Operations

Restaurateurs Humm and Guidara, team behind Eleven Madison Park, split up

Daniel Humm will buy out Will Guidara’s shares in the Make It Nice restaurant group, but no closures are planned.
Daniel and will of Eleven Madison park at the James Beard awards
Photograph courtesy of the James Beard Award Foundation

The long-running partnership between Daniel Humm and Will Guidara, the team behind New York City’s award-winning fine-dining restaurant Eleven Madison Park and others, is no longer, the restaurateurs announced this week.

Humm will buy out Guidara’s shares in the Make It Nice company and become its sole principal, according to an all-staff email published in Eater, which cited the pair’s “different visions of the company long-term.” None of the group’s restaurants are slated to close, and all new projects in the pipeline will move forward.

In addition to Eleven Madison Park, Make It Nice runs Made Nice, a fast-casual restaurant, as well as the food and beverage program at The NoMad hotel.

Restaurateur Danny Meyer opened Eleven Madison Park in 1998 and sold it to Humm and Guidara in 2011.

“Over the years, we’ve been together for the greatest highs and achieved so many of our shared goals,” Humm and Guidara wrote in the email to staff. “But as in many relationships – individuals grow apart. We’ve often referred to our partnership as a marriage and, as you all know, with any close relationship there are bound to be ups, downs and challenging moments. That is where we find ourselves now.”

Members help make our journalism possible. Become a Restaurant Business member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.

Multimedia

Exclusive Content

Financing

The ongoing dangers of third-party delivery

The Bottom Line: The parent company of Tender Greens, which filed for bankruptcy this week, is laying part of the blame on its heavier reliance on delivery orders.

Technology

As restaurant tech consolidates, an ode to the point solution

Tech Check: All-in-one may be all the rage, but there’s value in being a one-trick pony.

Financing

Steak and Ale comes back from the dead, 16 years later

The Bottom Line: Paul Mangiamele has vowed to bring the venerable casual-dining chain back for more than a decade. He finally fulfilled that promise. Here’s a look inside.

Trending

More from our partners