Thomas Keller's Master Class. That's a Wrap!

This week, Yahoo Food hosted the very first installment of its “Master Class” series, in which we explore the worlds of food's brightest stars. What better way to kick off than with Chef Thomas Keller, the mastermind behind The French Laundry and Per Se.

From our stories — which covered everything from Keller’s enviable culinary garden to his recipe for blowtorched prime rib to his all-time favorite butter — we learned that the legendary chef values several attributes: attention to detail, teamwork, persistence, and a risk-taking attitude.

Risk-tasking, especially, is a theme in all of Keller’s stories. After all, his 1994 purchase of a small local restaurant in Yountville, Calif., called The French Laundry was a gamble. So was former employee Lena Kwak’s decision to approach him with a business venture, which resulted in the founding of the gluten-free flour line Cup4Cup. And Eli Kaimeh, the current chef de cuisine at Per Se, wouldn’t have his job if, years ago, he hadn’t cornered his former boss, Chef Jonathan Benno, in a walk-in cooler and asked for a job.

Here’s a look at some of our favorite corners of the Keller universe.