Thomas Keller Quotes

I wanted to learn everything I could about what it takes to be a great chef. It was a turning point for me.

- Thomas Keller

Let's face it: if you and I have the same capabilities, the same energy, the same staff, if the only thing that's different between you and me is the products we can get, and I can get a better product than you, I'm going to be a better chef.

- Thomas Keller

Once you understand the foundations of cooking - whatever kind you like, whether it's French or Italian or Japanese - you really don't need a cookbook anymore.

- Thomas Keller

It wasn't about mechanics; it was about a feeling, wanting to give someone something, which in turn was really gratifying. That really resonated for me.

- Thomas Keller

Now the restaurants have begun to catch up with the wine-making; there are numerous great restaurants in Napa Valley, and it's wonderful because the people are there for just that: great food and great wine.

- Thomas Keller

I drank more wine when I wasn't working as much, to be honest.

- Thomas Keller

I wanted to write about what we were doing at the French Laundry, the recipes and the stories.

- Thomas Keller

Whether it's destiny or fate or whatever, I don't think I could do a French Laundry anywhere else.

- Thomas Keller

Hopefully, imparting what's important to me, respect for the food and that information about the purveyors, people will realize that for a restaurant to be good, so many pieces have to come together.

- Thomas Keller

When I go out to eat, it's usually something moderate in style.

- Thomas Keller

In any restaurant of this caliber, the chefs are in the same position, building relationships.

- Thomas Keller

No, it's funny, when I eat out it's not typically in the kind of restaurants people might imagine.

- Thomas Keller

Food should be fun.

- Thomas Keller

The law of diminishing returns is something I really believe in.

- Thomas Keller

Then, as the day progresses, depending on how the product is coming in - for instance, the fish man will fax us and say black bass is great - throughout the day, we'll also make judgment calls and adapt to what's available.

- Thomas Keller

It's one thing you aspire to: someday, you'll be able to write a book.

- Thomas Keller

My favorite wines are Zinfandels.

- Thomas Keller

I like to drink young wines, wines which are robust and have a lot of forward fruit to them.

- Thomas Keller

But once in a while you might see me at In and Out Burger; they make the best fast food hamburgers around.

- Thomas Keller

We go through our careers and things happen to us. Those experiences made me what I am.

- Thomas Keller

A kaiseki meal is like that, very small courses over a long period of time.

- Thomas Keller

My childhood wasn't full of wonderful culinary memories.

- Thomas Keller

I hope the cooks who are working for me now are getting that kind of experience so they can use what they're learning now as a foundation for a great career.

- Thomas Keller

I have no formal culinary training, right.

- Thomas Keller

Your idea of that dish has evolved, and if you're a cook, you can start thinking in different ways about it, maybe even a different way than I think about it.

- Thomas Keller

Some of the recipes in the book have evolved for us. Many haven't.

- Thomas Keller

We rely on our purveyors to tell us what's available and what's good.

- Thomas Keller

You're getting to know who the great chefs are through their books.

- Thomas Keller

The book is there for inspiration and as a foundation, the fundamentals on which to build.

- Thomas Keller

I think every young cook wants to write a book.

- Thomas Keller

They know what my standards are. They know what I need and how to get it to me, and they know how to communicate with me if for some reason they can't get it.

- Thomas Keller