Every fancy restaurant in America dreams of a Michelin star. It's the ultimate badge of honor. Two stars? To dream of two stars is reckless. And three, almost

delusional. There are only 13 restaurants in the United States that have ever gotten a

three-star rating by Michelin.

Two out of those 13 belong to Thomas Keller.

He's the chef owner of French laundry in Yontville, California, and per se in Manhattan.

Thomas Keller, of course course is an amazing chef and restaurateur, but of all

the lessons on his path to awesome, he learned the most important ones he says when he was a dishwasher.

Thomas Keller is the subject of this episode of what it takes, a podcast about passion,

vision, and perseverance from the Academy of Achievement, though honestly Keller isn't

too keen on passion.

You'll find out why in a bit.

I'm Alice Winkler. I'm Alice Winkler.

Had a maid, this child is gifted.

And I heard that enough that I started to believe it.

If you have the opportunity, not a perfect opportunity and you don't take it, you may never have another job.

It all was so clear. It was just like the picture started to form itself.

There was no way in which a lie could prevail over the truth, darkness

over light, death over life. Every day I wake up and decide today I'm going to love my life. Decide.

My advice is if they're going to break your leg once when you go in that place, stay out of there.

And then along come these differential experiences

that you don't look for, you don't plan for,

but boy you better not miss them. I began my career at 15 in front of a Hobart dishwasher. My mother ran restaurants when I was a child. I was the youngest of five boys. My father was also in the military, so we traveled around a lot.

...