Interview with Chef Hubert Keller
Posted on Jan 26, 2009 under Archives, Chefs, Interviews | No Comment
Chef Hubert Keller
A native Frenchman, Chef Hubert Keller trained with some of France’s most legendary chefs, including Paul Bocuse and Paul Haeberlin at the L’Auberge de LIll. His talents caught the eye of Roger Verge, the Grand Master of French Haute Cuisine, who first made him a chef at Moulin de Mougins on the French Riviera and then appointed him to a two-year stint as Executive Chef at Cuisine du Soleil in San Paulo, Brazil before bringing him to San Francisco to run Sutter 500.
In 1986, Chef Keller became Executive Chef and co-owner of Fleur De Lys, which for 20 years has been one of the cities top fine dining establishments. By the 1990’s, Chef Keller’s reputation reached the White House where he received an invitation to be the first guest chef, preparing a meal for Presdient Clinton and his family.
Chef Keller has opened restaurants in Las Vegas (Fleur de Lys and The Burger Bar at Mandalay Bay). A second Burger Bar has opened in St. Louis, as well as a steakhouse (Sleek), with a third Burger Bar scheduled to open soon in San Francisco. The first show of the reality tv series “Top Chef” was filmed at Fleur de Lys in San Francisco, and featured Chef Keller as a judge. Chef Keller also hosts the national PBS tv show “Secrets of a Chef.”
I was fortunate enough to be able to taste (and look at – all Chef Keller’s dishes are expertly plated) many dishes at Fleur de Lys in San Francisco and had the pleasure of sitting down with Chef Keller for a chat after sampling some of the best food I have ever tasted. Here is our discussion.
