A Culinary Revolution: The First Celebrity Chef and the Unification of French Culture
The late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries saw tremendous change and social upheaval in France. The monarchy was overthrown because of the French Revolution, a new system of government was being implemented and the country of France was starting to come together as one nation. Many different cultural aspects can be credited, but one in particular was the cuisine. Antonin Carême, the first celebrity chef, embodied Enlightenment ideals and believed that all people regardless of their status should have the ability to eat well. He challenged old cooking methods and techniques and presented France with a new cuisine that would help bridge the gap between the aristocracy and the lower classes. His approach toward food and cooking was revolutionary and his influence greatly contributed to the formation of a new gastronomic reality in France that would come to help define France as the culinary capital of the world.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations