Star chef Thomas Keller feasts at Michelin-recognized Houston restaurant

It isn’t every day that the dean of American chefs dines at a Houston restaurant, but that’s what happened Sunday, October 18 when culinary superstar Thomas Keller visited Baso in the Heights.

Best known for his restaurants The French Laundry in Yountville, California and Per Se in New York City, both of which hold three Michelin stars, Keller has won multiple James Beard Awards, including the highly covered prizes for Outstanding Chef and Outstanding Restaurateur. The French Laundry held the No. 1 spot in the World’s 50 Best in both 2003 and 2004. Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table profiled him in a 2025 episode.

Baso co-executive chef Max Lappe tells CultureMap that Charles Carroll, executive chef of the River Oaks Country Club, sent an email to let the restaurant know that Keller wanted to visit while he was in town.

“I slapped my laptop shut and my heart sank into my ankles,” Lappe says “I felt like I was going to collapse. It was a feeling I rarely experience, just the mail, how much excitement it brought me.”