Thomas Keller

The chef at the stellar French Laundry and Per Se, Keller does ten private events annually, often making specialties like cornet of marinated Atlantic salmon, sabayon of pearl tapioca with oysters and sevruga caviar, butter-poached Maine lobster and Australian wagyu beef. One recent 50th birthday dinner he prepared for clients in Ponte Vedra, Fla., featured a nine-course tasting menu, plus gift packages of chocolates and macaroons for the guests and next-morning breakfast pastries for the hosts.

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