7 Days out - custom dreams for 365$

There’s a documentary on Netflix called “7 Days Out” that follows the intense week leading up to major events in different industries, from fashion and sports to science and food. One episode in particular stands out: the reopening of Eleven Madison Park, one of the world’s top restaurants, located in Manhattan, New York.

What’s fascinating about the series is the glimpse it offers behind the scenes: the pressure, the precision, the human stories. You watch a team of people work with almost obsessive dedication, all so that on the big day - everything runs flawlessly.

The Eleven Madison Park episode is especially eye-opening. I highly recommend it if you want to understand the level at which some restaurants operate. 

Just a few (light spoiler) examples:

• The restaurant has a dedicated team called the Dreamweavers - their sole job is to craft bespoke, unforgettable experiences for guests. Think personalised moments based on a guest’s interests or New York itinerary. One guest who loved tarot cards and was into astrology was served a course guided by tarot cards. Another family’s car was packed with sleds and sent off to a snowy Central Park because the children mentioned wanting to go sledding during dinner.. something they’ve never done before. These gestures aren’t always staged based on the pre-communication between a client and the restaurant. Sometimes they are spontaneous, sparked by whispers overheard by staff. They are known as ''legends''.

• Staff wear custom-tailored suits made by a Manhattan tailor. A steep price for something that may get stained during service, but considered just as essential to the atmosphere as the carefully curated décor.

• Porcelain Plates are placed so precisely that if a guest turns one over, the restaurant’s name printed on the underside is perfectly upright - just in case someone does look. Most people never flip their plate, but if they did, that level of care would still be there. That’s part of the $365-per-person experience.

These are the kinds of things most of us never consider when walking into a restaurant, but once you’ve seen them, your perception changes. You begin to notice more. You compare. You quietly wonder why other places haven’t thought things through in the same way. Maybe you don’t care much about the feel of the sofa fabric but someone at EMP does. Because if even one guest notices something unpleasant, that moment becomes a flaw. And for them, that’s unacceptable.

We know that when we dine out, we’re not just paying for food. We pay for ambiance, for the uniforms, the energy in the room, the celebrity diners, the Instagram potential, the small moments before the meal arrives. It’s the whole experience. So if we are going to spend serious money on a meal, let’s make sure it’s going to someone who treats their restaurant like a stage set for us - a place where they want every guest to feel extraordinary.The more people in a city who stop accepting mediocrity, the better the food scene becomes for everyone.

Excellence pushes the entire industry forward.

That’s why food education matters. It’s why it’s worth learning about different cuisines, writing thoughtful reviews, and visibly supporting those who do things exceptionally well. Many cities around the world are still in the early stages of developing a truly refined dining culture. But prices in many of these places have already reached premium levels.  So if we’re already paying that much for a meal, then the experience should live up to it. We need to expect more and push for more from those working in hospitality.

If cookie-cutter restaurants continue to open simply because they cater to “what people want,” then innovation stalls. We miss the chance to experience dishes that surprise us, challenge us, even move us. We discourage international chefs from bringing bold, unfamiliar concepts into our local scenes. And we risk becoming passive eaters instead of curious, engaged diners.

More importantly, it keeps our own palates underdeveloped. And that should bother us because there is a world of extraordinary food out there. It shouldn’t take a plane ticket to taste it.

Educate your tastes and do not settle for less. Do not give into reviews that scream “OMG best place in town”. Go out, experiment, explore. And when you do find those places that move you - let them know your appreciation. It matters.

Btw - The group that owns the 11 Madison Park restaurant is called ,,Make it nice’’ jWill Guidara is one of the owners and he also has a book called “unreasonable hospitality”. It’s an excellent read if you truly cared about your customers, regardless of industry.

Check it out.

''I dont think we're in the food business. I dont think we're in the service business.

We're in the human connection business''

Will Guidara -