Culinary History and Culinary Terms (Explanation with Examples) Origins of Modern

Cookery

Modern Development in Equipment and Technology

THE ORIGINS OF MODERN CUISINE

Quantity cookery has existed for thousands of years, as long as there have been large groups to
feed, such as huge convoy of armies.

Modern cuisine began in the middle of the eighteenth century. At this time, food production in
France was controlled by special “GUILDS”. Caterers, pastry makers, roasters, and pork butchers
held licenses to prepare specific items. An inn keeper, in order to serve a meal to guests, had to
buy the various menu items from those operations that were licensed to provide them. Guests
had little or no choice and simply ate what was available for that meal.

In 1765, a Parisian chef named Boulanger began advertising on his shop sign that “we serve
soups”, which he called restaurants or restoratives (literally , the word means “fortifying”).
According to the story, one of the dishes he served was sheep’s feet in cream sauce. The guild
of stew makers challenged him in court for violation of guilds act... but Boulanger won by
claiming he didn’t stew the feet in the sauce but served them with the sauce. In challenging the
rules of the guilds, Boulanger unwillingly changed the face for the course of food service
history.

The new developments in food service received a great stimulus as in result of the French
revolution, beginning in 1789. Before this time; the great chefs were employed in the houses
of the French authorities.

With the revolution and the end of the monarchy, many chefs, suddenly got out of work and
opened restaurants and inns where they could serve dinners reflecting the talent and creativity
of their own chefs, rather than being forced to rely on licensed caterers to supply their food. At
the start of the French revolution, there were about 50 restaurants in paris, ten years later there
were about 500. Another important invention that changed the organization of kitchens in the
eighteenth century was the stove.

CHEF CAREˆME

Marie-antoine careme( 1784-1833). As a young man, careme learned all the branches of
cooking quickly, and he dedicated his career to refining and organizing culinary techniques.
His many books contain the first systematic account of cooking principles, recipes, and menu
making.

Chef Escoffier

Georges Auguste Escoffier (1847-1935), the greatest chef of his time, is still today revered by
chefs and gourmet industry as the father of twentieth-century cookery.

His two main contributions were:

(1) the simplification of classical cuisine and the classical menu, and

(2) the reorganization of the kitchen.

Escoffier rejected what he called the “general confusion” of the old menus, in which sheer
quantity seemed to be the most important factor. Instead, he called for order and diversity and
emphasized the careful selection of one or two dishes per course, dishes that followed one
another harmoniously and delighted the taste with their delicacy and simplicity.
Escoffier’s books and recipes are still important reference works for professional chefs. The
basic cooking methods and preparations we study today are based on Escoffier’s work. His book
“le guide cullinaire” , which is still widely used, arranges recipes in a simple system based on
main ingredient an cooking method, according to Escoffier, begin with learning a relatively few
basic procedures and understand basic ingredients.

Escoffier’s second major achievement, the reorganization of the kitchen, resulted in a

streamlined workplace that was better suited to turning out the simplified dishes and menus he
instituted. The system of organization he established is still in use today, especially in large
hotels and full service restaurants.

Modern technology

Today’s kitchen look much different from those of Escoffier’s day, though our basic cooking
principles are the same. Also, the dishes we eat have gradually changed due to the innovations
and creativity of modern chefs. The process of simplification and refinement, to which chef
Careme and Escoffier made monumental contributions, is still ongoing, adapting classical
cooking to modern conditions and tastes.

Development of new equipment

Modern refrigeration and rapid transportation caused revolutionary changes in eating habits.
For the first time, fresh foods of all kinds- meats, fish, vegetables, and fruits- became available
throughout the year. Exotic delicacies can now be shipped from anywhere in the world and
arrive fresh in peak condition. The development of preservation techniques-not just
refrigeration but also freezing, canning, freeze- drying, vaccum packing , and irradiation
increased the availability of most foods and made affordable some that were once rare and
expensive.

Cooking in the twentieth and twenty- first centuries

A geeration after Escoffier, the most influential chef in the middle of the twentieth century was
fernand point(1897-1955). Working quietly and steadily in his restaurant, la pyramide, in
vienne, france, point simplified and lightened classical cuisine. “point insisted that every meal
should be ‘a little marvel”
Many of his apprentices, such as paul bocuse,jean and pierre troisgros, and alain chapel,went on
to become some of the greatest stars of modern cooking. They, along with other chefs in their
generation,became best known in the 1960s and early 1970s for a style of cooking called
nouvelle cuisine. Reacting to what they saw as aheavy, stodgy,overly complicated classical
cuisine,these chefs took point’s lighter approach even further. They rejected many traditional
principles, such as a dependence on flour to thicken sauces, and instead urged simpler,more
natural flavours and preparations, with lighter sauces and seasonings and shorter cooking
times. In traditional classical cuisine, many dishes were plated in the dining room by waiters.
Nouvelle cuisine, however, placed a great deal of emphasis on artful plating presentations done
by the chef in the kitchen. Very quickly, however, this “simpler” style became extravagant and
complicated, famous for strange combinations of foods and fussy, ornate arrangements and
sesigns. By the 1980s, nouvelle cuisine was the subject of jokes.

CULINARY HISTORY

 Modern cuisine began in the middle of the 18th century.

 At that time it was controlled by the guilds used for liscencing of butchery, baker,pastry
maker,or for specific items.
 In 1765,paris citizen named Boulanger begun to advertise his shop sign(which used to
serve soup) named called restaurants or restorative which stands for fortifying.
 According to the story the dish that he use to serve was sheep feet in cream sauce &
guild got offended by this thing & challenged him in court but Boulanger won the case by
saying he didn’t cook the feet in sauce but served sauce with feets.
 In challenge the Boulanger unwillingly changed the course of the food history.
 Before French revolution in 1789, food industry in france saw so many ups & downs &
before this time great chefs were employed in royal palaces or high French nobalities.
 With revolution it ended up and chefs were free from this boundation due to this chefs
were out of work & started opening their restaurants.
  Revolutionist government abolished the monarchy of guilds, at the start of revolution
there were 50 restaurants in Paris, but ten year later they grew up to 500.
 Stove was again invented at the end of 18th century and use of fuel started.

CHEF CAREME

MARIE ANTOINE CAREME:-(1847-1935)

Chef careme learned all the branches of cooking so fast, dedicated for career in organising
difficult culinary techniques. He wrote so many books on cooking principles, recipes, & menu.
Perhaps he must be the first celebrity chef and he became famous for his elaborated, elegant
display sculpture with ice and tallow carvings.

CHEF ESCOFFIER

GEORGE AUGUSTE ESCOFFIER(1847-1935)

Greatest chef of 20th century and is still adored by many chefs for his talent & books that he has
published.

His 2 main contributories to world cuisine was.

1. Simplification of classical cuisine 7 classical menu, e.g:-

• Classification of cooking method

• Principles

• Classification of ingredients

• Arranging food in order to the courses.

2. Reorganization of kitchen brigade

He simplified the more complex organization of chef careme which so many chefs around the
globe still refer in hotels, training institutes or at homes.

Modern technology
These days kitchen look more difficult as the days of Escoffier or chef careme, also the dishes
have gradually changed due to the creativity of modern chefs where as basic remain same and it
is still going on.

• Development of new equipments

• Electric range

• Infrared cooking

• Microwaves

• Thermal power heated cooking trap

• Motorised food processor. Cooling, freezing, heating, & processing is more simplified.

• Development and availability of new food products.

Modern refrigeration & quick transportation has caused revolutionary changes in eating habits.
For the first time fresh foods of all kinds-meats, fish, vegetables & fruits have became available
throughout the year. Freezing, canning, irradiation.

NOUVEELLE CUISINE

A generation after Escofier ,were the most influential chefs like Fernand Point (1897-1955)
working quietly in his restaurant “Le Pyramide” in Vienne- France. Chef point re simplified and
lightened the classical cuisine he insisted that every food must be handled as “a little marvel”.
Many of his apprentices like Chef Paul Bocuse, Jean Pierre & Chef Troisgros with Alain chapel
went on to become greatest stars of modern cuisine. These chefs

started the foundation of nouvelle cuisine which was more sophisticated and delightful, where
as they rejected many of the traditional methods & principles of cooking and introduced new
ones.

Nouvelle cuisine emphasised on neat & artful plating techniques it got so fussed about &
complicated and became subject of jokes (later on asked for -return to basics).