Thomas Keller Book Signing - Dec 1, 6 pm Oak Brook

More information here. You must purchase a copy of his Ad Hoc cookbook at Williams-Sonoma. Proof of purchase required.

Williams-Sonoma wrote:Join us at your local Williams-Sonoma store for a special book signing event as Thomas Keller signs copies of his new cookbook, ad hoc at home.

Our book signings are a unique opportunity to meet leading chefs and authors, get signed copies of the latest cookbooks, and take home fresh new ideas for cooking and entertaining.

We hope to see you there!

Please note: Thomas will only be signing copies of ad hoc at home purchased at Williams-Sonoma. Proof of purchase required.

Williams-Sonoma Oakbrook
Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 6:00pm
142 Oakbrook Center, Oakbrook, IL 60523
(630) 571-2702

Reminds me of when Keller signed our menus after eating at the French Laundry. Our server brought us to the kitchen. I was holding several of the menus and Keller asked to whom he should sign them. For one of them, I said "Kris, spelled K-R-I-S". He proceeded to sign it to "Chris". Plus, he signed over the list of food, not on the a blank area. Oh well.

Keller was very nice and was a very conscientious speller. The line was a lot longer than I expected, but I met a nice woman who worked in a Lake Forest kitchen. The store didn't seem equipped to handle the traffic and the line reached outside and then some.

Had I known about his signing at the Borders on State St., I could have made the line 3 books shorter.

The State Street Border's signing was very efficient -- post-it notes and markers were passed around so we could write the name for personalization. The line was long, but Chef Keller was very gracious, as was the crowd.

Very nice looking handwriting.

Another X-Mas gift finished!

Was he personalizing other books of his on the State St. signing? He did in Oak Brook, which was nice since I had been stalking a copy of Bouchon after trying the Salmon Rillettes a few weeks ago.

Although I did not actually see most of the book signing -- we were in a line snaked around the stacks -- I thought I saw him personalizing several books for some people. Before the signing, I did see some people with other books of his, but I do not know if they were given a hard time about getting them signed. I can't imagine anyone objecting. The only restriction I heard was that no books would be signed which were not yet purchased. No proof of purchase was required. It was an efficient and very trusting setup.