Thomas Keller is considered by many, and rightfully so, the preeminent American Chef. He has won multiple James Beard Foundation awards and is annual winner in the Top 50 Restaurants in the World. His restaurant include: The French Laundry, Bouchon, Ad Hoc, and Per Se. He has been awarded three stars (the highest rating) by the Michelin Guide for both his New York restaurant Per Se and his Napa valley restaurant The French Laundry. With these two awards he holds the distinction of being the only American chef to be awarded three stars by Michelin for two restaurants at the same time.
His passion for food is obvious and can be seen in his roasting of a simple chicken: