![]() Supporting the restaurant, by extension, supports the entire ecosystem, which enables the important work of growing food using sustainable methods. In his first new cookbook in over a decade, The French Laundry, Per Se, released just last week, Keller draws further attention to these suppliers, cementing their status as integral to the success of his restaurants. A highly visible piece, but just one nonetheless. And as much as Keller is vaulted as the visionary behind The French Laundry, he never fails to say that his restaurants are but one piece of an intricately connected system. Our job is to work with them and to support them.”įarmers, fisherman and foragers are, in many ways, stewards of the earth and oceans that provide for us. What’s also important is the sustainability of the communities. “One, of course, is the ingredients that we use in our restaurants. “We have to think about sustainability in several different ways,” Keller said during The MICHELIN Guide’s Family Meal virtual event. While this pursuit of excellence comes at a cost, Keller’s commitment underscores an understanding that sustainability is an investment - and not just in the health of his restaurants, but in the health of his community. The result of months of renovations was a highly energy efficient, low environmental-impact building, fueled by the sun and calibrated to waste as little as possible. In 2014, The French Laundry famously temporarily closed its doors for a complete “green” transformation of the kitchen and grounds. It began in 2003 with a water filtration system that significantly reduced carbon emissions and continued with the installation of an underground geothermal loop to efficiently maintain the temperature of all water, refrigeration and heating systems. Before carbon emissions and the climate crisis became urgent talking points among conscientious chefs, Keller was breaking ground in improving his restaurant’s environmental footprint which is to say, he was trying to eliminate it. As Keller famously wrote in his first cookbook back in 1999, “a respect for food is a respect for life.” This approach has resulted in a highly curated network of suppliers who share the same reverence for the environment.īut Keller has long been an advocate for more than just good, mindfully grown ingredients. To get the absolute best oyster sabayon, an essential element in the iconic amuse bouche known as oysters and pearls, you have to start with carefully tended oysters plucked at their peak. And for Keller, that process begins long before any ingredients show up in the kitchen - it begins on the farm, in the field or in nearby waters. Keller’s culinary philosophy is grounded in the belief that the process of cooking is as important as the finished dish itself. This year, The MICHELIN Guide is bringing attention to a different and vitally important ambition at The French Laundry: the commitment to sustainability. The French Laundry has maintained the distinction ever since - a testament to its unwavering dedication to quality and excellence. When The MICHELIN Guide published its first selection of inspector-rated restaurants in San Francisco in 2007, The French Laundry was immediately recognized with Three MICHELIN Stars, an achievement only a handful of restaurants in the world have accomplished to this day. A small circle of friendly farmers developed into a robust network of agricultural experts unified in their dedication to regenerative methods. ![]() ![]() The restaurant’s six original plant beds grew into a three-acre biodynamic garden sprouting a pristine selection of vegetables, fruits and herbs. ![]() When Chef Thomas Keller gained ownership in 1994, he expanded the vision of garden-to-table fine dining, transforming a bucolic slice of Yountville into a global destination for Californian cuisine. The restaurant has been serving local and organic ingredients from its own vegetable garden and neighboring farms since it was founded in 1978. The French Laundry in Napa, California was built in the spirit of sustainability. ![]()
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