Serving Up Excellence is the perfect mix of education and inspiration for people in pursuit of exceptional hospitality. In the follow-up to his well-received Counter Culture: An Essential Guide for Service, Joshua Farrell helps restaurant professionals level up their service game at sit-down establishments, from casual eateries to three-star Michelin restaurants.
Farrell expertly weaves together his personal essays on service, advice from top hospitality professionals, and step-by-step guides. The result is hundreds of actionable take-aways on how to maximize sales, deepen guest relationships, and effectively manage teams using the power of connection.
Serving Up Excellence deserves a place in the cramped back office of every restaurant in the world.
Joshua Farrell has worked in the hospitality industry for over 30 years. He started out as a teenager washing dishes in a pizzeria, worked in many food and beverage jobs counter service jobs, and many years later was a national semi-finalist for a James Beard Award for Outstanding Service with his team in a Michelin-starred restaurant. He has worked as a consultant in leadership, development, and training with a variety of hospitality-focused companies, from small franchises to multimillion dollar corporations. He is the author of the book Serving Up Excellence: Creating Meaningful Dining Experiences through the Power of Connection. He is currently Director of Learning and Development for two world-class luxury hotel brands in Los Angeles, where he lives with his wife, Kirsten, and their two cats, Easy and Mouse.
Other contributors who share their advice in this book are:
Lewis Rossman (Sam's Chowder House)
Paige Reilly (Golden Road Brewing)
Doug Washington (Creative Director; Doug Washington Designs)
Adam Cole (Chef; Ink, The Dining Room, The Greenbrier)
Marvin Wells (Director of Hospitality; FAO Hospitality, Houston's)
Caroline Styne (Restaurateur, Sommelier, James Beard award winner)
Josh Goldman (Advanced Sommelier, Consultant)
Robin Kirby (Opertations team; Kokkari, Evvia)
Garrett Harker (Restaurateur; Eastern Standard, Standard Italian, Equal Measure)
Jackson Cannon (Beverage Director; Eastern Standard, Equal Measure, and Standard Italian)
Michael Voltaggio (Chef, Author, and Restaurateur: Voltaggio Brothers Steakhouse. Top Chef Winner)
Davis Campbell (Sommelier, Founder Wines together)
Gary Obligacion (Director of Operations, The Alinea Group)
Pascaline Lepeltier, (Master Sommelier, Best French Sommelier Winner, Author)
Alice Waters, Chef, Author, Restaurateur; Chez Panisse. Recipient of seven James Beard Awards)
JoAnn Clevenger (Upperline)
Steve Scott Springer (Spago)
Josiah Citrin (Chef, Author, Restaurateur; Melisse, a two-starred Michelin restaurant)
Larry Nadeau (Dining Room Manager- Enclos, two-starred Michelin, Maitre'd- The French Laundry: three-starred Michelin)
Dawn Agnew (Gary Danko, one-starred Michelin)
Sarah Clarke (Wine Director; Republique)
Donato Poto (GM; Providence, three-star Michelin, and James Beard awarded restaurant)
Dominique Crenn (Chef, author, restaurateur; Atelier Crenn, three-star Michelin, Named one of TIME Magazine's 100 Most Influential People, 2024)
Stuart Brioza (Chef, restaurateur; State Bird Provisions, The Progress, James Beard Award winner)
Raj Parr (Author, Winemaker)
Michael Bauer (Former restaurant critic; The San Francisco Chronicle)
Elizabeth Blau (Restaurateur, Consultant)
Nick Peyton (Maitre'd/ Owner; Cyrus)
Greg Koch (Founder; Stone Brewing)
