The sun., 1903-04-26
FRENCH CHEFS DON'lFAYORU Us
TIE BEST or THEN PREFER
PARIS 70 NEW FORK.

Nero Glory for Them over There for Ono
| Tbsng-salaries Here Not Really
Higher and Tlps Less frcduent-Abous
| 500 French Chefs Now In Now York.
| II the statements OF the hotel men are
correct, there are no people on the face OF
tho earth more appreciative Of good eating
, than New Workers. Some 60 70 far as to
say that no people ara more fond OF eating.
Except among, the comparatively small
ultra -fashionabls olass. the New York
breakfast includes hot breads and meats and
often a vegetable: luncheon has been elab-
, GRATED to the proportions OF dinner and
| the latter meal u followed by the midnight
supper which almost invariably includes
another hot dish or two. To satisfy this
gastronomc tendency requires lot OF
oooking-good cooking at that-which In
turn means an ever-inorcasing demand for
the services Of the French chef.
At a rough estimate there are now about
800 French chefs in New York. 25 per cent.
Of whom learned their art in France and
attained to the dignity Of chef before coming
over here. The other II per cent rose to
their present station after coming To Amer
lea and for this reason they sre called. de-
risively, hremen by the others.
II Is a we'll known fnct, however, that the
best French culinary artists, with few ex-
ccptions. don't come to America. These
exceptions, and they may almost be counted
on the fingers. are In the employ OF half
dozen Of the most noted restaurants Of
New York and about the same number
preside over the kitchens OF well-known
mlllionaircs.
why il thls?" was asked Of one Of the
elect - per cent.
we dan't have to work 30 hard in
France was his reply. And. he added
"a real artist doesn't like the kitchens over
here
BY this, 1t was discovered. he was not
making any illusion to the architecture
OF the kitchens, but to the fact that the
dishes cooked in them are not always French
dishes. II Ia q well known fact that to ask
a French chef Of the highest grade to cook
q dish in the American style or In any style
other than the French. is almost to insult
him.
Indeed, the chef OF q well-known French
restaurant In this town. to whom 1t 10 said the
place owes much Of it's prosperity. has more
than once fatty refused TO cook certain
viands after a fashion which failed to COM
mend itself to his fastidious taste.
Let them 60 to an eating house he
exclaims on such occasions with wrathful
wave OF his hand In the direction Of lees
celebrated restaurant.
The true French artist finds II hard TO
accommodate himself to American hustle.
In French he ponders over his sauces.
subtracting and added with leisurely care.
spending more time perhaps on ths feature
OF his menu than on any other:
Let me taste his sauces and will tell
what aOrt Of cook have. TeDlied
a conhoisseur TO Q friend who had humbly
asked bis opinion on the merits OF his cook
by exhibiting a COPY OF the menu the latter
had drawn up for the day ..,. ..,...
than the French chef himself, who has
also found out. that except in private fami-
les he viii never get time in America to
q hotel man. -s decidedly detrimental TO
that 20 much Of the cooking turned out
by French chefs over here u only poor
apology for what they could do they had
In one Of the French restaurants in New
York. for example, never less than 500
dinners are served every evening In about
tSs, tSS h1ur. na ..h, tn. 80, cooking done as by the
would take at least twelve or fifteen cooks
to do the same work.
4 am inclined TO think. explained the
proprietor OF q leading Fifth avenue res
ssss g, deu Mny % ths
into crossing the water 10 that they receive
moro honor In their own country. dis
tinguished chef In France u. to some ex-
tent, a man OF note. 1t 10 not unusual to
celebrated so-and-so. the originator OF a GER
tain delectable dish.
Il don mean TO indnuats that the chef
take. part TO any extsnt In public affairs,
has more leisure than the New York chef
and appears o(tener on the boulevards
and In places of public concouTre.
1T is true he shines more or less by a
rehected glory. but there 10 some ,saisfac::
tion In doing even that. Occasionally one Of
them achieves q certain degree Of great
nese.
Take. for instance. the chef Of the Gar
OF Russia, Caba, ] think ID his name. To-
ne Ss the
"A few years ago his ambitions took
fight As a result Caba turned his back
upon tho imperial kitchen, went 90 Paris,
rented handsome private residence and
tuousness that made even the Parisians
open their eyes.
'visitors used 70 ttrip upstairs TO inspect
the silver bathtub and beautiful hangings
afford II stayed to dine. for Caba's prices
matched In sumptuousness his furnishings
In all probability Caba was a better chef
than he was manager for In less than
q year he failed. the restaurant was dis
mantled and its proprietor returned to his
former employer, who had never ceased to
lament his going.
'There are many chefs In France who can
show testimonials they have received from
men and women OF note, and others who
have received hattering personal attentions
from persons Of noble birth. Many OF
the French chefs arc men Of high grade
Of intelligence and they take themselves
and their art seriously.
In Paris they have a monthly Journal
Ian Cuiinaiye-.the contributions to which
are almost entirely from the pens OF lead
ing chefs. who are constantly on the alert
TO send novel recipes. new ideas In serving
and many other valuable hints we'll worth
paying a much bigger prioe for than the
cost o. the Journal There Ia nothing like
Il 10 New York.
Moreover. In America. no matter how
much OF an artkt a chef may be, he 70 re-
gsrded merely as high-grade cook. Few
persons ever aAt TO see him or spend a sec
ond wondering what manner OF man he In.
Neither ID the hotel nor In the private house
is he apt to bc seen outside OF his kitchen
Therefore. when he does appear IN the pub
lie thoroughfares, no one u any the wiser.
Perhaps tho best known chef New York
has ever had WA the late D. Rainhoher. who