Hubert Keller
Encyclopedia
Hubert Keller is a noted French chef
, who is known for his signature restaurants, Fleur de Lys
in San Francisco and Las Vegas
.
, France, and graduated from the École Hoteliere in Strasbourg
. Beginning as a pastry chef
, he worked in various restaurants including Auberge de L'Ill, the cruise liner Mermoz, Domaine de Chateauneuf, and Moulin de Mougins
in France, and La Cuisine du Soleil in São Paulo
, Brazil. He trained under Paul Haeberlin
, Paul Bocuse
, and Roger Verge before coming to San Francisco in 1982 to revitalize the now-defunct Sutter 500.
In 1986 he became co-owner and executive chef of the original Fleur de Lys
in San Francisco. He later opened a gourmet Burger Bar in Las Vegas, Nevada
, which features a $60 "Rossini Burger" made of American Kobe beef
, sautéed foie gras
, and shaved truffles. Shortly thereafter he opened a second Fleur de Lys, at Mandalay Bay. Chef Keller also opened a French influenced steakhouse in Downtown St. Louis called SLEEK, which is regarded as the best steak house in St. Louis. He was the consulting chef at the Club XIX, at the Lodge in Pebble Beach in Pebble Beach, California
. He is the author of The Cuisine of Hubert Keller and is the co-author of Dr. Dean Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less. Keller was the first guest chef with Jean-Marc Fullsack to cook a dinner for a president (Clinton) in White House history and to train the White House chef in healthy cooking with the guidance of Jean-Marc Fullsack.
magazine. In 1997 he won the James Beard Foundation
/Perrier-Jouët
award for America's Best Chef in California. Keller also received the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America lifetime achievement designation in 2003. In 2006, Keller was named the best culinary ponytail award winner, according to Men's Hair magazine. Fleur de Lys has been ranked as one of the top 40 restaurants in the United States in 2004, 2005, and 2006 by Gayot restaurant guide, and was awarded one Michelin star in 2006. Fleur de Lys has also been ranked as one of the top 25 restaurants in the United States by Food & Wine magazine.
on American public television network PBS
. He placed third (behind winner Rick Bayless
and runner-up Michael Chiarello
) in Top Chef Masters
, Bravo's 2009 cooking reality competition, and designated that any winnings would be donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation
. He won the first competition round, in the process using a dorm room shower to cool pasta. Previously, he appeared three times as a guest judge on the Top Chef
in the series premiere and the finales of Season 1
, Season 2
, and Season 5
. In 2008 he was invited in the First Annual Food and Wine Exhibition in Monterey, California, and returned again in the 2nd Annual Exhibition in 2009
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
, who is known for his signature restaurants, Fleur de Lys
Fleur de Lys (restaurant)
Fleur de Lys in San Francisco, California, along with its sister restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada, are two of the premier French restaurants in the United States.- History and description :...
in San Francisco and Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
.
Biography
Keller was born in AlsaceAlsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, France, and graduated from the École Hoteliere in Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
. Beginning as a pastry chef
Pastry chef
A pastry chef or pâtissier is a station chef in a professional kitchen, skilled in the making of pastries, desserts, breads and other baked goods...
, he worked in various restaurants including Auberge de L'Ill, the cruise liner Mermoz, Domaine de Chateauneuf, and Moulin de Mougins
Moulin de Mougins
The Moulin de Mougins is a celebrated restaurant in France, situated in a 16th century mill in the inland French Riviera town of Mougins. Founding chef Roger Vergé made the restaurant's name renowned with his novel and light Cuisine de Soleil...
in France, and La Cuisine du Soleil in São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, Brazil. He trained under Paul Haeberlin
Paul Haeberlin (chef)
Paul Haeberlin was a French chef and restaurateur. He was the owner of Auberge de l’Ill, classical French restaurant, which was first awarded a 3-star Michelin Rating in 1967 and continues to be one of the oldest 3-star establishments in France...
, Paul Bocuse
Paul Bocuse
Paul Bocuse is a French chef based in Lyon who is famous for the high quality of his restaurants and his innovative approaches to cuisine...
, and Roger Verge before coming to San Francisco in 1982 to revitalize the now-defunct Sutter 500.
In 1986 he became co-owner and executive chef of the original Fleur de Lys
Fleur de Lys (restaurant)
Fleur de Lys in San Francisco, California, along with its sister restaurant in Las Vegas, Nevada, are two of the premier French restaurants in the United States.- History and description :...
in San Francisco. He later opened a gourmet Burger Bar in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, which features a $60 "Rossini Burger" made of American Kobe beef
Kobe beef
refers to cuts of beef from the black Tajima-ushi breed of Wagyū cattle, raised according to strict tradition in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan. The meat is generally considered to be a delicacy, renowned for its flavour, tenderness, and fatty, well-marbled texture. Kobe beef can be prepared as steak,...
, sautéed foie gras
Foie gras
Foie gras ; French for "fat liver") is a food product made of the liver of a duck or goose that has been specially fattened. This fattening is typically achieved through gavage corn, according to French law, though outside of France it is occasionally produced using natural feeding...
, and shaved truffles. Shortly thereafter he opened a second Fleur de Lys, at Mandalay Bay. Chef Keller also opened a French influenced steakhouse in Downtown St. Louis called SLEEK, which is regarded as the best steak house in St. Louis. He was the consulting chef at the Club XIX, at the Lodge in Pebble Beach in Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach, California
Pebble Beach is an unincorporated community in Monterey County, California. It lies at an elevation of 3 feet . Pebble Beach is a small coastal resort destination, home to the famous golf course, Pebble Beach Golf Links....
. He is the author of The Cuisine of Hubert Keller and is the co-author of Dr. Dean Ornish's Eat More, Weigh Less. Keller was the first guest chef with Jean-Marc Fullsack to cook a dinner for a president (Clinton) in White House history and to train the White House chef in healthy cooking with the guidance of Jean-Marc Fullsack.
Awards
In 1988 Hubert Keller was ranked as one of the "10 best new chefs in America" by Food & WineFood & Wine
Food & Wine is a monthly magazine published by American Express Publishing. It was founded in 1978 by Ariane and Michael Batterberry. It features recipes, cooking tips, travel information, restaurant reviews, chefs, wine pairings and seasonal/holiday content and has been credited by The New York...
magazine. In 1997 he won the James Beard Foundation
James Beard Foundation
The James Beard Foundation is a New York-based national professional non-profit organization named in honor of James Beard that serves to promote the culinary arts by honoring chefs, wine professionals, journalists, and cookbook authors at annual award ceremonies and providing scholarships and...
/Perrier-Jouët
Perrier-Jouët
Perrier-Jouët is a Champagne producer based in the Épernay region of Champagne. The house was founded in 1811 by Pierre-Nicolas-Marie Perrier-Jouët, and produces both vintage and non-vintage cuvee, approximately 3,000,000 bottles annually, with its prestige label named Belle Epoque. Perrier-Jouët...
award for America's Best Chef in California. Keller also received the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America lifetime achievement designation in 2003. In 2006, Keller was named the best culinary ponytail award winner, according to Men's Hair magazine. Fleur de Lys has been ranked as one of the top 40 restaurants in the United States in 2004, 2005, and 2006 by Gayot restaurant guide, and was awarded one Michelin star in 2006. Fleur de Lys has also been ranked as one of the top 25 restaurants in the United States by Food & Wine magazine.
Appearances
Keller starred in Secrets of a Chef, a cooking showCooking show
A TV cooking show is a television program that presents the preparation of food, in a kitchen on the studio set. The host of the show, often a celebrity chef, prepares one or more dishes over the course of the show, taking the viewing audience through the food's preparation showing all...
on American public television network PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
. He placed third (behind winner Rick Bayless
Rick Bayless
Rick Bayless is an American chef who specializes in traditional Mexican cuisine with modern interpretations. He is perhaps best known for his PBS series Mexico: One Plate at a Time....
and runner-up Michael Chiarello
Michael Chiarello
Michael Chiarello is an American celebrity chef specializing in Italian-influenced California cuisine. He hosts the cooking show, Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello, on the Food Network and hosts NapaStyle on the Fine Living Network...
) in Top Chef Masters
Top Chef Masters
Top Chef Masters is an American reality competition show currently broadcast on the cable television network Bravo. It is a spinoff of Bravo's hit show Top Chef. In the series, 24 world-renowned chefs compete against each other in weekly challenges...
, Bravo's 2009 cooking reality competition, and designated that any winnings would be donated to Make-A-Wish Foundation
Make-A-Wish Foundation
The Make-A-Wish Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization founded in the United States that grants wishes to children who have life-threatening medical conditions. The charity now operates in forty-seven countries around the world through thirty-six affiliate offices.The president & CEO of this...
. He won the first competition round, in the process using a dorm room shower to cool pasta. Previously, he appeared three times as a guest judge on the Top Chef
Top Chef
Top Chef is an American reality competition show that airs on the cable television network Bravo, in which chefs compete against each other in culinary challenges. They are judged by a panel of professional chefs and other notables from the food and wine industry with one or more contestants...
in the series premiere and the finales of Season 1
Top Chef (season 1)
Top Chef: San Francisco is the first season of American reality television series Top Chef and was based first in San Francisco, California, filmed at Paulding & Company, A Creative Kitchen, in Emeryville, and concluded in Las Vegas, Nevada. The season premiered on Bravo on March 8, 2006 and ended...
, Season 2
Top Chef (season 2)
Top Chef: Los Angeles is the second season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in Los Angeles, California, and concluded in Waikoloa Village, Hawaii. The season premiered on Bravo on October 18, 2006 and ended on January 31, 2007. Padma Lakshmi took over as host,...
, and Season 5
Top Chef (season 5)
Top Chef: New York is the fifth season of American reality television series Top Chef and was filmed first in New York City, New York, and concluded in New Orleans, Louisiana...
. In 2008 he was invited in the First Annual Food and Wine Exhibition in Monterey, California, and returned again in the 2nd Annual Exhibition in 2009