NEW YORK, NY (MARCH 3, 2026) – Celadon Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers, announced today the acquisition of Main, Middle & Gay, a memoir by world-renowned chef Patrick O’Connell, founder of the Michelin-starred restaurant and Relais & Châteaux hotel The Inn at Little Washington. Publication is planned for September 15, 2026.
In his first memoir, O’Connell traces his unlikely path from growing up gay in 1950s rural Virginia to building one of the most celebrated restaurants in the world. Named for the three historic streets at the heart of the tiny town where his life and career took root, Main, Middle & Gay follows his journey from paperboy and short-order cook to opening a restaurant in an abandoned garage that would become a global culinary destination.
Self-taught and fiercely original, O’Connell pioneered a regional American cuisine rooted in seasonality and partnerships with local farmers long before farm-to-table became a movement. Over more than four decades, The Inn at Little Washington has earned international acclaim, welcoming guests from around the world, including Queen Elizabeth II. His recent 80th birthday celebration drew tributes from culinary luminaries including Jacques Pépin, Thomas Keller, José Andrés, Daniel Boulud, and Martha Stewart, underscoring his enduring influence on American cuisine.
Of the acquisition, Futter says: “Patrick O’Connell is a legend and reading his memoir is as exquisitely satisfying as eating at his restaurant: elegant, heartwarming and seasoned to perfection.”
Of the acquisition, O’Connell says: “This book was eight decades in the making. (I had to wait till most of the characters were dead.) Unleashing my demons was freeing. Finally, the jagged pieces of the jigsaw puzzle of my life have been assembled into a haunting portrayal worthy of a southern, gothic novel — proving that fiction can rarely compete with reality.”
Deb Futter, President and Publisher, Celadon Books and Flatiron Books, acquired the book; the deal was brokered by Joy Harris at The Joy Harris Literary Agency.