Danny Meyer in Conversation with John Grisham

In 2006, Danny Meyer, who was widely considered to be America’s most successful restaurateur and owned 11 restaurants, was also nurturing a tiny burger kiosk in Madison Square Park. In 25 years, he had never closed a restaurant, and his celebrated establishments like Gramercy Tavern and Union Square Cafe were must-visit destinations for food lovers everywhere. But just a few years later, he shuttered his beloved Tabla — a decision that made him reflect on what it truly meant to be a leader. Meyer realized that his fear of failure wasn’t just misguided, it was an impediment to his entrepreneurial spirit. In his new book, What Could Possibly Go Right? The Essential Journey to Scale an Enduring Culture, the James Beard Award-winning restaurateur and founder of Union Square Hospitality Group and Shake Shack lays out the philosophy that has guided his success ever since: a relentless optimism that has allowed him to create meaningful restaurants that stand the test of time.

Joining Danny for the conversation is John Grisham, the acclaimed author of more than fifty consecutive #1 bestsellers, and a longtime friend of Danny. Both are masters of their respective crafts, each known for building something enduring — Danny in hospitality, John in storytelling. Together, they will swap notes on risk, reinvention, and staying power. Expect a warm, wide-ranging exchange covering the central themes in Meyer’s book, their writing processes, their favorite restaurants and food, travel, and the longtime friendship that brought them both to this stage.