Crenn's experience on the family farm, his mother's cooking and his visits to high-profile restaurants inspired his culinary tastes. Dissuaded by the French culinary scene dominated by men, she obtained a bachelor's degree in economics and a master's degree in international business.

Crenn moved to the United States to pursue his culinary aspirations and landed in San Francisco in the late 1980s. His first place in a restaurant was in Stars , a prominent restaurant in the city run by the famous chef Jeremiah Tower . After two years, he went to work at restaurants such as Campton Place, 2223 Market and Yoyo Bistro at the Miyako Hotel before serving as the restaurant's main chef at the Intercontinental Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia. She was the first Indonesian head chef , but was forced to flee the country during civil unrest in 1998.

Upon returning to the United States, he became executive chef at Manhattan Country Club in Manhattan Beach, Los Angeles and then at Adobe Restaurant and Lounge in Santa Monica.

In 2008, the management of the Intercontinental Hotel offered her a new position, and she joined Luce in San Francisco, where she received her first Michelin star in 2009, and received another one-star ranking next year.

In 2011, he opened his Atelier Crenn restaurant in San Francisco , California. The Michelin Guide gave the restaurant a two-star rating, making Crenn the first female chef to receive two stars in the United States. Atelier Crenn was again awarded with two stars in 2014.

It was awarded the Best Chef Award in 2016 for the 50 Best Restaurant Awards in the world . [5] Crenn appeared in Season 2 of Chef's Table, a series of documentary films about Netflix. In 2018, Crenn won his third Michelin star .

Petit Crenn , inspired by its childhood food in Brittany, opened in 2015. In 2016, Crenn announced plans to open Bar Crenn, a wine bar with small plates, next to Atelier Crenn. In March 2018, Bar Crenn opened its doors.

In 2018, Crenn received the James Beard Foundation Award for Best Chef: West.

Chef Dominique Crenn sees herself as an artist , referring to her "poetic culinary" dishes. Katie McLaughlin points out in a Crenn profile for The Wall Street Journal that Atelier Crenn "serves such creative, visual and conceptually inventive cuisine that has charmed and baffled critics and attracted international attention."

It is known that Crenn treats his staff well, avoiding the shouting and scrutiny that was common in professional kitchens for decades. She is also known for greeting her guests , walking from table to table to do so.