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« Imagine your business as a light bulb attracting moths they are drawn to the light, but even more so to the warmth. Many businesses shine brightly, yet emit a cold light. And people return to the places where they feel warmth.»
I first heard this reflection by Will Guidara, the renowned American restaurateur, at the very beginning of my career
in hospitality. At the time, I was just beginning to immerse myself in the world of hospitality. I was eager to learn and deeply curious to understand how it truly worked — not in theory, but in real, human interaction.
Today, my mission is to use visual language as a tool to create precisely that warmth which attracts.
But there is an essential point. No visual, no matter how carefully designed, and no photograph, no matter how appealing, works fully — and sometimes does not work at all — if the team on site does not understand the philosophy behind the brand.
In 2016, I was entrusted with leading internal training sessions for my colleagues. We spoke about the brand we represented, its audience, its values, and the meaning behind each of them. My role was not simply to explain. It was to transmit. To cultivate genuine alignment with the brand.
To show that a smile, a name spoken attentively, a simple “good morning” are not mandatory formalities, but tangible ways
of embodying warmth.
I will admit, it was not easy. I was 23 years old. In front of me were experienced colleagues — housekeepers, technicians, professionals who had come above all to work and provide stability for themselves and their families. Yet even then, I understood something essential that I had been entrusted
to convey: hospitality toward guests is impossible without atmosphere. And atmosphere is impossible without respect and warmth within the team itself.A brand is not an image. It is a culture. In hospitality and food service, it is a culture of hospitality. It is the way people express what they genuinely feel inside. And it is one of the fundamental pillars of a strong brand. Because that famous light bulb may shine as brightly as it wishes. But if it does not radiate human warmth, the moths will not stay.
In HoReCa, warmth does not come from the logo. It comes from the people who embody the brand.
