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Iconic US chef Thomas Keller yesterday became a chevalier (knight) in the French Legion of Honour, the highest decoration in France at a ceremony held at his restaurant Per Se in New York. I caught up with the multi-Michelin-starred chef

You are only the third American - and the first man - after Julia Child and Alice Waters - to be accepted into the French Legion of Honour. How do you feel?
It's a great honour to have the recognition from the French Government and a dream beyond anything I have ever had. I'm also very proud to be the first [American] man (laughs).

How did this come about?
You have to be nominated by someone and Daniel Boulud nominated me. I also had written support from chefs like Alice Waters and Jacques Pépin and [wine writer] Robert Parker. I also had to write a letter supporting my nomination, which then went to French president Nicolas Sarkozy who reviews and decides who is accepted into the Legion of Honour.

Tell us about the award ceremony.
Once you are notified you then get to decide where you want to have your ceremony and who you want to bestow the medal on you. Paul Bocuse was visiting the United States so I asked him to do it at my restaurant Per Se in New York. The French Ambassador to the USA was also there to speak for the French Government as was Pépin and Alain Ducasse had a message from the French Minister of Agriculture.

How much of an inspiration has Paul Bocuse been to you?
He has been a huge inspiration to so many chefs' careers, especially mine. He defines the modern chef and he brought the chef out of the kitchen everywhere around the world.

You're going to run a pop-up restaurant at London department store Harrods later this year. Tell us more.
At the moment we're still in discussions but if - and it's a big if - it goes ahead it will run for ten days in the fall. Harrods are sending some of their team over to the French Laundry to work with us this month so that they understand what we're about. There has to be a synergy between them and us.

Would you consider opening a permanent restaurant in London?
I've not really considered it so it's too early to say.

Iconic US chef Thomas Keller is to become a chevalier (knight) in the French Legion of Honour.

Keller, who is the only US chef to run two three-Michelin-starred restaurants (the French Laundry in California and Per Se in New York), is the first American man to have been deemed worthy of the title.

He joins an elite group of culinary French ambassadors to the USA: TV cook and author Julia Child and Alice Waters, chef patron of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, California.

Keller was nominated by fellow three-Michelin-starred chef and friend Daniel Boulud, with written support by chefs Jacques Pépin, André Soltner and Paul Bocuse as well as wine writer Robert Parker.

Bocuse, a commodore (commander) of the Legion of Honour, will pin the rosette on his lapel at Per Se on 29 March, according to the LA Times.

The French Legion of Honour was first established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is the highest decoration in France. It is divided into five various degrees: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer) and Grand Croix (Grand Cross).