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I'm Not Trying To Be Difficult (Stories from the Restaurant Trenches)
List Price:
$30.00
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Product Details
Author:
Drew Nieporent
Format:
Hardcover
Pages:
288
Publisher:
Grand Central Publishing (September 23, 2025)
Imprint:
Grand Central Publishing
Language:
English
Audience:
General/trade
ISBN-13:
9781538765579
ISBN-10:
1538765578
Weight:
17.92oz
Dimensions:
6.3" x 9.35" x 1"
File:
hbgusa-hbgusa_onix30_P10008407_04272026-20260427.xml
Folder:
hbgusa
List Price:
$30.00
Country of Origin:
United States
Pub Discount:
65
Case Pack:
20
As low as:
$23.10
Publisher Identifier:
P-HACH
Discount Code:
A
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.
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.








