Thomas Keller

Thomas Keller is a huge fan of spontaneous salads and invariably tops them with this creamy vinaigrette. It's inspired by his time at La Rive Restaurant in Catskill, New York; he's been making some version of it for more than 30 years. The salad itself changes constantly, based on what's in the French Laundry garden or at the market; make it with the best fresh vegetables you can get. If you don't want to eat raw egg, the dressing is easily made without the yolk. Slideshow:  More Summer Salads 

Keller’s trick for yielding extra-flavorful meat is seasoning the roast a day in advance: The lamb takes on the aroma of garlic and thyme as well as a subtle heat from piment d’Espelette, a smoky, mildly spicy ground pepper. Slideshow: More Lamb Recipes  Recipe from Food & Wine Best New Chefs All-Star Cookbook 

At the French Laundry, we use an awful lot of butter without serving a lot of butter because of a method and substance called beurre monté—a way of infusing meats and fish with the flavor of butter. We cook in it, rest meats in it, make sauces with it. It's an extraordinary vehicle for both heat and flavor. Here's what beurre monté is: a few drops of water and chunks of butter whisked over a moderate heat to melt the butter and keep it emulsified, in one piece and creamy. Solid butter is an emulsification of butter fat, water, and milk solids; beurre monté is a way to manipulate the emulsification into liquid form. Thomas Keller: Salt and Seasoning Delicious, Quick Side Dishes

"I don't care if you're sophisticated, with a boatload of money," says Thomas Keller, "roasted chicken makes you feel wonderful." Cooking a whole chicken on the grill can be tricky, but Keller has perfected a method that uses indirect heat; he adds rosemary sprigs to the coals to infuse the smoke and flavor the chicken. Amazing Chicken Recipes

These potatoes from Ad Hoc have a wonderfully fluffy texture because they're passed through a ricer or food mill to make them especially airy. But they're also nicely rich, thanks to generous amounts of butter and heavy cream. More Mashed Potato Recipes

Plus: More Seafood Recipes and Tips

Chef Way Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with crème fraîche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals. The original recipe appears in The French Laundry Cookbook (Artisan).Easy Way Shaping the tuiles into cones is tricky and involves working very quickly with a cornet mold. Instead, leave the tuiles flat, like crackers. Top them with store-bought smoked salmon and crème fraîche. More Salmon Recipes

This super-autumnal dish offers the unusual combination of brussels sprouts and butternut squash, which generally stand on their own as side dishes. The brussels sprout leaves are savory, the chunks of squash are tender and sweet, and the fried sage garnish is pungent and crunchy. More Quick Side Dishes

Thomas Keller cooks whole fish in a salt crust to keep it moist, then serves it with a chunky zucchini-basil pistou—Provence’s version of pesto—and lemony cherry tomatoes. Slideshow: Whole Fish Recipes 

Chef Way Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with crème fraîche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals. The original recipe appears in The French Laundry Cookbook (Artisan).Easy Way Shaping the tuiles into cones is tricky and involves working very quickly with a cornet mold. Instead, leave the tuiles flat, like crackers. Top them with store-bought smoked salmon and crème fraîche. More Salmon Recipes

This super-autumnal dish offers the unusual combination of brussels sprouts and butternut squash, which generally stand on their own as side dishes. The brussels sprout leaves are savory, the chunks of squash are tender and sweet, and the fried sage garnish is pungent and crunchy. More Quick Side Dishes

Thomas Keller cooks whole fish in a salt crust to keep it moist, then serves it with a chunky zucchini-basil pistou—Provence’s version of pesto—and lemony cherry tomatoes. Slideshow: Whole Fish Recipes 

As an unconventional accompaniment to his juicy grilled chicken, Thomas Keller likes to serve pickled pearl onions, which add a sweet, tart bite. The vinegary mixture is great for pickling other vegetables, like baby carrots and Kirby cucumbers.Plus: More Vegetable Recipes and Tips

Thomas Keller of the French Laundry in Yountville, California uses panko bread crumbs to give chicken a crunchy crust. "Pounding chicken breasts to a uniform thickness cuts down on cooking time," he says. Slideshow:  More Recipes by Thomas Keller 

"I love quiche, but it has to be several inches high and made right," says star chef Thomas Keller. This high-rising version, which is adapted from a recipe in his Bouchon cookbook, just might be the perfect one, and it's well worth the time it takes to prepare. Layering the sautéed mushrooms and shredded cheese ensures that they're nicely distributed throughout the silky egg custard. Slideshow:  More Recipes from Thomas Keller 

At The French Laundry in Napa Valley, chef Thomas Keller serves this dish with an orange gelée flavored with Espelette peppers. In this simplified version, he pairs the olive oil–poached cod with an orange sauce vierge, a classic French sauce typically made with olive oil and lemon juice.

To make this juicy and delectably crisp chicken, chef Thomas Keller soaks it in a lemony brine, then coats and fries it. The chicken, which is served every other Monday at Ad Hoc, is one of the most popular dishes at the restaurant. "Since Fried Chicken Night only happens twice a month," Keller says, "people have a wonderful sense of anticipation." More Fried Chicken Recipes

This salad from Thomas Keller's family-style restaurant, Ad Hoc, in Yountville, California, is a twist on the quintessential American combination of iceberg lettuce, tomato wedges and packaged bacon bits with a mayonnaise dressing. Only the iceberg lettuce wedges stay the same: The tomatoes are oven-roasted, the bacon is cut extra thick and the buttermilk dressing is spiked with chives, mint and parsley. More Recipes by Thomas Keller

A terrific condiment from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home; try it on roast pork. More Recipes by Thomas Keller More Chef Coverage from F&W Editors

In his Bouchon cookbook, Thomas Keller calls this outstanding custard, covered with sweet caramel, the pinnacle of all bistro desserts. To ensure that the creamy crème caramel bakes slowly and evenly in the oven, Keller sets the custards in a hot water bath and cooks them at 300°, covered with a double layer of plastic wrap. More Recipes from Thomas Keller

Why does Thomas Keller make a one-egg omelet? Because the result is so much more delicate and alluring than the supersize omelets made with multiple eggs, especially with a creamy chanterelle filling. Slideshow: More Recipes from Thomas Keller 

Making a crust in a standing mixer might seem slightly unorthodox, but the result is an amazingly flaky shell that's equally good for both savory and sweet tarts. More Recipes from Thomas Keller

Thomas Keller’s colorful, tasty vegetable hash is delicious by itself or with a fried egg on top. Slideshow:  More Recipes from Thomas Keller 

These succulent, twice-cooked short ribs must marinate overnight in red wine before braising, so plan accordingly. Plus:  More Beef Recipes and Tips 

Thomas Keller's scrumptious recipe combines three of the world's most popular sandwiches—bacon, lettuce and tomato; fried egg; and grilled cheese. More Recipes from Thomas Keller