I'm Not Trying To Be Difficult: Stories from the Restaurant Trenches

by Drew Nieporent Narrated by Drew Nieporent

Overview

Drew Nieporent has been a staple of the New York dining scene for decades, establishing a host of iconic restaurants like Nobu, Tribeca Grill, and Montrachet. But his career started from much more humble beginnings-the grill at the local McDonald's.

A middle class kid from New York's East Side, Drew spends his childhood tagging along with his father to help restaurants get their liquor license, igniting a lifelong obsession with food. His passion takes him on a winding, continent-spanning journey, crossing paths with legendary chefs, iconic athletes, and movie stars as he grows into one of the most influential names in the culinary world. From waiting tables on a cruise ship to getting his first three-star review; from squabbling with Cornell professors to partnering with Robert DeNiro; this is more than a story of one man's extraordinary life-it's a story of an evolving industry. As culinary trends come and go, and relationships blossom and combust, Nieporent navigates it all with a simple yet powerful philosophy: give the customer what they want.

Told in Drew's unforgettable voice, I'm Not Trying To Be Difficult is a rollicking memoir that feels like sitting across the dinner table from someone who has seen it all-one of the last great restaurateurs.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"Drew is the consummate restaurateur of our generation and one of the all time best storytellers. I’m Not Trying to be Difficult will give readers the “behind the scenes” we’ve all been waiting for."—Bobby Flay, chef

“Drew Nieporent is a born storyteller. Lively and inviting, he brings the frenzy and excitement of the New York dining scene to life with the same energy and warmth he’s brought to his restaurants throughout his incredible career.”
 —Harlan Coben

"I devoured Drew Nieporent’s delicious memoir, I’m Not Trying to Be Difficult, the page-turning story of a restaurateur’s restaurateur, whose insatiable appetites for food, hospitality, showmanship, and winning have fueled one of our industry’s most legendary characters and careers." 
 —Danny Meyer, Author of Setting the Table, the Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business

"Everyone who cares about food knows that Drew Nieporent is one of the people who changed American restaurants. In this startlingly honest memoir he takes you behind the kitchen door to show you how the business really works. If you go out to eat, you need this book."
 —Ruth Reichl

"Drew is the ultimate diplomat of the restaurant world. He’s seen it all, the highs and lows of some of the greatest restaurants to ever exist—and here he’s sharing it with the rest of us."
 —José Andrés

There's no one quite like Drew Nierporent. In his deeply personal memoir, I'm Not Trying to Be Difficult, he offers an honest and uplifting look into his journey as a pioneering restaurateur in New York City. He shares the challenges and successes of building a culinary empire through engaging and nostalgic anecdotes, highlighting the resilience and personal growth required in the restaurant industry. With humor and insight, Nieporent's memoir is a tribute to his experiences and an inspiration for those pursuing their profession.
 —Thomas Keller

"I've always enjoyed listening to Drew talk about his New York. I admire his ability to be honest about what he's going through. His opinions, insights, successes and failures are never a secret. Through his experiences, young restaurateurs can gain some great insights into the world of restaurants."
 —Rich Melman

"Drew Nieporent is a true legend of the restaurant world, a visionary whose passion, perseverance, and deep love for hospitality have shaped the dining landscape for decades. In this compelling memoir, he shares the extraordinary journey that took him from waiting tables to becoming one of the most influential restaurateurs of our time. For anyone who loves food, restaurants, or simply a great tale of ambition, this book is a must-read."—Eric Ripert

"Foodies and celebrity watchers alike will enjoy Nieporent’s culinary adventures and misadventures."

—Kirkus Reviews

Kirkus Reviews

2025-06-13
A restaurateur’s amiable memoir of being mostly in the right place at mostly the right time.

Nieporent got his first taste of restaurant life by accompanying his father, a liquor inspector who “would make a buck on the side by taking a restaurant’s application from the bottom of the pile and moving it to the top” and dined free to boot at storied places like Dubrow’s Cafeteria and Paul & Jimmy’s. Lacking the money and the academic record to go to a top-flight hotel school in Europe, he enrolled at Cornell—but not before logging time at a McDonald’s, of which he writes, “To this day, it’s one of the greatest gigs I’ve ever had.” Other great gigs followed, from waiting tables on a Scandinavian cruise ship to founding the legendary Nobu chain of restaurants. Along the way, very much in the spirit of Anthony Bourdain (albeit with fewer hangovers and parallel lines), Nieporent dishes out secrets of the trade: If you have a small kitchen, then have a small menu, which allows you to “control food costs, prep work, and the timing of cooking and service”; don’t ask a customer whether everything is all right, which “implies that something might be wrong”; don’t do a deal with Donald Trump (“I could barely get a word in edgewise”); and, above all, “Just do your job, and do it well.” A bonus in this lively memoir, which pairs well with a robust red or an egg cream, is some well-placed name-dropping, with the likes of Robin Williams, Ruth Reichl, partner Robert De Niro, Bruce Springsteen, and Spike Lee popping up at turns. The takeaways are many, but perhaps the most memorable is one that anyone who’s worked on the line will know: If you’re in the restaurant business, your life is not your own.

Foodies and celebrity watchers alike will enjoy Nieporent’s culinary adventures and misadventures.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940194821655
Publisher:	Hachette Audio
Publication date:	09/23/2025
Edition description:	Unabridged

Videos