Chef Thomas Keller Announces Partnership with BMW

Yountville, CA and Lemont, IL – September 9, 2010…  Chef Thomas Keller today announced a new partnership with BMW of North America, which will enhance the overall guest experience at Keller’s acclaimed restaurant, The French Laundry, through the creation of a concierge service featuring the BMW ActiveHybrid 7.  The collaboration dovetails perfectly with both partners’ long-time commitment to establishing new and creative ways to elevate the premium experience.

The partnership announcement was made from the BMW Championship at Cog Hill Golf & Country Club in Lemont, IL.  Chef Keller, a guest at the tournament, played yesterday in the BMW Championship Pro-Am Tournament, which pairs 70 of the world’s top professional golfers with amateurs. 

To mark the collaboration, Keller crafted a seasonal, BMW-inspired recipe that will be featured on The French Laundry dinner menu this evening in celebration of the partnership. The dish is Four Story Hill Farm Apple Fed Pork Loin with Bratwurst, Braised Red Cabbage, Apple Dumplings and Grain Mustard Sauce. Keller and his staff were inspired by BMW’s Bavarian roots and wanted to create a delicious dish reminiscent of the foods from this area.

“As a BMW owner for more than 32 years, I’ve always appreciated the brand’s attention to precision and detail because my very first vehicle was a BMW 320i,” said Keller.  “At The French Laundry, we’re always seeking out ways to heighten our guests’ experience, and so I am delighted to be able to work with BMW to establish a concierge car for the restaurant, for those guests that wish to add a new element to their dining experience with us.”

The BMW ActiveHybrid 7 is the world’s fastest hybrid and brings together luxury, speed and fuel efficiency.  The new BMW concierge service at The French Laundry will be offered to restaurant guests on a limited basis as available. 

“The number one hobby and interest of BMW customers is fine dining, which makes a partnership with Thomas Keller and The French Laundry a natural fit,” said Tom Kowaleski, Vice President Corporate Communications, BMW of North America. “We look forward to working together with Thomas and his company to identify and develop future opportunities to expand this partnership.”

About The French Laundry

The French Laundry opened in 1994 and is housed in a rustic two-story stone cottage dating back to the late 1800’s. The restaurant offers a 64-seat dining room, a semi-private dining room, a salon, outdoor garden and wine cellar.

Showcasing American cuisine with distinct French nuances, the restaurant offers two prix fixe tasting menus which change daily; a nine-course Chef’s Tasting Menu and a nine-course Tasting of Seasonal Vegetables.  Each menu reflects Keller’s distinct approach, combining the finest, seasonal ingredients with modern culinary techniques to create dynamic flavor combinations.  Extending beyond the plate, the restaurant exemplifies an intense focus on impeccable service to create an overall exceptional experience for guests.

The restaurant has received numerous top honors and accolades, including a five star rating by the prestigious Mobil/Forbes Travel Guide, annually since 1999; “Outstanding Restaurant Award” by the James Beard Foundation in 2006; and a three star rating from The Michelin Guide San Francisco 2009 for the third consecutive year. His New York City-based Per Se has received the same honor, making Thomas Keller the only American-born chef to have two three-starred Michelin restaurants.

For more information about The French Laundry, please visit www.frenchlaundry.com.

BMW Group In America

BMW of North America, LLC has been present in the United States since 1975.  Rolls-Royce Motor Cars NA, LLC began distributing vehicles in 2003.  The BMW Group in the United States has grown to include marketing, sales, and financial service organizations for the BMW brand of motor vehicles, including motorcycles, the MINI brand, and the Rolls-Royce brand of Motor Cars; DesignworksUSA, a strategic design consultancy in California; a technology office in Silicon Valley and various other operations throughout the country.  BMW Manufacturing Co., LLC in South Carolina is part of BMW Group’s global manufacturing network and is the exclusive manufacturing plant for all X5 Sports Activity Vehicles and X6 Sports Activity Coupes.  The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the U.S. through networks of 338 BMW passenger car centers, 336 BMW

Sports Activity Vehicle centers, 143 BMW motorcycle retailers, 99 MINI passenger car dealers, and 31 Rolls-Royce Motor Car dealers.  BMW (US) Holding Corp., the BMW Group’s sales headquarters for North America, is located in Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.

Information about BMW Group products is available to consumers via the internet at:

www.bmwgroupna.com. Consumers can also follow BMW of North America at www.facebook.com/BMWUSA. Additional BMW Championship information, videos and photos are available at www.bmwusanews.com/BMWChampionship.

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Journalist note: Information about the BMW Group and its products is available to journalists on-line at the BMW Group PressClub at the following address: www.press.bmwna.com.  Additional information, images and video may be found at www.bmwusanews.com.  Broadcast quality video footage is available via The NewsMarket at www.thenewsmarket.com.

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