Hospitality

I hear this a lot: “Well, of course you could afford to pull those tricks at an expensive restaurant.” And I always think: Are you sure you can afford not to? It’s true—these gifts cost money, in labor if nothing else. But I’m my dad’s son, and I reviewed the Dreamweaver line item in the P&L every month with an eagle eye. There was never any qu... See more

the qualities required of hosts: confidence, joviality, risk tolerance. It takes a lot of self-possession to put yourself in charge of other people’s time for a while

Prepare for these recurring moments in advance, and your staff doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel every night—they just have to listen and make it happen. You might be wondering: Once you’ve systemized it, is it still hospitable? Does that airplane snack box carry the same warmth and generosity the thirtieth time you hand one to a guest as it did t... See more