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I Regret Almost Everything
The entertaining, irreverent, and surprisingly moving memoir by the visionary restaurateur behind such iconic New York institutions as Balthazar and Pastis.
A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell’s. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about his stint as a child actor, his travels along the hippie trail, his wives and children, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety.
A memoir by the legendary proprietor of Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, taking us from his gritty London childhood to his serendipitous arrival in New York, where he founded the era-defining establishments Odeon, Cafe Luxembourg, and Nell’s. Eloquent and opinionated, Keith McNally writes about his stint as a child actor, his travels along the hippie trail, his wives and children, his devastating stroke, and his Instagram notoriety.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 14, 2025
1518 people are currently reading
16743 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 827 reviews
May 28, 2025
he really does regret almost everything
August 10, 2025
I knew absolutely nothing about Keith McNally before picking this up. His storytelling is sharp and unexpectedly moving. From his childhood in working class Bethnal Green London, to the glamorous (and chaotic) world of New York’s most iconic restaurants, he brought each chapter of his life with brutal honesty.
As I pile on the years, I realize more than ever the importance of changing one’s mind. The fact that politicians rarely do speaks volumes.
This is a who who’s of famous people throughout the 70s and 80s mixed with lots of sex with men and women. It felt as if the author was constantly searching for something he wasn’t quite sure of, his businesses, with his relationships, and with his life in general.
I saw some reviews saying how unlikable or narcissistic the author is, and they’re not wrong. He’s not polishing himself up to be more palatable, he’s fully aware of his emotional blind spots, and that honesty is what made the memoir so compelling. There’s zero pretension here. Just a fascinating, flawed, and utterly human voice telling you exactly how it happened.
The truth is that nobody gets over anything. Eventually the accumulation of all the things we never recover from registers in microscopic detail upon our faces.
The photographs of the end of the book were so lovely.
As I pile on the years, I realize more than ever the importance of changing one’s mind. The fact that politicians rarely do speaks volumes.
This is a who who’s of famous people throughout the 70s and 80s mixed with lots of sex with men and women. It felt as if the author was constantly searching for something he wasn’t quite sure of, his businesses, with his relationships, and with his life in general.
I saw some reviews saying how unlikable or narcissistic the author is, and they’re not wrong. He’s not polishing himself up to be more palatable, he’s fully aware of his emotional blind spots, and that honesty is what made the memoir so compelling. There’s zero pretension here. Just a fascinating, flawed, and utterly human voice telling you exactly how it happened.
The truth is that nobody gets over anything. Eventually the accumulation of all the things we never recover from registers in microscopic detail upon our faces.
The photographs of the end of the book were so lovely.
January 18, 2025
I obtained an advance reader's edition of this book.
I do believe I gave it a fair shot; I made it to page 90 before finally calling it quits and skimming the rest of it.
As a preface, I didn't know who Keith McNally was before starting this book, but I understand he has a decent presence on social media. Maybe if you are a fan of him, you'd find the book more interesting than I did.
The problem with this book is that his stories are not special enough to just recount what happened year by year without significant reflection or exceptional writing skill, neither of which he demonstrates in the book. It would have been much better for this book to be half the length, and for him to focus on minute details of, let's say, 5 significant events in his life with reflection. Instead, he lists everything that he did and meanders with no purpose.
Also unfortunately, he does not come off as particularly likeable in the memoir. I think it's because he's so quick to judge other people he meets in the book, while all the same bringing an undertone of superiority and narcissism.
I do appreciate that he did make himself incredibly vulnerable by sharing so many details of his life and choices, that couldn't have been an easy decision. But it's marred by the fact that he also shares too much about those around him and fully identifies them by name and occupation, which made me feel quite uncomfortable.
I am someone who enjoys memoirs, but this one falls flat. They say anyone and everyone writes memoirs these days -- I never agreed with that because I think everyone has a story worth telling -- but this book made me realize that although everyone has a story worth telling, one must tell that story well for it to be worth reading.
I do believe I gave it a fair shot; I made it to page 90 before finally calling it quits and skimming the rest of it.
As a preface, I didn't know who Keith McNally was before starting this book, but I understand he has a decent presence on social media. Maybe if you are a fan of him, you'd find the book more interesting than I did.
The problem with this book is that his stories are not special enough to just recount what happened year by year without significant reflection or exceptional writing skill, neither of which he demonstrates in the book. It would have been much better for this book to be half the length, and for him to focus on minute details of, let's say, 5 significant events in his life with reflection. Instead, he lists everything that he did and meanders with no purpose.
Also unfortunately, he does not come off as particularly likeable in the memoir. I think it's because he's so quick to judge other people he meets in the book, while all the same bringing an undertone of superiority and narcissism.
I do appreciate that he did make himself incredibly vulnerable by sharing so many details of his life and choices, that couldn't have been an easy decision. But it's marred by the fact that he also shares too much about those around him and fully identifies them by name and occupation, which made me feel quite uncomfortable.
I am someone who enjoys memoirs, but this one falls flat. They say anyone and everyone writes memoirs these days -- I never agreed with that because I think everyone has a story worth telling -- but this book made me realize that although everyone has a story worth telling, one must tell that story well for it to be worth reading.
May 13, 2025
The thing I regret most is reading it. Keith McNally sounds like a prick, acts like a prick, and convinced me he is a prick..
May 28, 2025
This memoir is just one big name drop that oscillates between such mundane “epiphanies” and stories that highlight how horrible of a father and person he is? He spends a whole chapter talking about meeting Pablo picasso’s ex girlfriend but a few measly paragraphs about how he did not visit his 16-yo daughter when she was inpatient for severe depression following his tumultuous divorce with her mom?!? Also questionable takes on #MeToo, Woody Allen, and what cultural functions food/restaurants fulfill and who they should serve. Blah this man sucks
May 18, 2025
I found this book surprisingly good. Some of McNally’s bon mots and attempts to be paradoxical grate. But the history of his restaurants was a walk down memory lane for me, through various phases of the New York I love (and have been an obsessed foodie in my whole adult life). It’s also refreshingly honest about McNally’s post stroke struggles. Definitely worth the time for restaurant-curious New Yorkers. Richard Grant is a great reader.
May 1, 2025
An almost impressive masterclass in hubris, this is an account of an incredible life, in the words of the man himself. Keith Mcnally's personality comes through loud and clear on every page, and made me thankful I've never met him. The style of the book, with its cliffhangery chapter endings, gave it a formulaic feel, which is surely hard to achieve when telling the story of such an unusual life. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed this one!
Recommended.
Recommended.
May 20, 2025
4.5. Four stars due to the meandering nature of several parts leading me to wrack my brain recalling ‘which decade are we in now,’ ‘which house, in which town.’ Which relationship/marriage? Pre- or post-stroke? Some of this may be on me, and the fragmented nature of listening in chunks at different times.
“In some ways, it was only after I lost my voice that I learned to speak my mind.”
Another potential memoir title: “It’s Complicated.” McNally has packed a lot of experience (actor, seeker, playwright, filmmaker, art collector, restauranteur, designer, recovering stroke patient, writer, survivor) into his 74 turns around this planet. Very dark (I’m no psychologist yet he’s got to be somewhere on the narcissistic nihilist spectrum), very (almost too) candid, a trait apparently McNally is known for. Unflinchingly self-loathing. That said, his memoir is a near tour de force given the physical limitations resulting from his 2016 stroke. It struck me that he could not have published this without the love and support of his 5 children, as he is bitingly honest, pretty much about everything, except when he’s not, which he freely admits.
For all the chronic self-flagellation, this is a man who birthed no less than 19 well-regarded big city restaurants. Not a fluke. Yes, several closed. Yet the creative / design energy and vision (he’s rarely happy with the end result, of pretty much every endeavor or undertaking) sets him apart as a non-chef restauranteur (he despises this word, much less this vocation). Many a good story to be had here. The man has chutzpah! And his service guidance to his restaurant staff reflects a true spirit of hospitality fostering patron dining enjoyment and engagement - I only wish this was generally the industry standard as opposed to the McNally exception.
“I don’t believe there is closure after serious personal loss. Grieving isn’t a corridor one passes through on the way to wellbeing. Grieving isn’t a finite process with a beginning and an end. Regardless of what the experts say, closure is always ajar. The truth is that nobody gets over anything. Eventually, the accumulation of all the things we never recover from registers in microscopic detail upon our faces.“
I loved how McNally wrapped his book up. It’s so obvious that the love and support of good friends and family, the benefit of extensive therapy, and ample time of reflection have led to a degree of self-acceptance of himself, his revised version of normal and … wisdom (McNally would likely reject this supposition). You can take the boy out of working class Bethnal Green London, but you can’t take the world of Bethnal Green out of the boy. He grew on me.
“In some ways, it was only after I lost my voice that I learned to speak my mind.”
Another potential memoir title: “It’s Complicated.” McNally has packed a lot of experience (actor, seeker, playwright, filmmaker, art collector, restauranteur, designer, recovering stroke patient, writer, survivor) into his 74 turns around this planet. Very dark (I’m no psychologist yet he’s got to be somewhere on the narcissistic nihilist spectrum), very (almost too) candid, a trait apparently McNally is known for. Unflinchingly self-loathing. That said, his memoir is a near tour de force given the physical limitations resulting from his 2016 stroke. It struck me that he could not have published this without the love and support of his 5 children, as he is bitingly honest, pretty much about everything, except when he’s not, which he freely admits.
For all the chronic self-flagellation, this is a man who birthed no less than 19 well-regarded big city restaurants. Not a fluke. Yes, several closed. Yet the creative / design energy and vision (he’s rarely happy with the end result, of pretty much every endeavor or undertaking) sets him apart as a non-chef restauranteur (he despises this word, much less this vocation). Many a good story to be had here. The man has chutzpah! And his service guidance to his restaurant staff reflects a true spirit of hospitality fostering patron dining enjoyment and engagement - I only wish this was generally the industry standard as opposed to the McNally exception.
“I don’t believe there is closure after serious personal loss. Grieving isn’t a corridor one passes through on the way to wellbeing. Grieving isn’t a finite process with a beginning and an end. Regardless of what the experts say, closure is always ajar. The truth is that nobody gets over anything. Eventually, the accumulation of all the things we never recover from registers in microscopic detail upon our faces.“
I loved how McNally wrapped his book up. It’s so obvious that the love and support of good friends and family, the benefit of extensive therapy, and ample time of reflection have led to a degree of self-acceptance of himself, his revised version of normal and … wisdom (McNally would likely reject this supposition). You can take the boy out of working class Bethnal Green London, but you can’t take the world of Bethnal Green out of the boy. He grew on me.
June 25, 2025
Keith is nobody's idea of flawless—least of all his own—and that self-awareness is what makes I Regret Almost Everything the most moving memoir I've read. Page after page, McNally exposes what we usually keep hidden: the arguments, the failures, the grudges. The stories, while hard to read at times, ring with a sincerity that's impossible to fake. His candor invites us to trade polished façades for mirrors, and I believe every small act of honesty nudges us further along the lifelong road to self-discovery and self-acceptance.
What resonated most—perhaps because I often shrink from it—was McNally’s appetite for risk. He walks away from London theatre to wash dishes in New York, treks through Nepal on a whim, and bankrolls restaurants that could have bankrupted him (and nearly did). These leaps of faith remind me that a stagnant comfort zone is rarely comfortable for long.
In the end, McNally’s memoir isn’t a blueprint for living; it’s a permission slip to stumble loudly and keep moving. If we can meet ourselves with half his honesty, we might regret a little less—and understand a lot more.
What resonated most—perhaps because I often shrink from it—was McNally’s appetite for risk. He walks away from London theatre to wash dishes in New York, treks through Nepal on a whim, and bankrolls restaurants that could have bankrupted him (and nearly did). These leaps of faith remind me that a stagnant comfort zone is rarely comfortable for long.
In the end, McNally’s memoir isn’t a blueprint for living; it’s a permission slip to stumble loudly and keep moving. If we can meet ourselves with half his honesty, we might regret a little less—and understand a lot more.
April 23, 2025
Best if you live in New York City or are familiar with his restaurants. Probably 3.5 stars
May 26, 2025
The perfect man doesn’t exi—
June 19, 2025
Self deprecating but self adulating.
Keith McNally has had remarkable success in the NY restaurant world but he doesn't have the insight to understand why things worked out so well for him. He's not really very likeable. He uses people and then cavalierly discards them. He must have a lot of quick wit, personal charm and energy to create these successful restaurants but he seems lacking in character. I guess he's "clever" to steal 3 bottles of very expensive champagne from a retailer in a mix up at his wedding, but it came across as sneaky and underhanded, especially when the champagne had been a generous gift from a friend. Is this how people become successful? By stealing? Having no honour or integrity? Is he also the kind of person who doesn't pay his contractors? Like you know who?
He opened Nell's nightclub in 1986 without the help of a PR team. "but nevertheless, most New Yorkers seemed aware of Nell's opening. The first night we turned away five hundred people." That's some charisma! And quite the humble brag. He borrows $500,000 from the bank "to build a new restaurant" and then spends the money to shoot a film. I'm surprised he didn't get sued. Shockingly dishonest.
He hates "art". But he owns 200 paintings. He doesn't want to talk to his hired driver but he's desperate to be liked by him. What a knob.
Keith McNally has had remarkable success in the NY restaurant world but he doesn't have the insight to understand why things worked out so well for him. He's not really very likeable. He uses people and then cavalierly discards them. He must have a lot of quick wit, personal charm and energy to create these successful restaurants but he seems lacking in character. I guess he's "clever" to steal 3 bottles of very expensive champagne from a retailer in a mix up at his wedding, but it came across as sneaky and underhanded, especially when the champagne had been a generous gift from a friend. Is this how people become successful? By stealing? Having no honour or integrity? Is he also the kind of person who doesn't pay his contractors? Like you know who?
He opened Nell's nightclub in 1986 without the help of a PR team. "but nevertheless, most New Yorkers seemed aware of Nell's opening. The first night we turned away five hundred people." That's some charisma! And quite the humble brag. He borrows $500,000 from the bank "to build a new restaurant" and then spends the money to shoot a film. I'm surprised he didn't get sued. Shockingly dishonest.
He hates "art". But he owns 200 paintings. He doesn't want to talk to his hired driver but he's desperate to be liked by him. What a knob.
August 8, 2025
The first 100ish pages were great, and then little by little, the author revealed himself to be more and more of an asshole.
October 22, 2025
ooof. horrible horrible takes on the #MeToo movement and woody Allen 🤮 ik this is a memoir but hate an unlikable protagonist. He really did divulge some stories and details of interpersonal experiences I would personally take to the grave so kudos to him for that. He seemed like a halfway decent boss but awful absent father who put his kids through sm bullshit and mean to his mom! Wtf. Parts were entertaining I mostly read bc I think behind the scenes of nyc restys is interesting. I so understand why he’s a polarizing figure.
May 29, 2025
In a world overflowing with memoirs, Kevin McNally’s stands out as one of the best. Known in New York as one of the great restaurateurs and a bit of a celebrity figure, I initially picked up the book because of the hype—but was pleasantly surprised by its depth.
McNally chronicles the ups and downs of his life, not just in the restaurant world, but also as a passionate lover of the arts. He frequently draws connections between his experiences and his love for film and art, which resonated with me personally.
The memoir is also deeply moving, especially as it explores the aftermath of his stroke. McNally writes candidly about living with disability, showing remarkable strength and resilience throughout.
Highly recommended—not just for foodies, but for anyone looking to read about a fascinating individual who has truly lived an extraordinary life.
McNally chronicles the ups and downs of his life, not just in the restaurant world, but also as a passionate lover of the arts. He frequently draws connections between his experiences and his love for film and art, which resonated with me personally.
The memoir is also deeply moving, especially as it explores the aftermath of his stroke. McNally writes candidly about living with disability, showing remarkable strength and resilience throughout.
Highly recommended—not just for foodies, but for anyone looking to read about a fascinating individual who has truly lived an extraordinary life.
Read
September 4, 2025Writing style: mid
Instagram: active
Tea: excellent
Close enough welcome back Gossip Girl!!
Instagram: active
Tea: excellent
Close enough welcome back Gossip Girl!!
Read
July 30, 2025Finally finished this!!!!!!! I’ve been in a reading slump since May tbh. I actually enjoyed this even with all its hypocrisy and rants. Fun to read. I love New York too
June 3, 2025
Moments were laugh out loud!! The nonlinear story is a little hard to follow at times though.
Ultimately if you like the IG captions, you’ll like the book, was tickled to find out how much he cares about his follower count.
Ultimately if you like the IG captions, you’ll like the book, was tickled to find out how much he cares about his follower count.
July 27, 2025
I Regret Almost Everything is not one of those memoirs where you leave admiring the author.
Keith McNally is a self-absorbed prick, twice divorced, and oft times terrible father.
But he is a genius building restaurants, and making small businesses work — especially in the food biz — is really hard. To have succeeded so many more times than failed is quite a legacy.
This book is a testament to a very flawed man.
I could identify with this story on many levels.
As a young man in the 1970’s I too had a fling with professional theatre and worked in London’s West End at roughly the same time.
Like McNally I have had a lifetime obsession with great literature. (Although I have a much grander view of Don Quixote than he does. We agree on Hemingway, Austen, and Theodore Dreiser.)
Like McNally I turned to retail. I’ve enjoyed some success but nothing on the order of his.
My siblings like his have played oversized roles in my life. And we both had very strong mothers, have made many mistakes, are both atheists, enjoy a special relationship with food, are fans of New York, and like to get out into the open air.
Like McNally I have had numerous brushes with celebrity but usually shy away from it.
And I have suffered some of that guilt, although nowhere near the depths of depression that led him to attempt suicide. I do appreciate learning from him how difficult coping with a severe stroke has been.
Oh. And we both suffer from an inferiority complex.
Keith McNally is a self-absorbed prick, twice divorced, and oft times terrible father.
But he is a genius building restaurants, and making small businesses work — especially in the food biz — is really hard. To have succeeded so many more times than failed is quite a legacy.
This book is a testament to a very flawed man.
I could identify with this story on many levels.
As a young man in the 1970’s I too had a fling with professional theatre and worked in London’s West End at roughly the same time.
Like McNally I have had a lifetime obsession with great literature. (Although I have a much grander view of Don Quixote than he does. We agree on Hemingway, Austen, and Theodore Dreiser.)
Like McNally I turned to retail. I’ve enjoyed some success but nothing on the order of his.
My siblings like his have played oversized roles in my life. And we both had very strong mothers, have made many mistakes, are both atheists, enjoy a special relationship with food, are fans of New York, and like to get out into the open air.
Like McNally I have had numerous brushes with celebrity but usually shy away from it.
And I have suffered some of that guilt, although nowhere near the depths of depression that led him to attempt suicide. I do appreciate learning from him how difficult coping with a severe stroke has been.
Oh. And we both suffer from an inferiority complex.
September 3, 2025
I gobbled this up in two days while traipsing around NYC with Chad, which was an appropriately chic way to read this memoir. McNally’s life is sincerely interesting to me - his start working in restaurants, his friendships & feuds with NYC elites, his many personal failures, his thesis on how to best light a space (lamps are my passion). He does not try and over-philosophize or pander, and instead delivers a memoir that feels so honest it often borders on self-hatred… but even this feels like truth. Don’t we all secretly harbor our most viscous critic deep within the fleshy ventricles of our heart?
April 27, 2025
Fascinating writer. I would’ve done almost every single thing differently in my life.
July 12, 2025
what a guy
September 15, 2025
i loved this - prob the most interesting book i’ve read in a while mostly bc 99% of the book takes place within 10 blocks of my apartment. loved mcnallys storied history of downtown and how he and his wife built the institutions that have been anchors for the wv and soho for years and years. he’s lived a very interesting life, rubbing elbows with celebrities (and us tmr!!!) across nyc and london. the scholastic connection to balthazar was a full circle moment for me and pushed it from 4 —> 5!! highly rec for my fellow wv girlies
September 23, 2025
Ovaj čovek bi me jako nervirao uživo. Jednostavno znam to. (Plus se ne slažemo oko mnogo stvari, svaki put kad bi pohvalio Vudija Alena, imala sam poriv za povraćanjem.)
ALI, tako živopisno piše, i ako je vrlo diskutabilno njegovo ponašanje prema njegovim bivšim ženama (2) i deci (5) (žao mi ih kad se samo setim nekih momenata gde je apsolutno isključen iz njihovih života i gleda samo sebe), ne mogu lagati; ova autobiografija mi se toliko svidela.
Poreklom iz radničke engleske porodice, Kit Meknali se vinuo u sam krem de la krem njujorških ugostitelja. Otvorio je 13 ugostiteljskih objekata, od čega su najpoznatiji restorani poput Balthazara, Odeona, Pastisa i drugih. Dok sam čitala knjigu imala sam utisak da čitam iskustva više ljudi. Jer je proživeo toliko života, od napuštanja škole sa 16 godina, do kratke pozorišne glumačke karijere, do putovanja po Bliskom Istoku, sve do Nepala, pa do selidbe u Njujork...
Ogroman snob koji je svestan svoje snobštine, i koji je stalno zaokupljen kako će drugi ljudi da ga vide i shvate. Ciničan i negativan, kritikuje samog sebe kako u stvari "ne zna ništa ni o čemu", već zna dovoljno da vodi konverzaciju, ali prosto ne možete a da ne razumete ovog komplikovanog čoveka. Na jednoj strani se zariče na večnu ljubav svojoj (drugoj) ženi, a onda nekoliko strana kasnije ne propušta priliku da provede noć sa poznatom glumicom. Prekoreva sebe zbog mnogo stvari: lošeg odnosa sa decom, turbulentnog odnosa sa bivšim ženama, poslovnim partnerima, roditeljima, braćom i sestrom. Stid i sramota koje oseća nakon moždanog udara (i kasnijeg pokušaja samoubistva) još više pojačavaju njegov "književni" glas, jer mu je govor nakon tog užasnog događaja nepovratno izmenjen.
Na stranu što me je inicijalno privukla knjiga jer sam želela da me nešto transportuje u Njujork ranih 2000ih, i što sam opsednuta restoranima i romantizujem hranu i celu tu industriju, Meknali je pružio i uvid u svoje najintimnije misli.
I samo ću reći svaka čast na hrabrosti.
(Poštedeću vas zilion slika svakog pojedinačnog restorana, ali topla preporuka da makar pogledate slike Balthazara: https://blog.resy.com/2022/04/balthaz...)
A sada slede citati koji su me nasmejali ili dirnuli u dušu (al' zar to nije jedno te isto?)...
"Not that I needed to have an egg sandwich and a coffee at three in the morning, but knowing I could helped me sleep better. It still does. Knowing I can do something, without necessarily doing it, is vital for me."
"Good design is all about the right details. Good design is also about what you don't do, what you refrain from doing."
"In truth, nothing lasts forever, and Balthazar, like all restaurants, will one day fall from favor and close. I just hope I'm not around to see it."
"I never knew the difference between envy and jealousy until I once read that envy is wanting something that someone else has, and jealousy is fear of losing what you already have. I suffer from both."
"Like many English people, I fear embarrassment more than death."
"W. H. Auden said, 'One cannot review a bad book without showing off.'"
"Inexplicably, most of the New York doctors I've met are obsessed with the city's restaurants. Many appear so restaurant savvy that it's a wonder they have time to practice medicine."
"My life is dictated by conversations I'm dying to get out of."
"Unfortunately, I had to stop raiding the fridge at 3 a.m. because [...] the night nurse caught me eating the next day's marinara sauce, which I mistook for the marinara sauce left over from the night before. At three in the morning it's hard to tell the difference."
ALI, tako živopisno piše, i ako je vrlo diskutabilno njegovo ponašanje prema njegovim bivšim ženama (2) i deci (5) (žao mi ih kad se samo setim nekih momenata gde je apsolutno isključen iz njihovih života i gleda samo sebe), ne mogu lagati; ova autobiografija mi se toliko svidela.
Poreklom iz radničke engleske porodice, Kit Meknali se vinuo u sam krem de la krem njujorških ugostitelja. Otvorio je 13 ugostiteljskih objekata, od čega su najpoznatiji restorani poput Balthazara, Odeona, Pastisa i drugih. Dok sam čitala knjigu imala sam utisak da čitam iskustva više ljudi. Jer je proživeo toliko života, od napuštanja škole sa 16 godina, do kratke pozorišne glumačke karijere, do putovanja po Bliskom Istoku, sve do Nepala, pa do selidbe u Njujork...
Ogroman snob koji je svestan svoje snobštine, i koji je stalno zaokupljen kako će drugi ljudi da ga vide i shvate. Ciničan i negativan, kritikuje samog sebe kako u stvari "ne zna ništa ni o čemu", već zna dovoljno da vodi konverzaciju, ali prosto ne možete a da ne razumete ovog komplikovanog čoveka. Na jednoj strani se zariče na večnu ljubav svojoj (drugoj) ženi, a onda nekoliko strana kasnije ne propušta priliku da provede noć sa poznatom glumicom. Prekoreva sebe zbog mnogo stvari: lošeg odnosa sa decom, turbulentnog odnosa sa bivšim ženama, poslovnim partnerima, roditeljima, braćom i sestrom. Stid i sramota koje oseća nakon moždanog udara (i kasnijeg pokušaja samoubistva) još više pojačavaju njegov "književni" glas, jer mu je govor nakon tog užasnog događaja nepovratno izmenjen.
Na stranu što me je inicijalno privukla knjiga jer sam želela da me nešto transportuje u Njujork ranih 2000ih, i što sam opsednuta restoranima i romantizujem hranu i celu tu industriju, Meknali je pružio i uvid u svoje najintimnije misli.
I samo ću reći svaka čast na hrabrosti.
(Poštedeću vas zilion slika svakog pojedinačnog restorana, ali topla preporuka da makar pogledate slike Balthazara: https://blog.resy.com/2022/04/balthaz...)
A sada slede citati koji su me nasmejali ili dirnuli u dušu (al' zar to nije jedno te isto?)...
"Not that I needed to have an egg sandwich and a coffee at three in the morning, but knowing I could helped me sleep better. It still does. Knowing I can do something, without necessarily doing it, is vital for me."
"Good design is all about the right details. Good design is also about what you don't do, what you refrain from doing."
"In truth, nothing lasts forever, and Balthazar, like all restaurants, will one day fall from favor and close. I just hope I'm not around to see it."
"I never knew the difference between envy and jealousy until I once read that envy is wanting something that someone else has, and jealousy is fear of losing what you already have. I suffer from both."
"Like many English people, I fear embarrassment more than death."
"W. H. Auden said, 'One cannot review a bad book without showing off.'"
"Inexplicably, most of the New York doctors I've met are obsessed with the city's restaurants. Many appear so restaurant savvy that it's a wonder they have time to practice medicine."
"My life is dictated by conversations I'm dying to get out of."
"Unfortunately, I had to stop raiding the fridge at 3 a.m. because [...] the night nurse caught me eating the next day's marinara sauce, which I mistook for the marinara sauce left over from the night before. At three in the morning it's hard to tell the difference."
December 9, 2025
really really loved this. a few quotes I loved
“Never trust certainty”
“Restraunt design begins and ends with lighting”
“I can only enjoy the glory of the sun while siting in the shade”
“Never trust certainty”
“Restraunt design begins and ends with lighting”
“I can only enjoy the glory of the sun while siting in the shade”
July 9, 2025
Turns out I’m consistently a sucker for irreverence, restaurants, and a good memoir (this is one)
“The odd thing about experiencing New York for the first time was that it seemed more like the films than the films did themselves” (88)
“The odd thing about experiencing New York for the first time was that it seemed more like the films than the films did themselves” (88)
June 10, 2025
as someone whose favorite restaurant is minetta tavern, this entire book does just feel like a long-form keith mcnally instagram caption. i did appreciate how candid he was about his stroke and recovery, but i also feel he was a bit too open about the specific personal details of others — to the point that it made me uncomfortable. mcnally’s pompous attitude is the only consistent throughline in this wandering (yet frequently repetitive) piece of self-flagellation.
June 24, 2025
Interesting history of some iconic nyc restaurants and perspectives on hospitality, but also reads as a memoir of a successful guy who is too stubborn to enjoy his own life and who also earnestly believes woody allen is innocent
September 16, 2025
(Maybe selfishly) love reading anything that feels like it’s just for me, and this does. Also made me grateful for nyc life and read about the restaurants we grew up w (bdays at Balth, driving in to the og Pastis). I know Keith would drive me insane to interact w tho in any personal or professional way, which is maybe the point. See u @ Morandi
August 24, 2025
I admire Keith’s willingness to be completely honest and open about his life story. Memoirs often leave out messy, embarrassing and problematic experiences - Keith gives us everything. What drew me to him and this book, was my extremely positive and memorable experiences at his restaurants. I’m a nobody. I often find it difficult to become a ‘regular’ at restaurants I go to literally 100 times. I felt like a regular the first time I walked into Balthazar. His philosophy about the restaurant experience is unmatched. It’s fascinating to see the contradictions and lore behind his thinking.
Everyone can be an asshole. Nobody is perfect. Anyone suggesting otherwise needs to touch some grass and look in the mirror. I’m grateful to have looked over Keith’s shoulder at his reflection.
Everyone can be an asshole. Nobody is perfect. Anyone suggesting otherwise needs to touch some grass and look in the mirror. I’m grateful to have looked over Keith’s shoulder at his reflection.
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