# The French Laundry

**The French Laundry** is a three-Michelin-star fine dining restaurant at 6640 Washington Street in Yountville, in California's Napa Valley, owned by chef [Thomas Keller](https://www.edgepedia.org/thomas-keller) since 1994 and known for its daily-changing tasting menus built on classical French technique with Californian ingredients.<sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.menuomics.com/breakdowns/french-laundry)</sup> It occupies a 19th-century stone building that began life as a French steam laundry, and it is widely described as one of the most difficult reservations in the world to obtain.<sup>[3](https://registration.forbestravelguide.com/restaurants/napa-california/the-french-laundry)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | 6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599<sup>[4](https://thomaskeller-reservation.com/reservations/)</sup> |
| Keller era | Thomas Keller bought and reopened the restaurant in July 1994<sup>[5](https://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/shawg/courses/180/articles/thomas_keller_laundry.pdf)</sup> |
| Michelin standing | Three Michelin stars since 2006; listed among California's three-star restaurants in the 2025 guide<sup>[2](https://www.menuomics.com/breakdowns/french-laundry)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://guide.michelin.com/ca/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/michelin-guide-california-stars-green-stars)</sup> |
| World's 50 Best | Ranked No. 1 in 2003 and 2004; No. 68 on the 2017 list after falling to No. 85 in 2016<sup>[7](https://www.eater.com/2018/1/8/16862652/the-french-laundry-four-star-review-san-francisco-chronicle-michael-bauer)</sup> |
| Menus | Two nine-course tasting menus daily, the Chef's Tasting Menu and the Tasting of Vegetables; no single ingredient is repeated within a meal<sup>[8](https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/restaurant/the-french-laundry/)</sup> |
| Base price | $425 per person in the main dining room, prepaid, plus add-ons; courtyard and private rooms run $525 to $600<sup>[4](https://thomaskeller-reservation.com/reservations/)</sup> |
| Hours | Lunch Friday to Sunday, 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM; dinner daily, 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM<sup>[4](https://thomaskeller-reservation.com/reservations/)</sup> |

## The building and the Schmitt years

The restaurant occupies an 1890 stone building in Yountville that began as a French steam laundry; after its laundry days it served at various times as a residence and, at one point, a brothel.<sup>[3](https://registration.forbestravelguide.com/restaurants/napa-california/the-french-laundry)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://list.msu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A3=ind1803&B=--_012_BN6PR1201MB0241AD1A79B10A9F5CCA6F8594D10BN6PR1201MB0241_&E=base64&L=MSU-SHB&N=The+French+Laundry+Informational+Packet.pdf&P=3322400&T=application%2Fpdf%3B+name%3D%22The+French+Laundry+Informational+Packet.pdf%22&XSS=3&attachment=q)</sup>

**Sally Schmitt** founded the restaurant under the same name with her husband Don Schmitt in 1977, and she was its original chef.<sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup> The Schmitts served meals in a format similar to [Chez Panisse](https://www.edgepedia.org/chez-panisse), with one set menu that changed nightly.<sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup> Keller visited Yountville to see the property in the spring of 1992, and the sale to him followed.<sup>[9](https://list.msu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A3=ind1803&B=--_012_BN6PR1201MB0241AD1A79B10A9F5CCA6F8594D10BN6PR1201MB0241_&E=base64&L=MSU-SHB&N=The+French+Laundry+Informational+Packet.pdf&P=3322400&T=application%2Fpdf%3B+name%3D%22The+French+Laundry+Informational+Packet.pdf%22&XSS=3&attachment=q)</sup>

## Thomas Keller's restaurant

Keller had trained in restaurants in France and New York and ran a Manhattan restaurant called Rakel that failed in 1990; he had moved to France in 1983 and worked in kitchens including Guy Savoy and Taillevent.<sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://registration.forbestravelguide.com/restaurants/napa-california/the-french-laundry)</sup> He opened The French Laundry under his ownership on a warm July evening in 1994, initially offering a four- or five-course dinner with options in every category before concentrating on tasting menus that opened with a flurry of whimsical small bites.<sup>[5](https://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/shawg/courses/180/articles/thomas_keller_laundry.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup>

His cooking melded European technique with dishes embedded in American food culture. Early hits included his take on "coffee and doughnuts" (cappuccino semifreddo with hot cinnamon-and-sugar-coated orbs), "surf and turf" with monkfish tail and braised oxtails, and a "Caesar salad" of Parmigiano-Reggiano custards. The approach gave [French cuisine](https://www.edgepedia.org/french-cuisine) a place of honor at a time when "New American" was the restaurant mantra.<sup>[1](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)</sup> The dish Oysters and Pearls, a spoonful of caviar, oysters, and tapioca pearls, remains a fixture of the menu and one of the restaurant's most famous dishes.<sup>[10](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/french-laundry-17488932.php/)</sup>

The restaurant's standing has been durable. It held the No. 1 spot on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in 2003 and 2004, and Keller's New York counterpart [Per Se](https://www.edgepedia.org/per-se-restaurant), opened in 2004, made him the first and only American-born chef to hold multiple three-star ratings from the [Michelin Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/michelin-guide).<sup>[7](https://www.eater.com/2018/1/8/16862652/the-french-laundry-four-star-review-san-francisco-chronicle-michael-bauer)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[11](https://www.iwfs.org/assets/upload/images/2025napa/Napa_Booklet_final.pdf)</sup> A years-long, $10 million renovation, with a courtyard planted with Japanese maples and white climbing roses and a billowing white ceiling inspired by an unfurled tablecloth, was completed around 2017; [Chronicle](https://www.edgepedia.org/chronicle) critic Michael Bauer awarded the restaurant four stars again that year and called it "reinvigorated."<sup>[7](https://www.eater.com/2018/1/8/16862652/the-french-laundry-four-star-review-san-francisco-chronicle-michael-bauer)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[12](https://www.vogue.com/article/the-french-laundry-renovation-thomas-keller-courtyard)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[13](https://queencitytours.com/trendmagazine/pdf/2025/winter-2025/top-10-travel-destinations/top-10-best-restaurants-worldwide-the-luxury-travel-expert-travel-destinations-trend-magazine-online-winter-dec-2024.pdf)</sup>

## Sourcing and the kitchen garden

Keller expanded the restaurant's modest kitchen garden into a three-acre smallholding directly across Washington Street, from which the kitchen sources much of its produce.<sup>[13](https://queencitytours.com/trendmagazine/pdf/2025/winter-2025/top-10-travel-destinations/top-10-best-restaurants-worldwide-the-luxury-travel-expert-travel-destinations-trend-magazine-online-winter-dec-2024.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/yountville/restaurant/the-french-laundry?millesime=2025)</sup> He also maintains a strict locavore policy, trying to source almost everything served from the Napa Valley.<sup>[3](https://registration.forbestravelguide.com/restaurants/napa-california/the-french-laundry)</sup> The two daily tasting menus are flavored with herbs and vegetables from the garden, and the kitchen's rule is that no single ingredient is ever repeated within a meal, so that each course brings a surprise.<sup>[8](https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/restaurant/the-french-laundry/)</sup> Diners at the same table may choose independently between the Chef's Tasting Menu and the Tasting of Vegetables.<sup>[15](https://www.luxurytravelstandard.com/dining/french-laundry-yountville/)</sup>

## Reservations and cost

Reservations are prepaid and released in batches through the Tock platform; at a recent release, bookings opened through September 30, 2026, with new reservations released on September 1, 2026 at 1:00 PM.<sup>[4](https://thomaskeller-reservation.com/reservations/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[16](https://www.exploretock.com/tfl)</sup> The main dining room seats parties of 1 to 7 at $425 per person plus add-ons; the outdoor Courtyard Dining Room (parties of 4 to 7) is $525; the Bay Laurel Tree Table, the second-floor Private Dining Room, and the Board Room are $600 per person, with party sizes from 6 to 12 depending on the room. Special events run higher: a Black Truffle and Regiis Ova Caviar dinner was priced at $1,200 per person.<sup>[4](https://thomaskeller-reservation.com/reservations/)</sup> A full deposit equal to the menu price is required at booking.<sup>[15](https://www.luxurytravelstandard.com/dining/french-laundry-yountville/)</sup>

The scarcity of tables has produced a resale market. A Facebook group exists largely for trading reservations, and members describe getting into the restaurant that way, treating any social discomfort as a small price for a seat.<sup>[10](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/french-laundry-17488932.php/)</sup>

## Reception

Opinion on whether the meal justifies its price divides. In a 2022 [San Francisco Chronicle](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-francisco-chronicle) poll following critic Soleil Ho's review, more than 15,000 people voted, with 74 percent saying the restaurant was not worth the splurge and 26 percent saying it was; some respondents called the food "dated," while others defended it as an important fixture in American gastronomy where young cooks train to become culinary stars.<sup>[17](https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2022/is-french-laundry-worth-splurge/)</sup> The restaurant nonetheless continues to hold three Michelin stars in the California guide and places on international rankings; La Liste's 2025 analysis of reviews and guidebooks put it among the highest-placed American restaurants.<sup>[6](https://guide.michelin.com/ca/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/michelin-guide-california-stars-green-stars)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[18](https://www.the-independent.com/travel/north-america/usa/best-restaurants-in-the-usa-b2742458.html)</sup>

The kitchen has also functioned as a training ground. Alumni include Bobby Stuckey, who left the restaurant as a newly minted Master Sommelier to open Frasca Food and Wine in [Boulder, Colorado](https://www.edgepedia.org/boulder-colorado), and chefs such as Prashanth Sadhu, who carried stints at The French Laundry, [Noma](https://www.edgepedia.org/noma-restaurant), and [Alinea](https://www.edgepedia.org/alinea-restaurant) into fine-dining Indian tasting menus in Mumbai.<sup>[19](https://www.decanter.com/wine/usa/katherine-cole-why-boulder-in-colorado-is-a-secret-wine-haven/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[20](https://time.com/6992383/naar/)</sup> As of the mid-2020s, Ara Jo leads the kitchen as chef de cuisine, working closely with Keller.<sup>[11](https://www.iwfs.org/assets/upload/images/2025napa/Napa_Booklet_final.pdf)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/restaurant/the-french-laundry/)</sup>

## References

1. [The Road to the 38: The French Laundry in Yountville, Eater (2014)](https://www.eater.com/2014/6/10/6209779/the-road-to-the-38-the-french-laundry-in-yountville)
2. [How Much Is The French Laundry? Menuomics](https://www.menuomics.com/breakdowns/french-laundry)
3. [The French Laundry, Forbes Travel Guide](https://registration.forbestravelguide.com/restaurants/napa-california/the-french-laundry)
4. [Reservations, The French Laundry](https://thomaskeller-reservation.com/reservations/)
5. [Wine Spectator profile of Thomas Keller (via CSUS course reader)](https://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/shawg/courses/180/articles/thomas_keller_laundry.pdf)
6. [All The Stars From The MICHELIN Guide California 2025, MICHELIN Guide](https://guide.michelin.com/ca/en/article/michelin-guide-ceremony/michelin-guide-california-stars-green-stars)
7. [The French Laundry's Still Got It, According to the SF Chronicle, Eater (2018)](https://www.eater.com/2018/1/8/16862652/the-french-laundry-four-star-review-san-francisco-chronicle-michael-bauer)
8. [The French Laundry Restaurant, Relais & Châteaux](https://www.relaischateaux.com/us/restaurant/the-french-laundry/)
9. [The French Laundry Informational Packet (MSU list archive)](https://list.msu.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A3=ind1803&B=--_012_BN6PR1201MB0241AD1A79B10A9F5CCA6F8594D10BN6PR1201MB0241_&E=base64&L=MSU-SHB&N=The+French+Laundry+Informational+Packet.pdf&P=3322400&T=application%2Fpdf%3B+name%3D%22The+French+Laundry+Informational+Packet.pdf%22&XSS=3&attachment=q)
10. [Is the French Laundry in Napa Valley still worth the splurge? San Francisco Chronicle](https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/french-laundry-17488932.php/)
11. [Thomas Keller biography, International Wine & Food Society Napa booklet](https://www.iwfs.org/assets/upload/images/2025napa/Napa_Booklet_final.pdf)
12. [The French Laundry's New Look? A Culinary Garden of Eden, Vogue](https://www.vogue.com/article/the-french-laundry-renovation-thomas-keller-courtyard)
13. [Top 10 Best Restaurants Worldwide, The Luxury Travel Expert trend magazine (2024)](https://queencitytours.com/trendmagazine/pdf/2025/winter-2025/top-10-travel-destinations/top-10-best-restaurants-worldwide-the-luxury-travel-expert-travel-destinations-trend-magazine-online-winter-dec-2024.pdf)
14. [The French Laundry, MICHELIN Guide restaurant page](https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/yountville/restaurant/the-french-laundry?millesime=2025)
15. [The French Laundry Yountville: Keller's Three Stars at Thirty-Two, Luxury Travel Standard](https://www.luxurytravelstandard.com/dining/french-laundry-yountville/)
16. [The French Laundry, Tock](https://www.exploretock.com/tfl)
17. [Is the French Laundry 'overhyped' or 'worth it'? San Francisco Chronicle (2022)](https://www.sfchronicle.com/projects/2022/is-french-laundry-worth-splurge/)
18. [25 best restaurants in the USA ranked, The Independent (2025)](https://www.the-independent.com/travel/north-america/usa/best-restaurants-in-the-usa-b2742458.html)
19. [Katherine Cole: Why Boulder in Colorado is a 'secret' wine haven, Decanter](https://www.decanter.com/wine/usa/katherine-cole-why-boulder-in-colorado-is-a-secret-wine-haven/)
20. [Naar, TIME](https://time.com/6992383/naar/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Food, customs, and everyday culture › Food, cooking and hospitality › Restaurants, chefs, and culinary practice › Named restaurants (individual venues) › Michelin-starred and award-recognized restaurants*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*

License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license