16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (2024)

Food & Wine began naming Best New Chefs in 1988, and Thomas Keller was among the first group to receive the honor. At that time, he was cooking at his first restaurant, Rakel in New York City; Andrew Zimmern was a line cook there, and Tom Colicchio was a sous chef. Keller left Rakel for California in 1990 when his business partner decided to take the restaurant in a different direction amid an economic downturn. It wasn't long before Keller learned about a certain restaurant space for sale in Napa Valley; in July of 1994, The French Laundry opened its doors.

The James Beard Foundation named Thomas Keller the Best California Chef in 1996; and the Best Chef in America in 1997. By 2003 and 2004, The French Laundry ranked number one among the World's 50 Best Restaurants. Keller went on to open several more restaurants, including Bouchon, Per Se, and Ad Hoc; both The French Laundry and Per Se hold three Michelin stars.

Thomas Keller is known for applying American flavors to French classics. The recipes he's contributed to Food & Wine span the styles found at his various outposts: We have comfort food recipes in the vein of Ad Hoc; inventive, elevated dishes like the ones found at The French Laundry; and even a Bouchon-inspired quiche. Cook your way through this collection of dishes for a taste of celebrated chef Thomas Keller at home.

01of 16

Lemon-Brined Fried Chicken

16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (1)

To make this juicy and delectably crisp chicken, chef Thomas Keller soaks the poultry in a lemony brine, then coats and fries it.

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02of 16

Summer Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (2)

Thomas Keller is a huge fan of spontaneous salads and invariably tops them with this creamy vinaigrette. It's inspired by his time at the former La Rive Restaurant in Catskill, New York; he's been making some version of it for 40 years. The salad itself changes constantly, based on what's in The French Laundry garden or at the market; make it with the best fresh vegetables you can get.

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03of 16

Chanterelle Omelets with Fines Herbes Sauce

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Why does Thomas Keller make a one-egg omelet? Because the result is so much more delicate and alluring than the supersize omelets made with multiple eggs, especially with a creamy chanterelle filling.

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04of 16

Slow-Cooked Lamb with Cipolini, Dates, Kale, and Almonds

Keller’s trick for yielding extra-flavorful meat is seasoning the roast a day in advance: The lamb takes on the aroma of garlic and thyme as well as a subtle heat from piment d’Espelette, a smoky, mildly spicy ground pepper.

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05of 16

Panko-Coated Chicken Schnitzel

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Thomas Keller uses panko breadcrumbs to give chicken a crunchy crust. "Pounding chicken breasts to a uniform thickness cuts down on cooking time," he says.

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06of 16

Iceberg Wedges with Bacon and Buttermilk Dressing

16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (6)

This salad from Thomas Keller's family-style restaurant, Ad Hoc, in Yountville, California, is a twist on the quintessential American combination of iceberg lettuce, tomato wedges, and packaged bacon bits with a mayonnaise dressing. Only the iceberg lettuce wedges stay the same: The tomatoes are oven-roasted, the bacon is cut extra thick, and the buttermilk dressing is spiked with chives, mint, and parsley.

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07of 16

Smoked Salmon Crisps

16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (7)

Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with crème fraîche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals at The French Laundry in Napa Valley. Here, we leave the tuiles flat, like crackers.

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08of 16

Whipped Yukon Gold Potatoes

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These potatoes from Ad Hoc have a wonderfully fluffy texture because they're passed through a ricer or food mill to make them especially airy. But they're also nicely rich, thanks to generous amounts of butter and heavy cream.

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09of 16

BLT Fried Egg and Cheese Sandwich

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Thomas Keller's scrumptious recipe combines three of the world's most popular sandwiches: bacon, lettuce, and tomato; fried egg; and grilled cheese.

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10of 16

Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche

16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (10)

"I love quiche, but it has to be several inches high and made right," says Thomas Keller. This high-rising version, which is adapted from a recipe in his Bouchon cookbook, just might be the perfect one, and it's well worth the time it takes to prepare.

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11of 16

Olive Oil-Poached Cod with Mussels, Orange, and Chorizo

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At The French Laundry, Thomas Keller serves this dish with an orange gelée flavored with Espelette peppers. In this simplified version, he pairs the olive oil–poached cod with an orange sauce vierge, a classic French sauce typically made from olive oil and lemon juice.

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12of 16

Whole Grilled Chicken with Wilted Arugula

16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (12)

"I don't care if you're sophisticated, with a boatload of money," says Thomas Keller. "Roasted chicken makes you feel wonderful." Cooking a whole chicken on the grill can be tricky, but Keller has perfected a method that uses indirect heat; he adds rosemary sprigs to the coals to infuse the smoke and flavor the chicken.

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13of 16

Salt-Baked Branzino

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Thomas Keller cooks whole fish in a salt crust to keep it moist, then serves it with a chunky zucchini-basilpistou — Provence’s version of pesto — and lemony cherry tomatoes.

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14of 16

Braised Vegetable Hash

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This colorful, tasty vegetable hash is delicious by itself or with a fried egg on top.

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15of 16

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Fried Sage

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This super-autumnal dish offers an unusual combination of brussels sprouts and butternut squash, which generally stand on their own as side dishes. The brussels sprout leaves are savory, the chunks of squash are tender and sweet, and the fried sage garnish is pungent and crunchy.

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16of 16

Fennel Mustard

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A terrific condiment from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home; try it on roast pork.

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16 Recipes to Make at Home for a Taste of Thomas Keller (2024)

FAQs

How to create your own recipes? ›

Tips to keep in mind when writing recipes:
  1. List ingredients in chronological order. ...
  2. Separate ingredients for major steps in a recipe. ...
  3. List steps in order, keeping instructions short and to the point. ...
  4. Give specifics about doneness. ...
  5. Include storage suggestions. ...
  6. Offer extra methods or substitutions (when tested).
Nov 19, 2020

What is the best recipe format? ›

The standard recipe format is the most commonly used — and for good reason. This format checks all the boxes when it comes to what users define as a “good recipe.” It's easy to follow. It gives users a clear list of ingredients that they can quickly reference as they shop and cook.

What is Thomas Keller best dish? ›

Oysters and Pearls

This is perhaps one of chef Keller's most famous dishes, a sabayon of pearl tapioca, beau soleil oysters and white sturgeon caviar.

What does Thomas Keller eat? ›

In the introduction to Bouchon (2004), Keller writes, “Bistro cooking is my favourite food to eat. Roast chicken and a salad of fresh lettuces with a simple vinaigrette. Frisée salad with crisp, chewy lardons and a poached egg. A dense steak with lemon-herb butter and frites.

Can you legally own a recipe? ›

Similar to ideas, facts and history, there isn't copyright protection in recipes as mere lists of ingredients. This is clearly stated by the U.S. Copyright Office.

What is a homemade meal? ›

Homemade means you made it with your own recipe. Home-made.

Are homemade meals cheaper? ›

It is 5 times more expensive to order delivery from a restaurant than it is to cook at home. Meal kits are 3 times more expensive than cooking from scratch. When cooking at home, you'll save most money on carb-based meals (vs eating them at a restaurant).

What is the hardest chef dish to make? ›

1. Consommé Devilish dish: A clear soup made from meat, tomato, egg whites and stock, slowly simmered to bring impurities to the surface for skimming. Techn-eeek: Even some of the most experienced chefs cannot master the complex clarification process required to make consommé.

What do chefs say all day? ›

All Day. In chef slang, the expression all day is used to indicate the total number of orders needed. As tickets come in, a chef will shout out the orders followed by all day. If there are three orders of fries on one ticket and four orders of fries on another ticket, there are seven orders of fries all day.

What do chefs do all day? ›

Develop recipes and determine how to present dishes. Plan menus and ensure the quality of meals. Inspect supplies, equipment, and work areas for cleanliness and functionality. Hire, train, and supervise cooks and other food preparation workers.

What should you always do first to your recipe? ›

Start with the ingredient list. List ingredients with exact measurements and in the order in which they will be used. Leaving out ingredients is the most common mistake in recipe writing.

What are the 7 common recipe categories? ›

Recipe Categories
  • Breakfast recipes.
  • Lunch recipes.
  • Dinner recipes.
  • Appetizer recipes.
  • Salad recipes.
  • Main-course recipes.
  • Side-dish recipes.
  • Baked-goods recipes.

What are the standard recipes? ›

A standardized recipe is a set of written instructions with given quantities, individual cost of food products, and portions for individual menu items that a staff member would follow to prepare a dish. Generally, a standardized recipes contain the following information: The dish name. Total yield (number of servings).

What is Thomas Keller most famous for? ›

Chef Thomas Keller is renowned for his culinary skills and high standards. He has established a collection of restaurants that sets a new paradigm within the hospitality profession, including The French Laundry, in Napa Valley, and Per Se, in New York, among others.

What is the famous dish at French Laundry? ›

One dish encapsulates Keller's approach more than any other. From the day The French Laundry opened, every diner has been greeted with a single, sublime bite: a tiny cone filled with a scoop of cool salmon tartare and a touch of crème fraiche, and finished with a jaunty chive.

What type of cuisine does Thomas Keller specialize in? ›

Thomas Keller is known for applying American flavors to French classics.

What is a signature main dish? ›

A signature dish is a recipe that identifies an individual chef or restaurant. Ideally it should be unique and allow an informed gastronome to name the chef in a blind tasting. It can be thought of as the culinary equivalent of an artist finding their own style, or an author finding their own voice.

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