Casey Thompson (chef) explained

Casey Thompson (born January 21, 1984) is an American chef and restaurateur from Dallas, Texas. Between 2020 and 2024, she was the executive chef at Folktable, a restaurant in Sonoma, California.

Thompson was a contestant on , the third season of the television series Top Chef, in which she finished as runner-up and was voted Fan Favorite.^[1] She also appeared in (season 8) and (season 14), and was a guest judge in episode 7 of Top Chef Junior.^[2]

Career

Thompson's professional start came at Dallas' The Mansion Restaurant, at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, under head chef Dean Fearing,^[3] where she worked her way up from a prep cook to becoming the sous chef. She later became executive chef at Shinsei, a Pan-Asian restaurant in Dallas.

Thompson was formerly executive chef at Brownstone in Fort Worth, Texas,^[4] and, between June and November 2014, the owner of Aveline at the Warwick Hotel in San Francisco, which she named after her grandmothers.^{[5] [6] [7]}

In 2017, Thompson became executive chef at Morada, the restaurant at The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe.^[8]

She was due to open Georgette as a partner in late 2020, but it was put on hold due to COVID-19.^[9]

Thompson has also been appointed the U.S. ambassador for Terrazas de los Andes, a Moet-Hennessey brand.^[8]

Folktable

See main article: Folktable.

Between December 2020 and November 2024, Thompson was the executive chef at Folktable,^[10] a restaurant at Cornerstone Sonoma marketplace in Sonoma, California.^{[11] [12]}

In September 2021, just over a year into Thompson's time at the restaurant, it was named a Michelin Guide Bib Gourmand establishment.^[13] It retained the accolade in 2022 and 2023.^[14]

The restaurant closed in 2024, after four years in business.^[15]

Personal life

Thompson's partner is Michael DeSantis, co-owner of Harumph Wines.^[16]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Flashback Friday: A Look Back at Some of Our Favorite Female ‘Top Chef’ Contestants. June 24, 2016. March 10, 2017. Eisenberg. Dana. Mediaite.
2. https://www.bravotv.com/people/casey-thompson Casey Thompson
3. https://www.dallasobserver.com/restaurants/quizzing-brownstones-casey-thompson-on-her-idols-dead-trends-and-her-last-meal-7036419 "Quizzing Brownstone's Casey Thompson On her Idols, Dead Trends and her Last Meal"
4. https://www.forbes.com/sites/chelseadavis/2020/03/18/15-stellar-female-chefs-share-what-advice-theyd-give-to-their-younger-selves/?sh=3c3b62923e1f "17 Stellar Female Chefs Share What Advice They’d Give To Their Younger Selves"
5. https://stories.forbestravelguide.com/a-top-chef-alum-puts-a-texan-twist-on-california-cuisine "A ‘Top Chef’ Alum Puts A Texan Twist On California Cuisine"
6. https://www.mercurynews.com/2014/08/07/review-san-franciscos-aveline-unparalleled-california-cuisine/ "Review: San Francisco’s Aveline, unparalleled California cuisine"
7. https://sf.eater.com/2014/11/11/7199787/casey-thompsen-out-at-aveline "Casey Thompson Out at Aveline"
8. https://www.ranchosantafereview.com/lifestyle/sd-cm-rsf-chef-inn-20170104-story.html "Top Chef to bring new tastes, look to The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe’s Morada"
9. https://www.sonomacounty.com/blog/celebrity-chef-opens-take-out-restaurant-cornerstone-sonoma "Celebrity Chef Opens Take Out Restaurant at Cornerstone Sonoma
10. https://folktable.com/casey-thompson/ Casey Thompson
11. https://www.sonomanews.com/article/lifestyle/new-restaurant-to-open-at-cornerstone-sonoma/ "New restaurant coming to Cornerstone Sonoma"
12. https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/harvest-dinners-books-and-brews-on-tap-for-early-september/ "Harvest dinners, books and brews on tap for early September"
13. https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/california/article/news-and-views/2021-california-michelin-bib-gourmands 2021 California New MICHELIN Bib Gourmands
14. Web site: 2023-08-13 . How Sonoma’s Bib Gourmand restaurants maintain their Michelin ratings . 2023-09-02 . Sonoma Index-Tribune . en-US.
15. https://www.sfchronicle.com/food/restaurants/article/folktable-sonoma-closing-19886099.php "A 'Top Chef' Star's Wine Country Restaurant is Closing"
16. https://www.newportwineandfood.com/team_member/casey-thompson/ Casey Thompson