I Regret Almost Everything

In this memoir and industry reflection, Keith McNally chronicles his four decades as a prolific restaurateur behind New York staples like Balthazar and Pastis. He details the specific logistics of creating atmospheric dining rooms, the erratic nature of high-stakes service, and the personal cost of maintaining a public persona. The text combines backstage anecdotes regarding difficult diners and staff loyalty with actual recipes that defined his menus, such as traditional steak frites and onion soup. He addresses his frequent public controversies and his skepticism toward current trends in hospitality management, arguing that perfectionism in the kitchen often leads to isolation in his private life.

Hospitality professionals and amateur cooks read this for a candid look at the friction between commercial success and personal satisfaction. It serves as a guide for those interested in the mechanics of the restaurant trade and the specific stressors of the service industry. Readers walk away with a realistic understanding of the dining business, several classic brasserie techniques, and a cautionary perspective on how professional ambition impacts one’s character over time.