A spotlight on France’s culinary giants: Marie-Antoine Carême

As the French Michelin Guide 2015 comes out next week we're looking at those French chefs that shaped the cuisine as we know it today. From Auguste Escoffier to Paul Bocuse we're featuring those culinary giants who are cited as influences and pioneers of their era. Marie-Antoine Careme (8 June 1784–12 January 1833) was a French chef, often thought of as the father of French cuisine or the founder of French gastronomy and a pioneer of grande cuisine. He experienced the culinary life from a very early age, abandoned at the age of 8 he worked at "Fricassée de Lapin", an inexpensive tavern by the Maine gate in Paris. Carême signed on for a 6 year apprenticeship, starting as a potwasher. By 14 he was apprenticed to Sylvain Bailly, a famous patissier in Paris. When he left he opened his shop, the Pâtisserie de la rue de la Paix, which he maintained until 1813. He became famous for his beautifully crafted pieces, decorative centrepieces of nougat, marzipan, sugar and pastry. He was inspired by architectural history and modelled many of his creations on temples, pyramids and ancient ruins. Some of his most famous creations include Gros Nougats, Grosses Meringues, Croquants (made with almonds and honey) and solilemmes (a bun like cake.) He also created pieces for the French diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, and also other members of Parisian high society, including Napoleon. While working on his confections at many private kitchens, he quickly extended his culinary skills to main course. Careme was then sent a test by Talleyrand to create a whole year’s worth of menus, without repetition, and using only seasonal produce. Carême passed the test and completed his training in Talleyrand's kitchens. Talleyrand encouraged Carême in the development of a new refined food style using herbs and fresh vegetable, simplified sauces with few ingredients. After the fall of Napoléon, Carême went to London and served as chef de cuisine to the Prince Regent, later George IV. He then went to St. Petersburg, invited by Tsar Alexander, where he lived so briefly he never prepared a meal for the Tsar before returning to Paris, where he was chef to banker James Mayer Rothschild. He removed the presence of fish and meat on the same plate. In his book "L'Art de la Cuisine Française", he changed the old-style garnishes such as cockscombs and offal, instead using meat to garnish meat, and fish to garnish fish. He was a modernizer, calling Roman cookery "essentially barbaric." He classified French sauces into the four groups which they remain known as today. Careme created the art of "cold food" that aimed to preserve as much taste as it had when cooked, he was a big supporter of cold buffets. His many books include topics such as the history of French cooking, menus, recipes and directions on how to run a kitchen. Carême had very precise kitchen standards, even down to what people wore when working in them. It was he who instituted the double-breasted kitchen jackets still worn today, and headgear: tall hats (toque with folded pleats) for chefs and caps for cooks. Both jackets and caps had to be in white. Carême thought white more appropriate for kitchen uniforms, as it would indicate cleanliness. By Hollie Bligh The Michelin Guide France comes out on the 2nd February, currently holding 27 three stars it's anyone's guess if they are to make this 28.