Keith McNally opens his new memoir with a quote from George Orwell that reads: “Autobiography is only to be trusted when it reveals something disgraceful.” Rest assured, the scandal-prone restaurateur's book passes the test.
I Regret Almost Everything takes readers back to the East End of London, where the founder of beloved downtown New York eateries like the Odeon, Balthazar, and Minetta Tavern had a hardscrabble upbringing. After a stint as a child actor, he set out at 19 to travel through India and Nepal, then ended up in New York. His goal was to make films—but instead he joined the army of many creative strivers who paid their rent by working in restaurants. (The filmmaking would only return more than a decade later, when his minor hit, End of the Night, premiered at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival.)
McNally chronicles the many strokes of good fortune (including getting taken under the wing of Anna Wintour, his customer at One Fifth in the '70s) that led him to go from oyster shucker to one of the city’s most successful restaurant proprietors. But despite its rags-to-riches arc, the book is far from a victory lap.
The now 73-year-old is unsparing in his account of the flaws, feuds, and challenges—both professional and personal—that accompanied his success. In 2016, he suffered a stroke—the effects of which he still experiences today—and, two years later, a dangerous bout of depression that landed him in a psychiatric hospital.
To mark the publication of his clear-eyed and disarming memoir, CULTURED asked McNally about his worst customer, the art he surrounds himself with, and what he expects from his staff.
You shared that you wrote the first line of your new memoir “in a loony bin in Massachusetts in August 2018.” Can you take us back to that moment? What compelled you to put pen to paper?
A close friend of mine—playwright Alan Bennett—knew about my depression and suicide attempt and suggested I “jot things down.” For once, I took someone’s advice, and wrote most of the first chapter in two days. The rest took six years.
You’ve poured your heart (and perhaps a little bit of sauce) into I Regret Almost Everything. Can you share what you don’t regret?
I don't regret writing it, but I do regret that it’s not a better book. I plan to make changes to the paperback.
Best and worst parts of New York restaurant culture?
The best part is the number of young, interesting people who are part of that culture. The worst part—besides the absurdly high rents—is that the culture also attracts an increasing number of vain, self-important restaurateurs.
What makes a good restaurant regular?
Someone who really enjoys restaurants and treats my staff well.
Your restaurants are legendary for their ambiance. How do you keep the magic alive across multiple venues without losing the individuality that makes each spot feel special?
To have any chance of making a restaurant special, you must be there night and day for at least the first three years. You, as owner, must lay down the unalterable tracks of behavior. Behavior toward the customers is of course important, but the way you treat your staff is more important. Obviously, the more restaurants you own, the harder it becomes to sustain that special feeling. I own four restaurants right now, but if I were smart, I’d own two.
Do you have any non-negotiables for your staff?
Bullying. I’m a big believer in second chances. I’ve given employees a second chance for lying, stealing and for fornicating in the locker room, but never for bullying.
If you had to describe your culinary journey in one dish, what would it be—and more importantly, would you eat it again?
I didn’t fully understand food until I started growing it. In 2007, I owned and operated a farm with pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, and a huge vegetable garden. I used to milk my goats by hand and make goat cheese.
What’s the most overrated food trend right now and what’s something you want to see more of at restaurants in 2025?
Most overrated: truffle oil. Something I’d like to see more of in 2025: lamb!
In your time as a restaurateur, who has been your favorite guest?
My favorite guests are often single diners. In 1996, I built a Russian vodka bar, Pravda, and not long after we opened, the actor Jim Carrey came in completely alone at 6 p.m. and stayed in the same small booth until 2 a.m. He was wonderful to my staff and never asked for anything special.
Your least favorite?
Bill Cosby was the worst. I can’t mention the reason why without risking a lawsuit.
What qualities does your ideal guest have?
He or she must not be pretentious, must love food, and be decent to my staff.
You’ve been collecting art for 40 years. How would you describe your taste in art?
I very much like German Expressionism, Modernism, and Cubism. I also like the Bloomsbury Group, especially Vanessa Bell’s and Roger Fry’s paintings. Although the paintings I buy come from different genres, they’re exclusively 20th century, and most tend to have somber images and muted tones.
What is your most precious or hard-won work of art?
I don’t like paintings that are either precious or hard-won.
In the early 2000s, Steve Wynn offered you $5 million to build a Balthazar outpost in Vegas, but you declined because you didn’t want to repeat yourself. Since then, you have expanded some of your restaurants to other cities (Minetta Tavern in Washington, D.C., Pastis in Miami). What changed your mind? What have you learned about adapting the vibe and brand of a restaurant to another city?
Although I like the restaurant a lot, I’m only the designer, not the owner, of Pastis in Miami. I’m not a big fan of opening the same restaurant twice, but since suffering a stroke, my expenses have quadrupled. This means, unfortunately, that I have to do certain things out of necessity, not desire.
Did you ever want to give up on the restaurant business? What changed your mind?
In the past, I regularly wanted to give up restaurants and make films. I considered filmmaking to be a more dignified profession than operating restaurants. Eventually, I realized that it’s not the job that gives a man dignity, it’s the man doing the job.
Do your restaurants still have a VIP phone number? Do people actually call it, or just text?
Yes, we have a private number for our regular customers. They can either call or text the number. Strangely enough, the majority call.
If you could time-travel back to the Keith McNally who was just starting out, what one piece of kitchen wisdom (or life wisdom) would you pass along—and would that younger version of you even listen?
Never take advice from an older person. They know a lot less than you do.
Time for some rapid-fire questions. How many beverages do you start your day with?
I start the day with a double espresso.
What’s the most expensive meal you’ve ever had?
Balthazar’s Chicken for Two.
Was it worth it?
Definitely not!
If Balthazar were a work of art, what would it be?
Pieter Bruegel the Elder’s Landscape with the Fall of Icarus.
If you could have a director adapt your memoir into a film, who would it be?
Orson Welles.
And who would play you?
Joseph Cotten.
