Diners at The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., will be able to catch a free ride to and from dinner in a BMW ActiveHybrid 7 as part of a new partnership between the luxury car maker and chef Thomas Keller.

BMW officials said the partnership was designed to introduce the new high-end vehicle — priced around $107,000 — to guests of The French Laundry, who fit the car maker’s target market.

Just mention hunting or fishing and Walter Bundy launches into stories of how harvesting nature’s quarry inspires his work as a professional chef. His understanding of the cycle of life and the consumption of its fruits taught him how ingredients should taste at their freshest. Later work with chefs such as Mark Miller and Thomas Keller further augmented his cooking expertise.


Restaurants have long provided the setting for great conversations and continue to hold an important place in American culture, said Charlie Rose, the well-known interviewer, during his keynote speech at the National Restaurant Association Restaurant, Hotel-Motel show on Sunday.

Rose, managing editor and host of The Charlie Rose Show on the Public Broadcasting System and a correspondent for 60 Minutes on CBS, told show attendees that curiosity is one thing he has in common with restaurateurs.