Hardware Podcasts

Chef and Restaurateur: Thomas Keller

How I Built This · 29 May 2023 · 1h 15m

What this episode covers

Thomas Keller, the acclaimed chef behind The French Laundry and Per Se, recounts his 40-year journey from a dishwasher in Florida to owning a multi-million dollar culinary empire. He details the failures of his early ventures, Raoul's and an unnamed Florida restaurant, which taught him the critical importance of business structure and hiring experts like general manager Laura Cunningham. Keller explains how he raised $1.2 million to buy The French Laundry despite having no savings, his philosophy on ingredient sourcing and labor costs, and his transition from line cook to owner focused on succession planning.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Products
The French Laundry, Per Se, Bouchon Bistro, Raoul's, Evo, La Rivière, Polo Lounge
Also
Gelson's, New York Times, Yelp

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