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.

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Lemon-Brined Fried Chicken

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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

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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

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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

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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

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"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

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"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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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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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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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

What is Thomas Keller's most famous dish? ›

This is perhaps one of chef Keller's most famous dishes, a sabayon of pearl tapioca, beau soleil oysters and white sturgeon caviar. This dish is featured on both the menus at Per Se and The French Laundry, a dish that has stayed on the menus since it was created and one we fully expect to remain there.

Can a 10 year old cook? ›

With an adult supervising, a 10-year old should be able to scramble eggs, stir fry vegetables or flip a pancake on an electric stovetop (you may want to wait longer if you have a gas range). Safety tip: Be sure to teach them to tie back long hair and never wear loose clothing around the stove. Prepare a sandwich.

How do I list ingredients in a recipe? ›

List all ingredients in order of use, as described in step-by-step instructions. List the most important ingredients first, if it can be consistent with order of use. Spell out everything: tablespoons, ounces, etc.

What is Thomas special dish? ›

"Warmth" is a Special Dish that the player has a chance to obtain by cooking Miso Soup with Thoma. The recipe for Miso Soup is available from Shimura Kanbei in Inazuma City for 1,250 Mora. "Warmth" restores 14% of Max HP to the selected character and regenerates 350 HP every 5s for 30s.

What does Thomas Keller eat for breakfast? ›

Breakfast, weekday: Hard-boiled eggs with olive oil, a protein shake, and an espresso.

Can a 1 year old cook? ›

Your child can start cooking as early as 18 months or 2 years old. Real cooking skills can be taught to toddlers, depending on the child's maturity and the parent's supervision. At Kids Cook Real Food, we teach bananas and butter knives, starting officially at age 2.

Can a 12 year old bake? ›

Tween (ages 9–12 years)

This is a great age for longer baking projects, like baking bread from scratch or making and decorating a birthday cake with homemade frosting and fancy piping.

Can a 7 year old use a microwave? ›

Set boundaries. Kids under the age of 7 should not use a microwave without supervision. Consider your child's height, too. Reaching up to get hot food out of a microwave can lead to spilled hot food.

How to create a unique recipe? ›

On the same note, adding or removing ingredients in a dramatic way would help make the recipe your own. Pro tip: When it comes to herbs and seasoning, simply increasing or decreasing the amount you use doesn't make the recipe an original. But trading cinnamon sugar for Old Bay definitely would be a unique twist.

How to invent a new dish? ›

Taste Everything: Understanding Flavor and Texture
  1. Understanding the fundamentals of flavor can enable you to create inventive new dishes.
  2. Getting to know how ingredients change while cooking could help you discover creative ways to use them.
  3. A strong understanding of technique can provide a foundation for creativity.
Oct 17, 2023

When was the first recipe written? ›

The earliest known written recipes date to 1730 BC and were recorded on cuneiform tablets found in Mesopotamia. Other early written recipes date from approximately 1600 BC and come from an Akkadian tablet from southern Babylonia. There are also works in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs depicting the preparation of food.

What are the 5 elements in a standard recipe? ›

  1. Yield. The yield tells the number and size of servings the recipe will make.
  2. List of Ingredients & Amounts.
  3. Step By Step Directions for Mixing & Handling.
  4. Equipment (Container Size & Type)
  5. Temperature & Time.

What is the first item on an ingredient list? ›

This information lists each ingredient in the product by its common or usual name, and in descending order by weight. That is, the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is listed last.

What is the most famous dish ever? ›

Pizza has rightfully earned its place as the world's most beloved food. This Italian creation has become a staple in numerous countries, with endless variations to suit every taste bud. Whether you prefer thin crust or deep dish, classic Margherita, or loaded pepperoni, pizza has something for everyone.

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.

Who was the first black cook? ›

James Hemings

Did Thomas Keller invent ratatouille? ›

Thomas Keller was the chef who created Remy's version of ratatouille, and he understood how food can deeply connect one another.

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