My topic: Four Famous Chefs from 1890's-1920's
1890’s – Auguste
Escoffier, aka “chef of kings”, worked at the Savoy Hotel, invented recipes
for “peche Melba” (peach melba) and “Melba Toast”(in honor of Australian singer
Nellie Melba). Wrote and published Le Guide Culinaire in which he include
with the recipes the cooking techniques with approaches to kitchen management
and organization. His cookbook’s success helped to popularize and update
traditional French cooking methods.
1900’s – Fannie
Merritt Farmer, from a wealthy Boston family, was expected to go to college
but at age 16 suffered a paralytic stroke. Due to a slow recovery she remained at
home and took up cooking. She eventually turned her mother’s home into a
boarding house that became well known for Farmer’s excellent food. This success enabled her to begin
teaching and she helped to write the The Boston
Cooking School Cook Book. In 1902 she created Miss Farmer’s School of
Cookery and wrote her own cookbook. Farmer provided scientific explanations of
the chemical processes that occur in food during cooking. She also helped to
standardize the system of measurements used in cooking in the USA.
1910’s – Ettore
Boiardi, in 1916 started cooking at the Plaza
Hotel – New York but left after a fight with his chef brother. At age 24,
his entrepreneurial spirit helped him to open his first restaurant Il Giardino d’Italia Cafe in Cleveland,
Ohio’s Little Italy. The patrons frequently asked for samples and
recipes of his spaghetti sauce, which he gave to customers in old milk bottles.
1920’s – George
Rector was a successful restaurateur, raconteur and authority on food. He
wrote several cookbooks in the 1920’s and had his own radio show “Dine with
George Rector” on the Columbia Broadcasting System. In 1928 he was retained as
the Director of Dining Car Cuisine on
the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Pacific Railroad.
