Stop the presses!
Renowned Chef Thomas Keller will be a guest judge on next week’s episode of Top Chef (November 18th, 10pm)!!! Are you freaking kidding me?! OH….MY…..BUDDHA.
Of my Top 5 “Culinary Experiences I Must Do Before I Die”, dining at The French Laundry would sure be near the head of that list. I won’t bore readers with my speculations of what a Life Changing Experience would occur at The French Laundry. I simply offer this excerpt taken from their site:
“Every day we create two unique nine-course tasting menus–chef’s tasting and a tasting of vegetables–each a series of smaller focused dishes. No single ingredient is ever repeated throughout the meal. What we want you to experience is that sense of surprise when you taste something so new, so exciting, so comforting, so delicious, you think, “Wow” -and then its gone. We want to the peak sensation on the palate to be all that you feel. So we serve a series of small courses meant to excite your mind, satisfy your appetite and pique your curiosity. We want you to say , “I wish I had just one more bite of that.” And then the next plate arrives and the same thing happens, but in a different way, a whole new flavor and feel and emotion.”
And the Mastermind behind it all….Chef Thomas Keller.
What some may not know is that Chef Keller served as a consultant on Pixar’s Animated Film, “Ratatouille”. If you take a close look at the film, you’ll see quite a parallel to Chef Keller’s own kitchen and even the plating of ratatouille to boot!
And finally, if you haven’t seen the episode of a Cook’s Tour with Anthony Bourdain when he dines at The French Laundry for the first time, then settle on down and check out this clip. I can almost guarantee that you will be calling every day after to try and get reservations.
So until next Wednesday, I will sit anxiously for the show!
theculinarychronicles.com 
i have decided not to read your blog until after lunch. it’s simply too cruel to my stomach to try and read it beforehand. oh well. what are the chances i’ll ever dine at the french laundry? i suppose we can band together one day and go on a sisterhood pilgrimage to the promised land of good eats. don’t forget to take me if you go!
what the?! Cigarette-infused coffee custard? No one else would think to make that! Genius..
this season is pretty good. robin is out, yay-finally, and the brothers are so hot.
Thank goodness for Robin!! As for the brothers, the younger one is getting WAY to cocky for my taste! 🙂 I’m rooting for Eric Ripert’s gal-Jen!
omg. how i love to hate padma. in all honesty, i’m completely in awe and, at the same time, jealous of her beauty, confidence, and ability to dine with the best of the best. can you imagine sitting at the judges’ table with that crowd from last night’s episode? who else but padma can look like a goddess and sit with complete confidence at a table of chefs of those caliber (yeah, i know she’s a chef herself, but those were food gods!)? oh padma, how i love to hate thee.
p.s. can i have your job when you retire? or maybe when you go on maternity leave?