Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-09-30
DELMONICO'S.
The Interior of an Upper Crust Restaurant.
From the Herald and Torchlight (Detroit).

The Interior of an Upper Crust Restaurant.
From the Herald and Torchlight (Detroit.
The name OF Delmonico is as familiar
all over the country as that of A. T.
Stewart. Scarcely person goes to
New York city but visits the renowned
restaurant on the corner of Fourteenth
street and Fifth avenue. / doubt, how
ever, if many have been admitted to the
secret and mysterious regions below
stairs, where the cooking is carried on.
I was fortunate enough to enjoy this
privilege the other day, and will give
you the benefit of my experience. Pass
ing through the dish washing room and
down a winding stair, was first taken
across the kitchen and intro
duced to the handsome and accom-
plished chef, who did the honors of the
place. In the first instance, let me
mention the chefs Office. If you should
happen in it without being told where
you were, you would in all probability
take it for an editorial sanctum. The
room is small, and contains a desk
strewn with books and papers, and
large bookcase covers nearly one side of
the wall. This bookcase is filled with
the works of Dubois and other cele-
brated French cooks. There is one Of
Pierre Blot's books among these. Del
monicos chef, who knew him WELL
thinks that the late professor was less Of
a cook and more of writer. The chef,
although he is dressed in i'm
maculate white, and wears little
black cap on the back of his
head, and is the ideal cook in appear
ance, does little with bis hands; he
works with his head. He makes out all
the bills Of fare and regulates the prices;
has the supervision Of the whole, and
gives list Of everything wanted to Mr..
DelmonicO, who does the marketing
himself every morning. Just at this
season business IS comparatively dull;
they average about three hundred guests
a day now, while in the winter time, in
Guiding big dinner parties, they run as
high as fifteen hundred and three thou
sand. The day [ visited the kitchen
there were about forty men, walters and
cooks, off with the City of Picking; but
there were nearly twice that number
left
In the kitchen proper there are half a
dozen ranges, and as many cooks. The
ranges stand together along one side of
the room, and are for roasting, boiling,
| fish, vegetables, etc. Each range has
its own cook, and everything goes along
like clock-work. When an order is sent
down from the restaurant, the waiter
gives it first to the chef, he sees that it
is all right, and then it is taken to the
cooks. have heard people say that if
we could only see into the kitchen AZ
engagements Of restaurants we would not
care to each much. Those persons
should visit Delmonicos kitchen if they
want their doubts dispelled. Every
thing there shines with cleanliness,
from the white clothes of men to the
hrmblest pot and kettle.
Next to the kitchen is the refrigerator
and soup room. The soup is made in
immense caldrons, three of which were
in full blast at the time Of my visit.
Seven large refrigerators held the ap-
petizing viands. There is refrigerator
for game, one for poultry, another for
fish and another for delicacies, such as
mushrooms, trutfies, etc.; and still
another for big nleatss, joints and steaks.
From this room we passed into q sort of
passage way, where there is an engine
which turns the meat cutter, grinds the
coffee, and turns the ice cream freezer
There are six kinds of ices and ice
creams kept constantly on hand, and it
Is the work Of three men to attend to
this department. Near this is the bak-
cry, where [ saw yards and yards of
smoking French bread taken from the
oven by flour besprinkled bakers. Next
to the bakery is the laundry; in
this room, and at dish washing there are
thirty women employed. Patent drying
machines, an immense mangle, ironing
tables, stationary tubs, and huge stove
compose the furniture of the room.
Between the laundry and the passage is
small room, where the ''artists in
pastry work. There are five men con-
stantly employed in this room, making
fine cakes and centre pieces for tables
The room is full of moulds, over which
sugar figures are made, and various bits
OF gilt and other odds and ends that go
towards making up those tempting, but
neyer-to-be-touched pyramids. There is
an oyster stand down here and one in
the bar-room up stairs, where, before
this letter gets into print, will be heard
the click of the hammer and knife, as
they break into the privacy and mo-
notony of bivalve life.