Food and Wine Magazine recognized him as one of the “Ten Best Chefs in America,” and having one of the Top 25 Best Restaurants in America.”
He was the first guest chef ever in White House History!
His name is Hubert Keller, and his restaurant is Fleur De Lys, located in San Francisco.
We spoke with the distinguished Chef Hubert Keller about his life and work.
Q – How did you get the opportunity to make a presentation of low-fat gourmet food at The White House?
A – I was doing a five course vegetarian meal here that I was offering to my clients. At that time we were not talking very much about vegetarian and health. I was working on it the last 15 years. It’s not something I was doing just 2 or 3 years because it’s “in”. I think we were the first in the States to offer a 5 course vegetarian menu. Molly O’Neill from The New York Times, discovered us on one of her trips to San Francisco, and ran a story on us in The New York Times. After that about 6 months later, she ran the full story on Sunday, just on me. That was kind of a big hit. From there, there’s a doctor, Dr. Dean Ornish, who’s been able to reverse heart disease by diet and mental relaxation. He’s written three books. When he was writing his second book, after the New York Times story came out on me, he contacted me and asked me if I would like to participate in that book too. So, one thing led to another, and we got invited to The White House. We cooked for the President, the First Lady and the daughter that night. It was extremely exciting.
Q – Does that mean that The White House Chefs now use your techniques in preparing food for the President?
A – The second time, I was invited the chef that was there had just left, two days prior. They were just in the process of hiring a new chef. So, I have not worked with the new chef at The White House. I’m pretty sure they probably took a healthier approach when it came to cutting off the fat and not compromising on the flavors and still make something good and tasty. I think many chefs are getting into it.
Q – What does it mean to you personally and professionally to be named as one of the Ten Best Chefs in America?
A – Personally, it’s an enormous satisfaction. It’s nice to be recognized. It’s very exciting. Since I own the restaurant it’s beneficial to my business. Personally, it’s very flattering. I know and realize that once you get recognition like that you can’t sit on it, and enjoy it. You have to keep on going, to the next step. There’s always another step to achieve.
Q – You own how many restaurants in San Francisco, two?
A – No, only one. But, I also supervise another one called Club Nineteen. I consult and train the staff of the whole restaurant.
Q – How do you find enough time in the day to do that?
A – I spend most of my time at Fleur De Lys. I have a chef at the other restaurant, and she runs that restaurant. I trained her at this restaurant for about 3 or 4 months. It’s very close. It’s only about a two and a half hour drive. They implemented one recipe. Then, another dish, and then another dish before we even had announced we were gonna do a change. Once the whole menu was implemented there, that’s when we closed the restaurant. We remodeled the restaurant and did the opening. So, everything was smooth. So, I went down there to supervise what was happening. It was a very smooth opening, a very smooth transfer. The chef comes up regularly. The sous chef comes up regularly. The pastry chef comes up once in awhile. I usually go down Saturday or Sunday morning and on Monday, in the evening. I am back. That’s usually the day we’re closed, and I see what’s happening. Every 2 months, I stay like 3 days there. We do lots of work. The drawing of the dish is done. Everything in detail is on the page. We work fairly
Q – Can you name any of them?
A – Sure. In the last few months Sharon Stone was here. Robert DeNiro, David Bowie, Metallica. We had almost the whole group here. I mean they live in the Bay Area. They love to eat and come at regular times. Chicago, The Eagles when they were on their World Tour. Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran, Robert Redford, Bob Dylan.
Q – Do you come out from the kitchen to say hello?
A – Yes, absolutely. I certainly go and greet them. We have a book that they sign, when they leave. We never say can we take a picture together. That would probably be too much.
Q – Was it expensive to launch your own restaurant?
A – Not really. I have one partner who previously owned the restaurant. Of course my wife is involved, and myself. When we started the restaurant, we basically started it small, and just brought it up.
Q – How many years went by, between the time you started cooking and the time you achieved chef status?
A – Fifteen years.
Q – Did cooking come easy to you or did you have to Work hard at it?
A – Definitely I think you have to work hard. That’s for sure. But otherwise, I was extremely lucky. I did an extremely great apprenticeship. You don’t have to clean pots or pans or flip hamburgers for five years to become a chef. If you are able to have a chance starting at a great place, I think you can start cooking, Day One. I did my apprenticeship at the Auberge de L’Ill in Illhaeusern which is Where I’m from. At that time already, it was a famous restaurant. It was the only three star (restaurant) in East France, and I was lucky enough to start there. They only took one apprentice there a year. You’re surrounded by 20 professional chefs. Actually 20, plus the pastry chefs. The chef basically taught you respect of the food and profession from Day One. You had to clean your station of course, because that was extremely important. But, after that he paid someone else to do the rest of the job, and he wanted you to start cooking from Day One. In thinking back, that was my best experience. He didn’t want us to clean pots and pans and doing the dirty jobs. I feel to grow in the profession you don’t have to do that. If you have the chance to cook from Day One and being surrounded by professionals, that’s probably the key thing.
Q – You offer traditional French cooking with Mediterranean accent at your establishment. What exactly does that mean?
A – Since I am from the East part of France, I think the style of cooking is probably a little bit of the heavier side of the richer side. South of France I was much more influenced by all the places I worked in; the cuisine was much more colorful. More olive oil is used in the South of France. Much more colors in the plate. It’s a more jovial cuisine. Certainly without knowing it at the time, it’s definitely a healthier cuisine, than what we eat in the upper, north part of France.
