Thomas Keller Quotes

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

"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."

"My childhood wasn't full of wonderful culinary memories."

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

"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."

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

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

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

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

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

"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."

"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."

"We're always trying to make it better."

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

"You think about it in an abstract way, but as a young cook, you're looking at other books for recipes, for inspiration, and for ideas."

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

"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."

"The lemon tart, for instance: I've been doing the same lemon tart for fifteen years. I can't make it any better. To me, it's perfect."

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

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