Without Reservation
Lessons from a Life in Restaurants
Format:Hardback
Publisher:HarperCollins Publishers
Published:9th Oct '25
Should be back in stock very soon
In this brilliant new book, one of the world’s leading restaurateurs shares wit and wisdom from a distinguished 40-year career and offers deep insight into some of life’s most intriguing issues.
'Wildly, warmly and wonderfully readable and revealing' Stephen Fry
'A true masterpiece that leaves you hungry for more' Jamie Oliver
Jeremy King has spent fifty years pioneering London’s dining scene, hosting everyone from Princess Diana and Mick Jagger to Andy Warhol and Laurence Olivier. He opened the city’s most iconic and era-defining restaurants, including Le Caprice in the 80s, The Ivy in the 90s, The Wolseley in the 2000s, and now Arlington, The Park and Simpson’s in the 2020s. In this wonderfully entertaining memoir, he describes his life in hospitality with insightful anecdotes and well-earned wisdom.
Owing to the curious intimacy between restaurateur and guest, Jeremy has witnessed countless heartbreaks, failures, challenges and celebrations. His advice has been sought widely over the years, and here he gives a series of valuable reflections on everything from the art of a quick ‘no thanks’ to trickier dispute resolution. Restaurants are microcosms of life, and the skills learnt in hospitality – such as communication, empathy and discipline – can be profoundly beneficial for everyone.
Jeremy talks of the alluring mystery of solo diners, misperceptions about which are the best tables and why you should always look a waiter in the eye. Alongside the secrets of his one-of-a-kind restaurants, he also shares memories of stand-out guests like Lucian Freud, Harold Pinter and Lauren Bacall.
Without Reservation is the ultimate tell-all of a singular career guided by integrity, egality and authenticity.
'Charming, insightful' Observer
Early praise for Without Reservation:
‘This memoir is a guide to living a life by a code of honour, good manners and desire to improve the lives of others, one meal at a time’ Graydon Carter
‘I read breathlessly, alternating between gales of laughter at the wondrous stream of scandalous stories and head shaking wonder at the wisdom and insight King offers into not just restaurateurship but the deeper mysteries of psychology and human nature too. Wildly, warmly and wonderfully readable and revealing’ Stephen Fry
‘More than a memoir, this is a treasure trove of inspiration from Britain’s most-respected restaurateur. A true masterpiece that leaves you hungry for more’ Jamie Oliver
‘Without Reservation is a wise and considered memoir, told in the form of short lessons that Jeremy King has learned. Jeremy has seen so much of human behaviour during his extraordinary career as founder of many of London’s most celebrated restaurants; the anecdotes and stories are great fun’ Antonia Fraser
‘Over the years, it's been my privilege to receive advice, talk about restaurants and listen to the stories of the brilliant Jeremy King. Now with his honest and exquisitely detailed book, this privilege is shared. I've bought two copies, one to keep on my desk in the The River Cafe and one to keep next to my bed’ Ruth Rogers
‘Jeremy’s vast and specific take on restaurants is rather remarkable in its scope, and he allows us to see into the inner machinations of his brilliant vision. Any aspiring or current restaurateur could not do better than to assiduously study Jeremy’s well written tome’ Jonathan Waxman
‘This is so much more than a restaurant book. It’s a page-turning compendium of learned wisdom and practiced humanity from which any reader will benefit and find equally applicable to all aspects of life’ Danny Meyer
ISBN: 9780008599027
Dimensions: 240mm x 159mm x 21mm
Weight: 480g
288 pages