My Favorite Cigar
Thomas Keller • Michelin-starred chef • Davidoff Winston Churchill The Late Hour
His Calotte de Boeuf is legendary. His Oysters & Pearls are ethereal. And his tasting menus tend to bring a new definition to the phrase “fine dining.” The man in question is chef Thomas Keller, and if you’ve never experienced his high-level cooking, than your culinary education is incomplete. Between The French Laundry in Napa’s wine country and Per Se in New York City, he’s the only American chef to earn three Michelin stars at two restaurants simultaneously. (Keller has another Michelin star for his Surf Club restaurant in Miami as well.) Per Se and The French Laundry also hold the Grand Award (the highest restaurant accolade) from Wine Spectator magazine, the sister publication to Cigar Aficionado.
When he isn’t in the kitchen, Keller is actively sourcing the best ingredients available, locating peak produce and top-quality fish, fowl and game. Naturally, Keller is as discerning about his cigars. While the 67-year-old’s cigar tastes are diverse, he finds himself returning to the Davidoff Winston Churchill The Late Hour, which is rolled in the Dominican Republic.
