Multi-award winning chef, Thomas Keller, is one of the most talented chefs in the US and arguably the world. There are soon to be ten restaurants within the Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, with a second Bouchon Bakery to open in New York. Both The French Laundry and Per Se have been rated three-star by Michelin, making him the only US-born chef to have multiple three-star restaurants.  

Chef Keller was in town last week as guest chef at Mandarin Grill + Bar to present dishes from both three-star restaurants. For a handful of lucky foodies the TK experience was the highlight of their gastronomic year. I met up with Chef Keller to learn more about the menu selection process, his view on celebrity chefs, his most rewarding moments, and his plans for the future.

Some of the dishes on the menus you presented at Mandarin Grill are obvious choices as they are signature dishes or longtime favourites, such as Oysters and Pearls, but how did you select the other dishes on the menu?

At The French Laundry and Per Se we come up with two new tasting menus each day, which are based on seasonality and available produce. No ingredient is repeated on each day's menus. We hope that each dish is just enough to leave you wanting one more bite. We used the same process when developing the menus for Hong Kong. We also had to consider what we could and could not execute here.

You no longer cook in your restaurants, yet rightly or not diners in Hong Kong rushed to secure a booking as they wanted to eat the food of Thomas Keller, how do you feel about that?

I am honoured and very flattered. I grew up in a modest family. I have no formal culinary background. This level of recognition and interest is pretty extraordinary, and an awe inspiring feeling, one that I never take for granted. I have to thank the Mandarin for initiating contact.

In Hong Kong I am cooking, which has seemed to surprise guests. It is fun to cook again although I am a bit rusty. Thankfully, I have a great team of chefs that I have brought with me.

How do you feel about the 'celebrity' aspect that is associated with you and other highly successful chefs?

I find it kind of strange. When I started in the industry being a chef had only just been classified a profession, previously falling into the category of domestic duties.

I think the 'celebrity' of chefs is the result of the media, it is you (the media) who call me a celebrity chef. I don't call myself that. I am just a normal guy trying to do better each day.

If I had to choose between eating at The French Laundry or Per Se, which should I pick?

That's not a fair question. Both have different and unique qualities (as do all the restaurants in the TKRG). The French Laundry is in a historic building surrounded by gardens, situated in the Napa Valley, a centre of hospitality. Per Se is in New York, a cosmopolitan and sophisticated city.

However the culture, the philosophy, is the same in all restaurants.

And, when I am in each restaurant, I am in that restaurant. I love each for its own nuances of place, team, food, ambiance.

What has been your most rewarding moment as a chef?

There are so many. 

One of these is the transition of kitchen ideology, establishing mentors in the kitchen (and front-of-house) and providing training for the next generation. It has been wonderful to see those chefs that we have mentored go on to do amazing things, and open their own restaurants. This is very gratifying for me. 

Another was when we opened Per Se. We took The French Laundry team to New York to train the Per Se team and to share our culture and pride in what they do. And quickly the culture developed at Per Se. The two teams were competing and sharing and creating experiences together. There were many priceless moments.

On a personal level it was the 18 months I spent raising funds and securing investors to buy The French Laundry. My best asset during that time was ignorance. I had small day-to-day successes and these motivated me to continue...and that resulted in where I am today. During that time, every morning I would have a knot in my stomach, but I maintained focus...it was a year-and-a-half of little steps, with every success pushing me to the next one. I liken it a little to playing golf. Every now and then you hit a good ball and it motivates you to keep playing.

What advice would you give to aspiring chefs?

Be patient. Be persistent. Keep at it and don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it.

Most of us are way too ambitious in our lives and this can create impatience. We need to be patient and embrace where we are now. When we are young we always want to move quickly but slow down and be patient.

As a chef you also have to have patience for repetition and learning. Learn and enjoy the experience. 

Success is about memories, not fame and fortune. What we are doing is creating memories, for us and for the guest.

The cost of dinner at Mandarin Grill (almost $6,500pp) attracted international media in the days leading up to your visit, what is your view on the cost?

It's an expensive meal, but everything has value. Hopefully the diner will think it is money well spent and will have had a memorable experience.

At the same time this is an expensive exercise. I brought nine of my team with me and we had two containers worth of product that we brought with us...and the planning took months with people on both sides involved. Plus the wines are extraordinary and it is a beautiful restaurant. I think the Mandarin's goal is to break even.

I hope that diners have an unforgettable experience and leave with great memories.

You have said that you have no plans to open anymore restaurants, what are your plans for the future?

The future will be defined by the restaurants I have, which allow me to give to young professionals. I want to give ownership. I believe in the philosophy of "Treat it like it's yours and one day it will be", and I encourage all my staff to apply this thinking. I want to make sure that all the staff know that their legacy is important, that their careers are important to us. 

I am not the best chef in the world...I have had great support...and some luck...and I want to give the same opportunity to others that I have had.

Images: All images by Deborah Jones