Georges Auguste Escoffier (October 28, 1846 (?)-February 12, 1935) was a French chef, restaurateur and culinary writer who popularized and updated traditional French cooking methods. October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1935 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... A chef (also executive chef or chef de cuisine), from the French for chief or head person, is the executive in charge of a kitchen, responsible for recipe and menu creation, staff training, and overseeing all cooking. ... Cooking is the act of preparing food for consumption. ...

He was born in the village of Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice. At the age of thirteen, despite showing early promise as an artist, he started an apprenticeship at his uncle's restaurant, Le Restaurant Français, in Nice. In 1865 he moved to Le Petit Moulin Rouge restaurant in Paris. He stayed there until the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870, when he became an army chef. His army experience led him to study the technique of canning food. Some time before 1878 he opened his own restaurant, Le Faisan d'Or (The Golden Pheasant) in Cannes. In 1880 he married Delphine Daffis. In 1884 the couple moved to Monte Carlo, where Escoffier took control of the kitchen at the Grand Hotel. During the summers he ran the kitchen of the Hotel National in Lucerne, where he met César Ritz. The two men formed a partnership and in 1890 moved to the Savoy Hotel in London. From this base they established a number of famous hotels, including the Grand Hotel in Rome, and numerous Ritz Hotels around the world. Villeneuve-Loubet is a town and commune in southeastern France, in the Alpes-Maritimes département, between Cagnes-sur-Mer and Antibes, with the mouth of the Loup River. ... City motto: Nicæa civitas. ... 1865 is a common year starting on Sunday. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... The Franco-Prussian War (July 19, 1870 – May 10, 1871) was fought between France and Prussia (backed by the North German Confederation) allied with the south German states of Baden, Bavaria and Württemberg. ... 1870 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... The seaside town of Cannes, in southern France, as seen from a ferry speeding towards lîle Saint Honorat Cannes (Canas in Provençal) (pronounced ) is a city and commune in southern France, located on the French Riviera, in the Alpes-Maritimes département. ... 1880 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1884 is a leap year starting on Tuesday (click on link to calendar). ... Monte Carlo is a very wealthy section of the city-state of Monaco known for its casino, gambling, beaches, glamour, and sightings of famous people. ... Lucerne (German: Luzern) is a city in Central Switzerland with a population of 60,274 (31 December 2003), capital of the canton of Lucerne. ... C sar Ritz (23 February 1850-26 October 1918) was a famous hotelier and founder of several hotels, most famously The Ritz Hotel. ... 1890 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... The Savoy Hotel, London The Savoy Hotel is a hotel found on the Strand, London. ... Greater London and the Regions of England. ... Location within Italy The Roman Colosseum Rome (Italian and Latin: Roma) is the capital city of Italy and of its Latium region. ...

At the London Savoy, Escoffier created many famous dishes. For example, in 1893 he invented the Pêche Melba in honour of the Australian singer Nellie Melba. Another of his creations (copied from Antoine Carême, according to some anecdotes) was Tournedos Rossini, in honour of the Italian composer Gioacchino Rossini. 1893 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A typical Pêche Melba The Pêche Melba is a classic French dessert, invented in London to honour an Australian. ... Dame Nelly Melba in role of Rosina from the Barber of Seville Dame Nellie Melba (May 19, 1861 - February 23, 1931), born Helen Porter Mitchell, was an Australian opera soprano, the first Australian to achieve international recognition in the form. ... Marie Antoine (Antonin) Carême ( June 8, 1784– January 12, 1833), was a French chef and author. ... Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (February 29, 1792 — November 13, 1868) was an Italian musical composer who wrote more than 30 operas as well as sacred music and chamber music. ...

In 1898 Escoffier and Ritz opened the Hôtel Ritz in Paris. The Carlton in London followed in 1899, where Escoffier first introduced the practice of the à la carte menu. Ritz had a nervous breakdown in 1901, leaving Escoffier to run the Carlton until 1919, shortly after Ritz's death. Hotel Ritz, Paris The Hôtel Ritz at 15 Place Vendôme in Paris, France is considered one of the worlds best hotels. ... 1899 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1901 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1919 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1902 Escoffier published his first major book, Le Guide Culinaire, containing 5,000 recipes. The importance of this book in the world of French cooking cannot be overestimated, and even today it is used as both a cookbook and textbook for classic cooking. In 1904 and 1912 Escoffier was hired to plan the kitchens for ships belonging to the cruise ship company Hamburg-Amerika Lines. On the second voyage, the Kaiser William II congratulated Escoffier, telling him "I am the Emperor of Germany, but you are the Emperor of chefs." 1902 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Written in 1903, by Auguste Escoffier, Le Guide Culinaire is a historic book in the history of European haute cuisine. ... 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1912 is a leap year starting on Monday. ... Wilhelm II of Prussia and Germany, Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albert von Hohenzollern (January 27, 1859 - June 4, 1941) was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia from 1888 - 1918. ...

In about 1920, Escoffier became the first chef to receive the Legion of Honor and in 1928 was made an Officer of the Legion. He died at the age of 89, a few days after his wife. 1920 is a leap year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar) Events January January 7 - Forces of Russian White admiral Kolchak surrender in Krasnoyarsk. ... French Legion of Honor The Légion dhonneur (in Legion of Honor (AmE) or Legion of Honour (ComE)) is an Order of Chivalry awarded by the President of France. ... 1928 was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Much of Escoffier's technique was based on that of Antoine Carême, the founder of French haute cuisine, but Escoffier's achievement was to simplify and modernize Carême's elaborate and ornate style. Alongside the recipes he recorded and invented, another of Escoffier's contributions to cooking was to elevate it to the status of a respected profession, and to introduce discipline and sobriety where before there had been brutality and drunkenness. He organized his kitchens by the brigade system, with each section run by a chef de partie. He also replaced the practice of service à la Française (serving all dishes at once) with service à la Russe (serving each dish in the order printed on the menu). Marie Antoine (Antonin) Carême ( June 8, 1784– January 12, 1833), was a French chef and author. ... Service à la Française is the practice of serving all the dishes of a meal at the same moment. ...

The most famous of Escoffier's students (albeit for non-culinary reasons) was Ho Chi Minh. . Hồ Chí Minh Hồ Chí Minh (Chữ Nôm:胡志明) (May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Vietnamese revolutionary and statesman, who later became Prime Minister (1954) and President (1954 - 1969) of North Vietnam. ...

Publications

• Le Traité sur L'art de Travailler les Fleurs en Cire (Treatise on the Art of Working with Wax Flowers) (1886)
• Le Guide Culinaire (Guide to Cooking) (1903)
• Les Fleurs en Cire (new edition, 1910)
• Le Carnet d'Epicure (A Gourmet's Notebook) (1911)
• Le Livre des Menus (Recipe Book) (1912)
• Le Riz (Rice) (1927)
• La Morue (Cod) (1929)
• Ma Cuisine (My Kitchen) (1934)
• Memories of My Life (1985, from notes assembled by his grandson), ISBN 0471288039

External links

• Escoffier Society (http://www.escoffier-society.com/)
• Escoffier Biography from the World Culinary Institute (http://www.worldculinaryinstitute.com/A_escoffier.html)
• The Escoffier Room (http://www.ciachef.edu/restaurants/escoffier/) at the Culinary Institute of America