Hubert Keller

Mandalay Bay

Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay

Growing up over the family patisserie in a village in Alsace, Hubert’s passion for the culinary arts was inspired at an early age. Here, he discovered the rhythms of the seasons and the wonders of fresh produce from the fields. Some of the greatest French chefs – Paul Haeberlin, Gaston Lenôtre, Paul Bocuse, Roger Vergé—recognized his exceptional talent and selected him as a prime apprentice. For nearly 10 years, Hubert far exceeded his mentors’ expectations while working in their kitchens throughout France and South America. In 1982, he came to San Francisco to open a new restaurant, Sutter 500, for Vergé. He was immediately enchanted by San Francisco and the city was equally captivated with him.

Twenty years later, Hubert Keller continues to make San Francisco his home with his wife, Chantal, and partner Maurice Rouas, where he is the executive chef/owner of Fleur de Lys, the preeminent French restaurant in the city and one of the finest restaurants in the country. Dining beneath Fleur de Lys’ colorful French canopy of over 900 yards of custom fabric designed by Chantal Keller, is a dramatic and romantic experience, and serves to heighten the experience of Keller’s dazzling food and genuine charm. The restaurant has played host to countless entertainment stars, powerful political and business leaders, tourists, and locals. Hubert has received every major gastronomic award and Fleur de Lys has continuously maintained its 4-star rating — the only restaurant in San Francisco to do so.

In 2004, Chef Keller was invited by Mandalay Bay Hotel & Resort to open two distinctive restaurants in Las Vegas. At the elegant signature Fleur de Lys Restaurant and Lounge, he offers contemporary French cuisine for which he has become so famous-- but Vegas is Vegas, after all-- so he creates playful dishes like "blackjack" of cod brandade—arranged to look like playing cards. At Burger Bar, he serves the finest organic and free-range beef, lamb, turkey and salmon burgers—and a $60 Kobe beef burger with fresh sautéed foie gras and black truffles. Both venues have become immediately popular with locals who are extremely talented at finding the best places to eat.

A truly original cuisine has emerged from Hubert Keller’s rich and varied career. He observes classic French principles and maintains a California-style commitment to health while incorporating the culinary traditions of Alsace, Brazil and San Francisco. Accordingly, he pioneered a 6-course vegetarian menu for Fleur de Lys making it the first fine dining American restaurant to offer this option. Keller maximizes the intrinsic goodness of pure flavors and high quality ingredients while keeping most of his recipes low fat. His healthful cuisine led Dr. Dean Ornish, noted cardiologist to ask Chef Keller to contribute recipes for the New York Times bestseller, Eat More, Weigh Less. Chef Keller was also honored as the first invited guest chef in White House history and personally cooked for President Bill Clinton.

Chef Keller and Fleur de Lys, San Francisco have received critical acclaim from many notable food and wine critics. John Mariani, Esquire Magazine, proclaimed it as his "pick for restaurant of the year." Wine Spectator rated Fleur de Lys as the “second best restaurant in the world.” The New York Times rated Fleur de Lys as becoming "arguably the top French dining room in the city" while Michael Bauer, executive food and wine editor, San Francisco Chronicle wrote “anyone who claims that Fleur de Lys is the best restaurant in San Francisco would get support in my book”. Food & Wine named Chef Keller as one of the “Ten Best Chefs in America”. He has garnered numerous accolades including the James Beard Foundation Award for American Express Best Chef California, Food & Wine’s Top 25 Restaurants in America, and Nation’s Restaurant News DiRona Award. He also was inducted in to the D'ARTAGNAN/CERVENA WHO'S WHO OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE IN AMERICA,” one of only 5 recipients honored for culinary excellence in 2003.

The new destination restaurant, Fleur de Lys Las Vegas has also earned rave reviews from food and restaurant critics. Heidi Knapp Rinella of the Las Vegas Review Journal calls it “the showpiece of Mandalay Bay” and “perfection”. John Curtas of KNPR exclaimed “If Fleur de Lys isn't the best restaurant in town right now, I'll eat a pound of rancid headcheese.” In 2005, Bon Appétit magazine named Fleur de Lys as one of “the nation’s Hot 50 restaurants” and the restaurant was featured on Fox Sunday Magazine Show (March 27, 2005) as “one of the hottest new restaurants in Las Vegas.”

Keller is internationally renown for his innovation and creativity and has long been considered a “Chef’s chef”. His restaurants are frequent gathering spots for local chefs and chefs from around the globe. Chef Keller is also known for his generosity and support for a wide range of educational, charitable and community events around the country including PBS, Make a Wish Foundation, Taste of the Nation, and Share Our Strength.

He is the author of The Cuisine of Hubert Keller published by Ten Speed Press (Berkeley, California, 1996) and has begun work on a second book.