1: “When I first walk into any restaurant or any business,” acclaimed restauranteur Danny Meyer writes in his terrific book Setting the Table, “I can immediately guess what type of experience I’m in for by sensing whether the staff members appear to be focused on their work, supportive of one another, and enjoying one another’s company.  If they are out to help one another succeed, I know I stand … continue reading

1: We never know when inspiration will strike or where it will come from.  

“I can’t believe I’m doing this LSAT thing tomorrow. I don’t even want to be a lawyer,” Danny Meyer told his uncle.  He was 25 years old and having dinner with his family at Elio’s restaurant in New York City.

“So why are you?” his uncle replied in an exasperated tone. “You know you don’t want … continue reading

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” —Maya Angelou

1: Danny Meyer and his wife were having dinner at Eleven Madison Park.  At the table next to theirs was a young woman and her parents.  “It was very clear that the young woman had just moved to New York from somewhere in the Midwest,” … continue reading