Page 108 - Cityview_May_June_2014

On the

Restaurant Record

interview by Steven friedlander

I

worked with William “Biff” grimes in New York during the late 1980s at Avenue Maga-

zine, where we wrote about trends, personalities, and power for the working rich. Before

Avenue, Biff had worked at Esquire and had written, for a time, “The Drinking Man”

column—and during lunch breaks at Avenue I learned much about cocktails and beers and

where to find the best stout in New York City. I came to know Biff as an expert magazine

writer and culture maven, always extraordinarily generous with his time and advice, whose breadth

and depth of knowledge—one who could whip up an overview of Dominick Dunne’s latest novel or

provide a fascinating take on the rise of Manhattan high-society junior committees—is always served

with unmatched wit and style.

Biff joined the staff of The New York Times in 1989 and was named the restaurant critic in 1999. for

five years, with grace and humor but always with a focused and critical pen, Biff wrote about and

awarded the Times’s coveted stars to New York’s best—and sometimes worst—eating establishments.

Today, Biff continues his work at the Times as a culture reporter. After 25 years at the paper of

record, his work continues to surprise and delight.

106 cityviewmag.com may june 2014