Stay ConnectedWelcome to Weekly Specials, a show hosted by Will Guidara and produced by the Welcome Conference, that explores the changing restaurant and hospitality landscape by sharing voices, creating discussion, and telling stories that can inspire through hope, reflection, and a bit of laughter.
Like what you hear? Join us for the free digital Welcome Conference where we’ll be exploring the topic of Reinvention and so much more over the coming months. Register at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
Copyright: © 2020 Weekly Specials The Welcome Conference
The brilliant Seth Godin joins us for this week's show to talk about Vulnerability. Seth and Will Guidara dive into the meaning of "thank you," the connection between vulnerability and trust, and the resiliency and compassion of hospitality people. They end on a hopeful note and provide some incredible insight for these challenging times.
A special episode as we're joined by Barkha Cardoz, wife of the late Chef Floyd Cardoz who passed away due to complications from COVID-19 earlier in 2020. Barkha shares stories from the past with Will Guidara, including how they met, and the early days of his career as a chef. We hear about the outpouring of love and support that the Cardoz family has received since Floyd's passing and the spice project Barkha is continuing to honor Floyd's legacy. It's an emotional journey, but a powerful one.
This week we're joined by restaurateur, TV personality, and former Master Sommelier, Alpana Singh for a talk about vulnerability. Alpana was the youngest woman to ever be awarded the title of Master Sommelier back in 2003, but with the recent scandal surrounding the Court of Master Sommeliers, she decided to relinquish her title. Will Guidara speaks with her about what drove that decision and the adversity in the wine world, the challenges she's faced throughout her career as a woman of color, and what's been keeping her levelheaded during this difficult year. The Welcome Conference has gone digital and to find out more, visit virtual.welcomeconference.com.
World-class chef, Massimo Bottura, joins Will Guidara for this week's episode. Massimo's restaurant, Osteria Francescana, has won every major accolade that exists in the food world today, yet he has always been one to put his team first. He shares how that mentality has allowed for remarkable collaboration during the pandemic and been the backbone of his restaurant's success over the years. His wife, Lara Gilmore, also makes a special appearance. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
In this episode, Will Guidara is joined by a real rockstar, Sameer Gadhia, lead singer for the band, Young the Giant. They've had albums and singles go gold and platinum, performed on the stages at Lollapalooza, South by Southwest, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and toured around the world. Sameer talks about the importance of Collaborating with his bandmates, how the pandemic has shifted their creative process, and what he's doing to help foster diversity and inclusion in alternative rock music. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
Chef Kwame Onwuachi joins Will Guidara for this week's episode. Kwame looks back on his path over the years, from selling candy bars on subway cars to running an acclaimed restaurant, and how the relationships he has had along the way have enabled him to succeed in his career. Kwame and Will also talk about how the hospitality industry needs to collaborate more than ever before in order to reinvent and rebuild itself. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
This week, Will Guidara is joined by writer, director, and producer, Brian Koppelman. Brian is the co-creator of Billions and also has such movies as Rounders, Knockaround Guys, Ocean's 13, and The Illusionist to his name. Brian and Will talk about the role collaboration has played in his career over the years and the many things that have drawn Brian into the hospitality industry. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
This week, our host Will Guidara, talks with his dad, Frank Guidara, as we wrap up our theme of Grit. Frank has held numerous positions in the hospitality industry, including President of Restaurant Associates, President and CEO of The Wolfgang Puck Food Company, and CEO of both Au Bon Pain and Pizzeria UNO. However, its his personal experiences as a father, husband, and cancer survivor that really bring to light some remarkable stories of Grit. Echoing his speech from the 2017 Welcome Conference, Frank reminds us all that adversity is a terrible thing to waste. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
In September, the Restaurant at Meadowood burned down as a result of the devastation caused by the Glass Fires in Napa Valley. Chef Christopher Kostow joins host Will Guidara for an emotional episode as he talks through his mourning process and what's next as he and his team process their loss and look to the future. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
As the former CEO of Ford Motor Company and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Alan Mulally has had to navigate two unprecedented times in modern history: the 9/11 attacks and 2008 Great Recession. On this week's episode, Alan shares with us the leadership principles he learned during those challenging times and the many parallels to what we're all enduring this year. The Welcome Conference is going digital and we're hosting a range of content for free over the course of the next few months. Register for free at virtual.welcomeconference.org.
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