Three Emperors Dinner

TheDîner des trois empereursorThree Emperors Dinnerwas abanquetheld atCafé AnglaisinParis,Franceon 7 June 1867.It consisted of 16courseswith eight wines served over eight hours.
The Three Emperors Dinner was prepared by chefAdolphe Dugléréat the request ofKing William I of Prussiawho frequented the cafe during theExposition Universelle. He requested a meal to be remembered and at which no expense was to be spared for himself and his guests,Tsar Alexander IIof Russia, plus his son the Tsarevitch (who later becameTsar Alexander III), andOtto von Bismarck.
The name "Three Emperors Dinner" is something of a misnomer and apparently was applied retrospectively (apparently in analogy to theBattle of the Three Emperors), as only Alexander II bore the title of Emperor at the time. Wilhelm I would not be proclaimed Kaiser (Emperor) until 1871, whereas Alexander III would only ascend the Imperial Russian throne in 1881 after his father's assassination.
The cellar master, Claudius Burdel, was instructed to accompany the dishes with the greatest wines in the world, including aRoederer champagnein aspeciallead glassbottle, so Tsar Alexander could admire the bubbles and golden colour.
The banquet consisted of 16 courses with eight wines served over eight hours. The cost of the meal was 400 francs per person(over€9,000 in 2025 prices). The high price of the wines served contributed to the high price of the meal.
At 1 o'clock in the morning, Tsar Alexander is reported to have complained that the meal had not containedfoie gras. Burdel explained that it was not the custom in French cuisine to eat foie gras in June. The following October, he was sent threeterrinesof foie gras made by Dugléré as a gift.
The table used for the banquet and a copy of the menu is on display atLa Tour d'Argentrestaurant in Paris.
The menu included the following, among the 16 courses:
Potage impératriceconsists of achicken stockthickened withtapiocaand finished witheggyolksandcream, to whichpoachedrounds ofchickenforcemeat,cockscombs,cocks'kidneysand greenpeasare added.Potage fontangesis apuréeof fresh peas diluted withconsomméwith the addition of achiffonadeofsorreland sprigs ofchervil.Soufflé à la reineis a chickensouffléwithtrufflesSauce vénitienneis asauceofwhite wine,tarragonvinegar,shallotsand chervil, mounted withbutterand finished with chopped chervil and tarragon.Selle de mouton purée Bretonneis saddle ofmuttonwith a purée ofbroad beansbound withBreton sauce.Poulet à la portugaiseis whole chicken roasted with a covering ofadobopasteconsisting oftomato,red bell pepper,garlic,origanum,paprika,cayenne pepper,brown sugar,lemon juice, white wine, chicken stock andolive oil, stuffed with tomato flavouredrice.Pâté chaud de caillesis warmpâtéofquail.Homard à la parisienneislobstercooked incourt bouillon, cut into slices and glazed withaspic, with agarnishof tomatoes stuffed with amacédoineofvegetables, dressed with a mixture ofmayonnaiseand aspic and garnished with sliced truffle.Canetons à la rouennaiseis a dish ofroastducklingstuffed withforcemeat. The legs and breasts are removed, the legs are grilled and the breasts are thinly sliced and arranged around the stuffing. The remaining carcass is pressed in a poultry press to extract all the juices and is added to aRouennaise sauce, which is poured over the sliced duck.(This dish is today the speciality of the house atLa Tour d'Argent.)Ortolans sur canapés,ortolans(now aprotected species) ontoast.Aubergines à l'espagnoleis a dish ofaubergineshells filled with chopped aubergine, tomato andhamand agruyèregratin.Cassolette princesse, (a.k.a.Cassolette argenteuil), Acassolettewith a border ofduchesse potatoesand anasparagusfilling incream sauce.Bombe glacéeis anice creamdessert.
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AustralianchefShannon Bennettattempted to recreate the banquet in 2002. It took six months to plan and required some changes due to key ingredients and wines no longer being available. Even using the nearest modern equivalent ingredients and wines, the cost of the meal was$7,500 per person. TheAustralian Broadcasting Corporationbroadcast the documentaryThree Emperors Dinnerabout the original banquet and the modern recreation in 2003.