Inside Scoop's Paolo Lucchesi brings our attention to a new ad for American Express featuring French Laundry founder and Reese's Peanut Butter Cup lover, Thomas Keller. The commercial, drenched in music written by (the brilliant) Jay Wadley that sounds like it came out of The Hours, tells a story about Yountville (which, really, is just a gorgeous and wondrous place), French Laundry, and the power of seedlings and trees. (It also tells a story about you getting your ass deeper in debt. No offense to Keller or the fine people of Yountville, but don't get another credit card. They're ruinous.) more ›

Lauded French Laundry and Ad Hoc chef Thomas Keller recently revealed a new candy bar that, according to Inside Scoop, is only available in New York. For now, anyway. What's in it, you ask? It's topped with a "crunchy caramel ganache, covered with chewy peanut caramel and enrobed in dark chocolate." more ›

The esteemed French Laundry chef's Bouchon Bakery outpost in Yountville was hotter than ever this morning. Unfortunately, it wasn't because of the macarons. A one-alarm fire broke out in the attic above the kitchen sometime around 5:30 a.m. while bakery staff prepared this morning's fresh batch of croissants. Six fire engines and 30 firefighters showed up to battle the blaze that caused an estimated $100,000 worth of smoke and water damage to the bakery's stove and interior. more ›

Noted French Laundry chef Thomas Keller's philosophy goes something like this, "To make people happy...that’s what cooking is all about." Which is why, in part, he now has his own brand of gluten-free flour on the market. You see, gluten allergies are not the restless leg syndrome of the food world. Nope. They're actually real. And a gluten-free diet can help save the lives and taste buds of those who suffer from maladies like celiac disease. Keller's new flour, Cup4Cup, will be a blessing for those who eschew gluten, and can be found at Williams-Sonoma stores for a whopping $20 a 3-pound bag. more ›

Instead of concocting the world's best fried chicken (and, let's face it, any kind of food product his hands touch), Thomas Keller could have been chewing spit tobacco and rearranging his crotch in front of thousands of adoring fans. In a recent interview with Foodie Chap, the lauded French Laundry/Ad Hoc chef admits that, if he weren't slaving behind a stove for a living, he would've like to have played shortstop. more ›

Yes, we know. Pop-ups are over, but as with most things at Thomas Keller's exemplary French Laundry, this tidbit is of a slightly higher quality than most. Today's update from the Keller-verse comes from Inside Scooper Paolo Lucchesi who notes... more ›

We gobble the various food sections up each Wednesday. Here are our favorite nibbles from Wednesday's offerings. more ›

Sunday and yesterday, the James Beard foundation announced their annual awards for 2006 in a posh ceremony. We (a) did not win for our excellent food coverage; and (b) were not invited, which is fine, because we would not have been able to go to New York. Keep not inviting us, as long as you don't give your hardware in our backyard, we don't even care. Losers. Whatever. Even our Gothamist siblings were (a)-and-(b) snubbed, despite holding home court, so at least we have a shoulder to cry on. Or vice-versa. more ›

The Michelin Guide will release its first San Francisco edition next fall. This follows in the footsteps of the New-York guide, whose first edition they released late last year. We can't hardly wait to put our hands on this. Which places will have the 3 stars rating, the one which means a restaurant is a trip destination on its own? The French reviewers are fussy, so the down-to-earth Chez Panisse might be out of favor. The French Laundry definitely checks in, especially since its little sibling, Thomas Keller's New-York restaurant, Per Se, got its *** already. more ›

SFist welcomes some new members of the family -- in English and in French (anybody want to contribute in Mandarin?). Oh, and Rehab the Crab! more ›

In the movie Barbershop, Isaac is this white guy who talks, dresses and acts like the other characters, even though they all are African-Americans. And we were thinking of him when we got our hands on Thomas Keller's latest cookbook, Bouchon: here is this American chef who talks about France's culinary traditions, who cooks according to century old French recipes, who even bears an Alsatian name. more ›