Ara Jo
Chef de CuisineAs Chef de Cuisine, Ara Jo leads The French Laundry kitchen, upholding the restaurant's unwavering commitment to excellence and collaborative spirit. She provides leadership, develops daily tasting menus, and directs the kitchen team, working closely with The French Laundry Culinary Garden to select the highest-quality ingredients.
Ara Jo's culinary career began at presto tempo—a fast-paced decision that took her from the concert hall and science labs to the kitchen. Raised in Seoul, South Korea, Ara Jo initially pursued paths in music and medicine, but her interest in food ultimately captured her attention. After her studies, she took the decisive step of enrolling at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone to hone her culinary techniques.
Upon her arrival at The French Laundry in 2019, Ara Jo's culinary journey was marked by rapid progression. She started as a Commis and swiftly mastered various roles, including that of a butcher and Executive Sous Chef, culminating in her most recent position as Chef de Cuisine.
Ara Jo firmly believes that her background as a musician has significantly influenced her leadership style. She explains, “As a classical pianist, I was always part of an ensemble. This experience taught me the value of teamwork, a lesson I apply in the kitchen every day. To be successful, we must work together as a team.”
Ara Jo is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of chefs and is committed to creating exceptional experiences and making memories for guests at The French Laundry, upholding Chef Keller's high standards.
Jamie Houghton
Pastry ChefAs Pastry Chef, Jamie Houghton oversees The French Laundry’s pastry program from menu development and collaboration to team leadership.
Originally from the United Kingdom, he began his career in Suffolk as a commis before joining the two-starred Michelin restaurant Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons for nine-and-a-half years, where he made his ascent to Senior Sous Chef.
From an early age, Jamie developed a deep appreciation for sweets and hospitality, from enjoying his mother’s ever-present Victoria sponge cake with buttercream and strawberry jam to washing dishes at his father’s restaurant. His time in professional kitchens fueled his desire to develop further as a chef. Since 2013, Jamie has competed in pastry competitions throughout Europe, led master classes for United Kingdom-based organizations and developed Britain’s first Young Pastry Chef competition.
In 2021, Jamie served as the President of Team UK in Coupe du Monde de la Pâtisserie and earned a Master of Culinary Arts in Pastry from the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts.
Sandy Tran
Pastry ChefAs The French Laundry’s Pastry Chef, Sandy Tran is responsible for all aspects of the pastry kitchen, from collaborations with the savory chefs to planning the pastry elements of our special events. As leader of the pastry team she’s also responsible for one of her favorite parts of the position: hiring and training members of her team in a collaborative and inspiring kitchen.
Sandy earned a BA in Social Ecology from the University of California, Irvine before deciding that her future lay in the kitchen. She graduated form the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone and a year later was earning rave reviews as Pastry Chef of the farm-to-table Mainland Inn outside Philadelphia. She joined The French Laundry team in 2015 and was promoted to her current position in spring 2019. Culinary mentors include The French Laundry alumni Chefs Elwyn Boyles and Stephen Durfee.
Originally from Huntington Beach, Sandy has great respect for the agriculture of her home State including The French Laundry’s Culinary Garden which informs her desserts. For Sandy, the dedication and attention to detail shown by her colleagues every day is motivating: “We are a restaurant with a lot of dynamic people all swirling around one another,” she says. “It’s inspiring.”
Patrick Fahy
Pastry ChefPatrick Fahy manages all aspects of the pastry program at The French Laundry in the role of pastry chef, one he stepped into in January of 2014. Fahy returned to Yountville, where he last worked in 2009 as chef de partie and in pastry at The French Laundry, from Chicago. In Chicago, Fahy honed his skills and became the executive pastry chef for Avec, Blackbird and Publican; the executive pastry chef for Sofitel Hotel and most recently, the pastry chef at Sixteen in Trump International Hotel and Tower, a restaurant that earned two Michelin stars in 2013. Fahy was a James Beard Finalist for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2011 and a semifinalist in 2012 and 2013.
Fahy originally became interested in cooking as a teenager while serving for a catering company. Later, while working at a vineyard in Italy, the pastry chef there brought him into the kitchen, teaching him to notice and use the lavender, rosemary, bay and olives growing right outside the door. Fahy approaches his preparations at The French Laundry with his senses still attuned as they were then. He is fascinated by the history of pastry and its evolution, as well as its demand for perfection. This desire for perfection led Fahy to The French Laundry originally, a place where he could cook among the best.
Michael Minnillo
General ManagerMichael Minnillo, general manager of The French Laundry, has been a part of the team almost as long as Chef Keller. A native of Cleveland, Ohio, Michael grew up in the restaurant industry, working at his father’s well-received Baricelli Inn. Then, with what began as a culinary apprenticeship at The French Laundry in 1998, Michael grew into a chef de partie role before he turned his sights to the dining room, quickly rising to become a captain on the service team.
When Keller opened Per Se in Columbus Circle in 2004, Michael ventured to New York City to train and inspire the new staff. A fixture at Per Se, Michael emphasized attention to detail and dedication to guest experience to help guide Per Se toward many accolades, including annual three-star Michelin ratings since 2006 and placement on Restaurant Magazine’s World’s 50 Best List since 2005. Additionally, in October 2011, Michael led the dining room team as a maître d’ when The French Laundry traveled to London to open a pop-up restaurant at Harrods.
In April 2012, after eight years at Per Se, Michael Minnillo returned to Napa Valley and The French Laundry in the role of General Manager. His legacy in both the kitchen and dining room affords him unique insight into the standards of service for which the establishment is known, and he continues to raise the bar.
