' The second, he says, 'I want you to get Thomas Keller to be the president.

WSJ: Celebrity Chef's Franco-American Quest

In The French Laundry Cookbook, culinary lion Thomas Keller offers a tomato sorbet recipe served with a tomato tartare.

NPR: Cranking Up Savory Sorbet

Celebrity chef Thomas Keller at Bouchon in Los Angeles recently replaced his foie gras dog biscuits with ones made from chicken livers.

WSJ: California Gorges on Foie Gras Ahead of Ban

Understated and modern, Corey Lee's Benu exudes the gravitas you'd expect from the former chef de cuisine at Thomas Keller's the French Laundry.

WSJ: San Francisco: Culinary Capital

But many of the world's most talented chefs, such as the French Laundry's Thomas Keller, are firm believers in an open approach to innovation.

WSJ: In Praise of the Copycats: The Knockoff Economy

And in the little town of Yountville, they'll find Thomas Keller, who used to be a big city chef in New York and Los Angeles.

CNN: Dining in California's wine country

" Artisan published chef Thomas Keller's "The French Laundry Cookbook.

WSJ: Publishing company founder Workman dies at 74

Second, the four of us each reached into our networks to solicit names from other savvy insiders (special thanks to president of the James Beard Foundation Susan Ungaro, Rick Tramonto, Thomas Keller and Anthony Giglio, among many others).

FORBES: 30 Under 30: Food & Wine

Plus, there's always Saturday night company, when you can prep the crazy sandwich recipe that Thomas Keller cooked up for Adam Sandler's chef character in the movie "Spanglish" the BLT with melted cheese and a fried egg, also known as the greatest sandwich in the history of cinema.

WSJ: A Real Man's Place Is in the Kitchen by Daniel Duane