Keith McNally has been a delightful presence in New York City dining since he launched his first restaurant, Odeon, in 1980, playing a key role in transforming the previously unremarkable Tribeca into a vibrant hotspot.
Odeon's dazzling neon sign Jay McKinnerny's The 1984 novel “Bright Lights, Big City,” features the restaurant, which was a favorite haunt for celebrities like Andy Warhol and John Versi.
Nearly 50 years and 19 restaurants later, including Balthazar in Soho and Minnetta Tavern, McNally’s impact on New York’s culinary scene remains robust. At 73, he proves his enduring relevance with his candid, humorous, and heartfelt memoir, “I Regret Almost Everything.”
This journey didn’t come without struggles. The book opens with a suicide attempt in 2018, amid battles with back pain, a faltering marriage, and the repercussions of a 2016 stroke that left him with aphasia and paralysis in his right hand.
Despite these challenges, his work in the restaurant industry provided a sense of purpose. As his speech became impaired, he discovered a creative outlet on Instagram, chronicling everything from coping with his strokes to unfiltered narratives about his staff at Balthazar, often garnering viral attention.
“In a sense, only after losing my voice did I learn to speak my mind,” he shares.
In his memoir, McNally recounts his evolution from a working-class teenager and aspiring actor in Bethnal Green, London, to a renowned figure in the 1980s and 90s restaurant scene dubbed the “man who invented Downtown.”
With his discerning eye for ambiance and lighting, along with charming gestures—like sending a complimentary glass of champagne to a solo diner while replacing a “cheap” $15 Syrah with one of his finest selections—he has consistently transformed the dining experience for countless patrons.
McNally’s memoir invites readers to pull up a chair at the bar and become part of his narrative.
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Source: apnews.com