Last week on Foodistory, we talked about one of the most well known chefs and culinary journalists: Anthony Bourdain. This week we continue to explore the word chef even further
If you ask anyone on the street to name a celebrity chef, chances are they could come up with at least one or two. In fact, chefs have become so ubiquitous in popular culture that it's easy to forget that they were once relatively unknown figures. But over the past few decades, chefs have transformed from slaves in Greek times and working-class folks into the rockstars of society.
Funny enough, the slave and the “masterchef” did the same thing; cook a meal.
But thanks to the popularity of fine dining, the culinary world has grown into a buzzed-about scene. Chefs are now household names, and their restaurants are destinations for foodies from all over the world. So how did this transformation happen? Let's take a look at the rise of the celebrity chef.
It all started with Julia Child. In 1961, Child released her cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which quickly became a bestseller. Child was also one of the first chefs to bring her cooking skills to television, with her show The French Chef debuting in 1963. She quickly became a household name, and her infectious enthusiasm for food inspired Americans to start taking an interest in fine cuisine.
From there, the popularity of cooking shows exploded, and soon every major network had its own celebrity chef. Names like Gordon Ramsay, Anthony Bourdain, and Jacques Pepin became synonymous with delicious food.
And as more and more people tuned in to watch their favorite chefs cook up a storm, the demand for high-end restaurants skyrocketed. Suddenly, chefs were no longer just cooks - they were artists, innovators, and celebrities in their own right.
Today, the culinary world is more popular than ever before. Top chefs command huge salaries and can open restaurants anywhere in the world. They are featured on magazine covers and are invited to appear on talk shows and red carpets. In many ways, chefs have become the new superstars of society. And it all started with a little cookbook called Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Julia Child may be gone, but her legacy lives on - not just in her iconic dishes but in the way she changed the culinary landscape forever.
Escoffier
Before the celebrity chef, there was only one culinary master: Auguste Escoffier or as the French press refers to him the roi des cuisiniers et cuisinier des rois ("king of chefs and chef of kings)
He is credited with inventing modern cooking techniques like clarifying broth, making different sauces (e.g. sauce espagnole), and stockpotting. He is also responsible for creating the dining experience as we know it today, with well-presented food arranged on a plate in an appetizing way. His legacy continues to this day in the kitchens of top restaurants around the world.
"A cook is a man with a can opener, A chef is an artist." Escoffier
A Revolutionary Chef
Auguste Escoffier was born in Villeneuve-Loubet, France in 1846. At 13, he showed great potential as an artist but to his dismay he was quickly taken out of school by his father to work at the restaurant of his uncle; Le Restaurant Français, in Nice
When he wasn't being bullied by his uncle for the shortness of his stature, Escoffier learned how to cook under his supervision. In 1865 he was hired as a commis at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, Months after his arrival in Paris, he already had to leave Moulin Rouge to serve in the military. Here he learned how to work with preserved foods and poor ingredients.
After serving in the military and a short stine with his own restaurant in Cannes, he was brought to Monaco by César Ritz initially to run the kitchens of the Ritz in Monaco and later he was transferred with his maitre to the prestigious Savoy hotel in London.
The Rise of a Legend
The Savoy Hotel was home to a sleazy clientele. From aristocrats like the Prince of Wales and world famous artists they were all charmed by the culinary arts of Mr. Escoffier. Under his guidance the Ritz Carlton became a commercial success. Escoffier was a true artist and drew inspiration from his guests.
He dedicated “Peche Melba”, vanilla icecream with raspberry sauce and peaches, to Australian opera singer Nellie Melba. “Fraises à la Sarah Bernhardt", strawberries in curaçao wine, was dedicated to French actress Sarah Bernhardt and “Salad Rejane” to French actress Gabriella Réjane. Escoffier certainly has his taste, an artist or a chef de charme?
Escoffier’s Vision
He started working in restaurants when he was just 13 years old, and by the time he was in his 20s, he was running his own kitchens at Savoy and later The Ritz. It was here that he began to implement his vision for a new kind of dining experience.
First and foremost, Escoffier believed that restaurants should be clean and well-organized places where diners could enjoy a meal in peace and quiet. To that end, he instituted strict hygiene standards for his kitchen staff and banned shouting or other disruptive behavior. He also had a special malt brew made for his staff to keep them hydrated and sober while they worked. And most importantly he developed chef hats and handkerchiefs so that sweat would not drip into the food
Another innovation of Escoffier's was the brigade system, which is still used in many kitchens today. In the old model, chefs would cook everything and then move on to the next order. This often led to chaos in the kitchen as things got backed up. In the brigade system, there are stations for different tasks (fish, meat, sauce, vegetable, etc.), and the plate moves from station to station as it's being prepared.
This system not only helped to keep things organized; it also allowed chefs to specialize in one particular area, which made for better-quality dishes overall. With lowest on the ranking the commis who was guided by the chef de partie. The chef de partie had each their specialisations like poissonnier (fish), patissier (pastry) and rotisseur (meat and poultry) all overseen by the executive chef.
Escoffier Inventions
Probably the most important invention that Escoffier did was the invention of the mother sauce. His magnum opus was creamy and rich either in acids or glutamate. The five mother sauces are as follows
Sauce Veloté
Sauce Hollandaise
Sauce Bechamel
Sauce Tomat
Sauce Espagnole
Hundreds of “daughter” sauces are based on these mother sauces like Demi-Glace (shoutout to kitchi kitchi) and Bernaise.
Escoffier wrote eight landmark books, including his most famous, Le Guide Culinaire which is still used today and has over 5000 recipes. The Guide has been translated into English: The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery. Recipes stress using the freshest ingredients, local ingredients that are in season, and simplified preparation that allowed for flexibility.
“Above all keep it simple” Escoffier
Willhelms Blessings
The famous saying “king of chefs and chef of kings” was reportedly given to him by Kaiser Wilhelm II after Escoffier served him and one hundred and forty six German dignitaries with a more than impressive dinner. The Kaiser was impressed by the meal and wanted to meet Escoffier the next day for breakfast. During that breakfast he reportedly said to Escoffier:
“I am the Emperor of Germany, but you are the Emperor of Chefs.” Kaiser Wilhelm II