Making Memories In The Pursuit of Perfection

The only American chef to win three Michelin stars for two restaurants simultaneously, Thomas Keller is a renaissance man of food. Owner of 13 restaurants on two coasts, including Napa Valley's landmark French Laundry and Manhattan's Per Se, he has sold half a million copies of his "French Laundry Cookbook," designed porcelain and silver for renowned French firms, and cooked (and plated) the climactic title dish for Pixar's animated film "Ratatouille." He and his landmark Napa Valley restaurant, The French Laundry in Yountville, California, is a perennial winner in the annual Restaurant Magazine list of the Top 50 Restaurants of the World.

"Salmon Cornets" Cones Topped with Crème  Fraîche and Fresh Salmon	"Elysian Fields Farm’s Carré d’Agneau Rôti Entier"	"Oysters and Pearls" Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca  with Oysters and Caviar

During his first meal at The French Laundry, an astonished Anthony Bourdain exclaimed, "Keller dazzles on every level, physically and emotionally. I almost feel like weeping. The experience is absolute perfection" To which Keller replied, "Perfection is something you never actually attain, it's only something you search for. What makes me happy is making you happy."  Memories are what Mr. Keller strives to create for you with all of his sumptuous food, service and environments. A perfectionist at every level, Keller says, "I'm a nurturer at heart." You can feel and taste it at every step along the way.

"Swiss Roll" - Chocolate "Roulade," Manjari Chocolate "Crémeux" and Chocolate Covered Banana with "Glace à la Crème Fraîche"	"Coffee and Doughnuts" Cappuccino Semifreddo  with Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts	"Lemon Gingersnaps” Jamaican Gingerbread and Meyer Lemon "Marshmallow" with "Pain d’Épices" Ice Cream

Some overwhelmed diners have described Thomas Keller's imaginative, exquisite cuisine as, "A religious experience." Arousing such an emotional response is at the core of Thomas Keller's cooking.  Based on the traditional classic techniques of French cooking combined with his American sensibility and artistic vision, each course provides just enough to surprise, delight and leave you wanting more. The chef's tasting menu is a symphony of many, many small courses of intensely flavored items. Attention to detail and obsession for excellence are reflected from start to finish in the impeccable service and exceptional food.

In 1994, Keller took ownership of The French Laundry in Yountville, quickly garnering nationwide acclaim. His French bistro Bouchon debuted down the street in 1998, with Bouchon Bakery following five years later. He now has eight restaurants and two bakeries in the United States, including his home-style restaurant Ad Hoc also located in Yountville, Per Se and Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center in New York City, and outposts of Bouchon and Bouchon Bakery in Beverly Hills and Las Vegas. Almost all the fresh, organic ingredients for his famous French Laundry fare are grown in the backyard garden of the restaurant. 

He began his culinary career at a young age, working in the Palm Beach restaurant managed by his mother. He relocated to France in 1983, where he worked in several Michelin-starred houses including Guy Savoy and Taillevent. He opened his first restaurant, Rakel, in New York City in 1986, and then moved westward to California to work as the Executive Chef at the Checkers Hotel in Los Angeles.

Renowned for his culinary skills and his exceptionally high personal standards, Keller places a high value on genuine collaboration and has successfully assembled an expert staff that shares his philosophy and vision, enabling him to concentrate on his many varied interests. He is the author of the award-winning "The French Laundry" and "Bouchon" cookbooks, as well as "Under Pressure," on sous vide cooking. His most recent release is a book of family-style recipes titled "Ad Hoc at Home." The book has received awards from both the IACP and the James Beard Foundation and has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers list for 6 weeks. Thomas Keller embodies the spirit of hospitality in everything he turns his talents to. He describes it as something innate, that comes from inside, from the heart, soulful.

If you're a very ambitious cook, then his books will give you the recipes for making the amazing dishes served in his restaurants. They're quite involved and complicated, but Keller's own favorite dish, roast chicken is by far the easiest to achieve. It's one you can prepare and serve at home for your own Sunday brunch. Click here for the recipe.  Find out more about Thomas Keller and his restaurants, bistros and bakeries here.

Thomas Keller Roasted Chicken

French Laundry Experience with Anthony Bourdain