“Cooking is not about convenience and it's not about shortcuts. Our hunger for the twenty-minute gourmet meal, for one-pot ease and prewashed, precut ingredients has severed our lifeline to the satisfactions of cooking. Take your time. Take a long time. Move slowly and deliberately and with great attention.” - Thomas Keller
1955-1990
1955
Born in Oceanside, California on October 14th
to Elizabeth and Edward Keller
1973
Graduated from Lakeworth High School, Florida
1974-1975
Attended college at Palm Beach Junior College,
Palm Beach, Florida
1974-1976
First culinary position, Palm Beach Yacht Club,
Palm Beach, Florida
1976
Chef de Partie, Clark Cook House,
Newport, Rhode Island
Summer 1977
Chef de Partie, Dunes Club,
Narragansett, Rhode Island
Winter 1977
[*Position?*], Interlude,
Palm Beach, Florida
1978-79
Chef de Cuisine, Cobbley Nob Restaurant,
West Palm Beach, Florida
Winter 1979
Chef de Partie, Café du Parc,
Lake Park, Florida
Summer 1980
Chef de Cuisine, La Rive Restaurant,
Catskill, New York
Winter 1980-81
Chef de Partie, La Seine,
Palm Beach, Florida
Summer 1981
Chef de Cuisine, La Rive Restaurant,
Catskill, New York
Winter 1981-82
Chef de Cuisine, Raoul’s Restaurant,
New York, New York
Summer 1982
Chef de Cuisine, La Rive Restaurant,
Catskill, New York
1982-83
Chef de Partie, Polo Restaurant,
New York, New York
1983-84
Estagier, Taillevent, Michel Pasquet, Gerard Besson, Le Toit de Passy, Chiberta, Guy Savoy, Le Pré
Catelan, France
1984-85
Chef de Cuisine, La Reserve Restaurant,
New York, New York
1985-86
Chef de Cuisine, Restaurant Raphael,
New York, New York
1986-90
Chef/Owner, Rakel,
New York, New York
1990-91
Consultant, John Clancey & Chez Louis Restaurants,
New York, New York
1991-1999
1991-92
Executive Chef, Checkers Hotel Kempinski,
Los Angeles, California
1992
Launched EVO brand of extra virgin olive oil
1994
Chef / Owner, The French Laundry,
Yountville, CA
1998
Opened, Bouchon Restaurant
Yountville, CA
1999
Released The French Laundry Cookbook
2003-2008
2003
Opened, Bouchon Bakery, Yountville, CA
Launched Modicum, a Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon
2004
Opened, Bouchon, Las Vegas, NV
Opened, Per Se, New York, NY
Released the Bouchon Cookbook
Launched “Hommage” porcelain line with Raynaud
in Limoges, France
Consulted on James L. Brooks’ “Spanglish”
Launched K + T for Christofle Silversmiths, a collection of silver hardware and cocktailware, with renowned restaurant designer Adam D. Tihany
2006
Opened, Ad Hoc, Yountville, CA
Opened, Bouchon Bakery, New York, NY
Opened, Bouchon Bakery, Las Vegas, NV
Launched Purebred with Keith Martin from Elysian Fields Farm
Consulted on Pixar’s “Ratatouille”
2008
Released the Under Pressure Cookbook
2011-2013
2009
Opened, Bouchon and Bar Bouchon, Beverly Hills, CA
Released Ad Hoc at Home Cookbook
2011
Opened, Bouchon Bakery, Rockefeller Plaza New York, New York
Opened, Bouchon Bakery, Beverly Hills, CA
Launched Cup4Cup gluten-free flour with Lena Kwak
Opened, Pop-Up of The French Laundry at Harrods, London, England
2012
Released Bouchon Bakery Cookbook
Reached One Million books in print
2013
Opened, Bouchon Bakery (two additional locations at The Venetian), Las Vegas, Nevada
Launched Cup4Cup gluten-free Pancake & Waffle mix, Brownie mix and Pizza mix with Lena Kwak
