeply rewarding and incredibly exhausting, reconnecting to our purpose is essential. Why do we do what we do? Why does it matter? Naming it, articulating it, and returning to it regularly is what keeps us moving forward.

Some of the key take-aways for me are:

Leadership is not something that is given, it is earned and learned

Culture is not something that happens—it’s something leaders build, protect, and reinforce every day.

Rethinking traditions, and ensuring that they serve a real and meaningful purpose is a noble pursuit.

Feedback is a gift and want to develop strategies to keep your leadership connected to the ground level.

Partnership is critical to success at a high level, and for you to level up your own craft and practice; and, so too are ‘worthy adversaries’ who help you level up in a different way.

Final Thoughts

Unreasonable Hospitality is about creating extraordinary experiences for others, about leading with intention, and about constantly refining and improving your organization. Guidara’s story—his rise through the restaurant world and his reflections on leadership—is engaging and packed with wisdom. Most importantly, his mindset of always remaining a rookie, always learning, is one that every educator and leader can embrace.