Hubert Keller facts for kids
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| Born | 1954 (age 70–71) Alsace, France |
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| Cooking style | French |
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Television show(s)
Secrets of a Chef
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Hubert Keller is a famous French chef. He is well-known for his special restaurants, like Fleur de Lys. These restaurants are in cities such as San Francisco and Las Vegas.
Contents
Hubert Keller's Early Life and Training
Hubert Keller was born in Alsace, France, in 1954. He went to a special cooking school called École Hoteliere in Strasbourg.
Learning to Cook
He started his career as a pastry chef. This means he was an expert at making desserts. He worked in many different restaurants around the world. Some of these were in France, like Auberge de L'Ill. He also worked on a cruise ship called Mermoz. He even cooked in São Paulo, Brazil.
Training with Master Chefs
Hubert Keller learned from some of the best chefs. These included Paul Haeberlin, Paul Bocuse, and Roger Vergé. In 1982, he moved to San Francisco. There, he helped improve a restaurant called Sutter 500.
Hubert Keller's Restaurants and Books
In 1986, Chef Keller became a co-owner of the original Fleur de Lys restaurant. This famous restaurant was in San Francisco.
Unique Restaurant Ideas
He later opened a fun place called Burger Bar in Las Vegas, Nevada. This restaurant had a very fancy burger. It was called the "Rossini Burger" and cost $60. It was made with special American Kobe beef, cooked foie gras, and thin slices of truffles. Soon after, he opened another Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.
Chef Keller also opened a French-style steakhouse. It was called SLEEK and was in Downtown St. Louis. Many people thought it was the best steakhouse there. He also helped as a chef at Club XIX in Pebble Beach, California.
Cooking for the President
Hubert Keller was the first guest chef to cook for a president. He cooked a dinner for President Clinton at the White House. He also helped train the White House chef in healthy cooking.
Books by Hubert Keller
Chef Keller has written his own cookbook. It is called The Cuisine of Hubert Keller. He also helped write another book. This book was with Dr. Dean Ornish and was called Eat More, Weigh Less.
Awards and Recognition
Hubert Keller has won many important awards for his cooking.
Top Chef Awards
In 1988, Food & Wine magazine named him one of the "10 best new chefs in America." This was a big honor early in his career. In 1997, he won a very important award. It was the James Beard Foundation/Perrier-Jouët award for America's Best Chef in California.
In 2003, he received another special award. The James Beard Foundation named him to their Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America. This award is for chefs who have achieved a lot in their lifetime.
Restaurant Honors
His restaurant, Fleur de Lys, was also highly praised. The Gayot restaurant guide listed it as one of the top 40 restaurants in the United States. This happened in 2004, 2005, and 2006. In 2006, Fleur de Lys also earned one Michelin star. This is a very respected award in the restaurant world. Food & Wine magazine also named Fleur de Lys one of the top 25 restaurants in the United States.
Television Appearances
Hubert Keller has appeared on many cooking shows. This has made him well-known to people at home.
Secrets of a Chef
He starred in his own cooking show called Secrets of a Chef. This show was on the American public television network PBS.
Top Chef Competitions
In 2009, he competed on Top Chef Masters. This was a cooking reality competition show on Bravo. He finished in third place. He decided to donate any money he won to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. In one competition round, he even used a dorm room shower to cool pasta!
He also appeared as a guest judge on the show Top Chef many times. He judged the first episode of the series. He also judged the final episodes of Season 1, Season 2, and Season 5. In Season 13, he judged a contest held at his former restaurant, Fleur de Lys, in San Francisco.
Food and Wine Exhibitions
In 2008 and 2009, he was invited to the Annual Food and Wine Exhibition in Monterey, California.
Books and Publications
- Hubert Keller, Penelope Wisner (October 2012) Hubert Keller: Souvenirs. ISBN: 9781449411428
Personal Life
Hubert Keller has an interesting hobby outside of cooking. He is also a DJ! He often performs at events related to food. His friend, DJ "Frenchy le Freak," taught him how to DJ. In return, Chef Keller taught his friend how to cook.
Fun Facts About Hubert
Did you know that Chef Keller is also a big fan of music? He loves being a DJ and often plays music at food events. His friend, a DJ named "Frenchy le Freak," taught him how to DJ. In return, Chef Keller taught his friend how to cook!
