Who is Thomas Keller?
Chef Thomas Keller, born October 14, 1995, is an American chef - restauranteur who is famous for running a Napa Valley based restaurant French Laundry. He has famously bought the restaurant from Don and Sally Schmitt in 1994 and turned it from a family restaurant in to the world renowned destine restaurant. Since the 1994, it seems like the chef and the restaurant have gone to do extraordinary things. The restaurant continues to thrive and get better, while maintaining and raising the standard. It has been more then 30 years since the take over from the Schmitt's and it those years chef Keller has learned and shared a few things with us. I'm here to talk about a few important one to me.
Why is he important?
Chefs Keller has won many accoladed during his career, most notably the 2007 award of three Michelin Stars and their retention ever since. He has retained the three star status ever since. That is one reason why chef Keller is important. Yet another is that he has been able to produce a great deal of chefs who went on and created great restaurants for themselves. He has proven to have an ability to inspire and teach.
What are some of the lesson he has taught us?
The single most important lesson that Chef Keller has taught me is the importance of being "just a little bit better today than you were yesterday". Chef Keller goes on to explain that the improvement can take many forms. From being slightly tidier about your station, to being neater with your cuts or even having your shoes slightly better polished. The result is the same, better you today than yesterday. Â Years of application can compound into a brand-new chef compared to that of old you. It is this evolution that is so critical to the achievement of any goals. Inside or outside the kitchen. Thank you chef.
Another great lesson from Keller comes in a form of his leadership.
While I have never worked at the French Laundry, I had read over the original FL cookbook many times. I have seen the Thomas Kellers Master Class and watched his interviews on YouTube. On one of the interviews chef Keller talks about his approach to leading and coaching the restaurant team. While describing his style, he references him self as a coach and the team as a sports team. Immediate reaction from me was an "Ah ha" moment. This has set another standard for the future of my restaurant. And this is it: Lead your team like you would a sports franchise.
Lets quickly examine how does a sports franchise operate.
For example:
Players get a specific role of responsibility, which they pick themselves. QB does not get placed in the running back's position and vice versa.
Players get specific, on going training for the rest of their carriers.
Player listen and respect their coach and the coach respects them.
This sports analogy has had me thinking about how to set up the restaurant so it truly thrives well in to the future. If anything, chef Keller has shown that he knows a thing or two about leadership and teams. The cooking and the atmosphere for which the restaurant is known for, are in my opinion, the consequence the many thins done right. The small daily improvements of the entire team, fortified with the just right coaching from the leadership team are key factors of enduring success.
This is my reflection of chef Thomas Keller and his contribution to the world of gastronomy. While there are many ways of doing the same thing and many of these way work for a lot of people, these lessons resonate with me the most. The long and prosperous career that chef Keller has enjoyed is an undisputed evidence that had been working on the right ideas. And he shares them with us, the next generation.
Thank you chef.
