Guidara & Rudolf Plan Welcome Hospitality Conference

Will Guidara, the co-owner/operator of The Nomad and Eleven Madison Park, and Anthony Rudolf, formerly of the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, are planning a one-day conference in New York on June 17 dedicated to the art of restaurant hospitality. According to the official website, the Welcome Conference will be "a forum to share ideas, inspire each other, and connect through conversation about hospitality." It sounds like Guidara and Rudolf are modeling this after food conferences like MAD, Mesamerica, and Jubliee, but with a focus on how restaurants interact with guests.

The lineup of speakers includes New York heavy-hitters Gabe Stulman, Paul Grieco, Jeffrey Katz, Charles Masson, and Randy Garutti, plus Mark and Brian Canlis of Seattle's Canlis restaurant, and Nick Kokonas of Next and Alinea in Chicago. Former Times critic Frank Bruni will also be one of the speakers, as well as La Caravelle restaurateur Rita Jammet.

The event will be held at the Frederick P. Rose Auditorium at Cooper Square. Tickets for the event are $125, and they will go on sale on the Welcome website on April 30.
· The Welcome Conference [Official Site]