Setting the Table Audiobook By Danny Meyer cover art

Setting the Table

The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

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Setting the Table

By: Danny Meyer
Narrated by: Danny Meyer
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Danny Meyer started Union Square Cafe when he was 27, with a good idea and scant experience. He is now the CEO of one of the world's most dynamic restaurant organizations, one that includes 11 unique dining establishments, each at the top of its game. How did he do it? How has he consistently beaten the odds in one of the toughest trades around?

In this landmark book, Danny shares the lessons he learned while developing the winning recipe for his way of doing business � what he calls "Enlightened Hospitality". This innovative business philosophy emphasizes putting the power of hospitality to work in a new and counterintuitive way: the first and most important recipients of hospitality are the people who work for you. In descending order of priority, the next most important receivers of hospitality are guests, the community, suppliers, and investors. This way of setting priorities stands more traditional business models on their heads, but Danny considers it the foundation of every success he and his restaurants have had.

Full of behind-the-scenes history on the creation of Danny's most famous restaurants, and the anecdotes, advice, and lessons he has accumulated on his long and ecstatic journey to the top, Setting the Table is a treasure trove of innovative insights applicable to any business or organization.

©2006 Danny Meyer (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers Inc. Management Management & Leadership Business Inspiring Leadership Thought-Provoking Success

Critic reviews

  • Audie Award Finalist, Non-fiction, Abridged, 2007

"This honest, modest book will appeal most to foodies and aspiring restaurateurs but also offers insight for entrepreneurs in any industry." (Publishers Weekly)
Insightful Business Principles • Valuable Hospitality Lessons • Inspiring Narration • Engaging Personal Stories
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Huge fan of Danny Meyer, and this book was awesome. Delivered well and kept me engaged the entire time! Highly suggest it for anyone in the hospitality industry.

Fantastic!

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great story line. great points on business and developing.people and the food sounds awesomeif I go to New York I will be trying these restaurants.

what a great book about business and life also.

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This book is the best Hospitality book out there. I loved every minute of it

Inspiring

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Fast, easy read. love his restaurants and love his philosophy. both a good story and good business book.

Ringo; laugh out loud moment

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There’s is something here for everyone… Investors, Hosts, Managers, servers, server assistants, bartenders, Chefs, and dishwashers alike. If you have a passion for this industry, here’s your playbook.

Necessary for anyone in Service

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Great leadership nuggets and super fun history of many great NY restaurants. Any business person will take away a lot from this compelling story.

Very enjoyable!

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The book is an inspiration for everyone who really loves to take care of people, to serve with hospitality and enjoy to be part of this industry. Best book to have.

Inspiring

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Good storytelling and messages we can used in every day life. All of our business and personal interactions can benefit

All around great book

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Setting the Table Book Review

Setting the Table was great. It’s a fantastic window into Danny’s world, showcasing how his personal experiences helped shape his approach as a restaurateur to improve not only hospitality in his own restaurants, but to benefit and appreciate every neighborhood he’s worked in as well. His love of community is palpable throughout the pages, and the genre of hospitality as a whole is better with Danny Meyer in it.
My sole complaint: I wish there was more! I got both the physical book and the audiobook, but the latter was only available in abridged form. Some of my favorite stories (including, but not limited to: “Looking Under Rocks,” the benefits of “trailing,” and, in one case, an entire chapter (10)) were cut from the audio version, which I would have lined to hear them as spoken by Danny Meyer himself. So everything was great; I just wanted more!

Also, as some time has passed, a new forward or epilogue from the present date would be interesting. Meyer wrote about the effects of 9/11 on the restaurant industry, and a word on the impacts of Covid on the industry, and his restaurants in particular, would be of interest.

Great Book; Unabridged Version Requested!

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I enjoyed it / it’s relevant to me. Blah blah blah - not sure what else to say

Relevant

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