Eat Me by Kenny Shopsin
I’m both terrified and in awe of Kenny Shopsin and his restaurant he runs out in New York. I rented the documentary I Like Killing Flies to learn more about the guy, and true to form, the more I saw of him and how he handled his restaurant, the more I wanted to head out there.
The guy definitely has his own style. He’s unafraid to toss customers out of his restaurant simply because he doesn’t like the look of them. He refuses to serve groups bigger than four. He cooks with his hands, literally. It’s all disgusting, and beautiful, and what all of us wish we could do when running our own business.
His menu is insane. Looking at it is akin to walking into the cell of a mentally broken patient left alone with a pencil. There’s so much jammed on the pages that it’s impossible to take it all in at once.
Apparently, there’s now a memoir slash cookbook out titled Eat Me: The Food And Philosophy of Kenny Shopsin. Serious Eats has a brief review of their book, along with their own experiences with Mr. Shopsin. I can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of this thing, just to read more of the wit and wisdom of this griseled old New Yorker along with gleaning a few of his best recipes.
Filed under: books, New York, restaurants
I’m reading it now. It’s brilliant. And maniacal and terrifying.