In July 2003, Chef Thomas Keller opened the doors of his first Bouchon Bakery. Located in Yountville, California, alongside Keller's Bouchon Bistro and just down the road from The French Laundry, Bouchon Bakery was first conceived as a way to provide these restaurants with one-of-a-kind breads.

Where did Bouchon originate?

The tradition of bouchons came from small inns visited by silk workers passing through Lyon in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. According to the dictionary Le petit Robert, this name derives from the 16th century expression for a bunch of twisted straw.

Why is it called a bouchon?

A bouchon is a small, family-run bistro that serves hearty meals. ... They derived their name because the term bouchon was used then to describe the twisted straw brushes used to clean the horses. Each of these restaurants typically served only one main plate, such as roast pork, cheese with herbs, sausages, or duck pate.