Ken McGarrie published "The Surprise Restaurant Manager," a book dedicated to aiding individuals thrust into managerial positions without proper guidance. Praised by then-US Foods CEO Pietro Satriano, the book provides "essential leadership and communication tools to boost communication, enhance guest experiences, and advance careers." Achieving #1 New Release status in both the "Hospitality, Travel & Tourism" and "Restaurant & Food Industry" categories on Amazon, it was also named a "Gold Winner" by the Nonfiction Authors Association.

Ken has been a frequent remote lecturer at the Institute of Culinary Education (NYC) and Auguste Escoffier (Denver). He has served as a guest instructor at Roux Carre in New Orleans and participated as a featured panelist at events hosted by Yelp, US Foods, and the National Restaurant Association.