Restaurant magazine meets Balthazar's 'reluctant restaurateur' Keith McNally

Speaking to Restaurant's Stefan Chomka just days before the Covent Garden restaurant's official opening McNally said he worried about replicating Balthazar New York's success here in the UK. 

"I know Balthazar has a reputation and that's really difficult to reproduce," he says. "When someone goes to New York they have a great time because they are on holiday and things seem more special. When you drink a glass of beer after a four-mile walk it tastes pretty good, it doesn't taste as good when you wake up at 4am. 

"I do worry that there's this burden of what might be perceived as a reputation. It's a huge disadvantage because I've got something to live up to It's like telling someone you're great in bed before you have sex with them." 

McNally also reveals how Richard Caring​ orchestrated Balthazar's move to London and how the pair have worked together to create what has become the most talked-about restaurant in the capital for years. 

Microwaves and takeaways​

Also in Restaurant magazine, out tomorrow, find out more about how microwaves are becoming an acceptable tool in the professional kitchen and read about the latest innovations in the area of restaurant takeaways and deliveries. 

Plus: ​

• Find out more about chef Tom Sellers' new restaurant Story in Table for Two;
• Read about the latest restaurant openings, including Hartnett Holder & Co and the Malt House; 
• Chart Spanish restaurant group Brindisa's success through the Business Profile; 
• Gain some of Nigel Haworth's Pearls of Wisdom.

The March issue of Restaurant magazine is out tomorrow. To subscribe, click here​, or view the digital edition here​ from the middle of the month.