Bill McDaniel

The Climb

Across a run of kitchens, the work has been defined less by splash than by duration and repetition done well. Bill McDaniel spent 2000–2014 as Executive Chef at The Red Cat, then moved to The Mermaid Inn UWS from 2014–2017, holding each post long enough for the line to settle into his pace. He then led Motel Morris from 2017–2024, a stretch that gave his cooking room to read as a stable hand rather than a passing style. Since 2024, he has been Executive Chef at Neiman Marcus.

Today

At Motel Morris in New York City, Bill McDaniel’s cooking is framed by practical elegance and a steady refinement that comes from years of running kitchens with the same measured approach.

Career - Executive Chef — Neiman Marcus (2024–present) - Executive Chef — The Red Cat (2000–2014) - Executive Chef — The Mermaid Inn UWS (2014–2017) - Executive Chef — Motel Morris (2017–2024)

Signature

Oversize onion rings are the dish most closely tied to Bill McDaniel. The appeal is in the scale and execution: a familiar format pushed with enough generosity to make it register as more than a side.

Recognition

His specialty dishes are oversize onion rings, pimento cheese deviled eggs, and a crispy fried chicken thigh sandwich. Read together, they point to a kitchen that works from recognizable forms, then leans on texture, comfort, and clean execution to make them land as his own.

FAQ Where did Bill McDaniel work before? Bill McDaniel's earlier career included The Red Cat, The Mermaid Inn UWS, and Motel Morris. What is Bill McDaniel known for? Oversize onion rings, pimento cheese deviled eggs, and crispy fried chicken thigh sandwich.