Los Angeles herald., 1906-01-14
WITH THE CAR
IN HIS KITCHEN
FORMER ROYAL CHEF TELLS
WHAT HE EATS
Nicholas Described as Gourmet and
an Army Of Cooks Is Employed
to Prepare Food for His
Family
special cable to rhe Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald.
ST. PETERSBURG, Jan. 1S.-One of
the greatest dangers against which a
Russian monarch has to contend is that
poison may be surrepttiously inserted
in his food by some revolutionary mem-
Der of the kitchen staff. An interest
Ing account of the organization of the
cars kitchens and the extraordinary
precautions which are taken to prevent
any tampering with the food of the i'm
perial family is given by Victor Hirtz-
Ter, who served two years i'm the kitch-
en- of the winter palace at st. Peters,
burg.
Mr.. Hirtzler entered the Russian
kitchen in the French department, un-
der guidance of Eugene kratz, that IA
nous chef of the Russian palace, whose
fame has become world wide.
The head chef holds an important po-
sition in the Russian world. He has
control of every imperial kitchen in
Russia, and every two months makes
his rounds of the different departments
of his kingdom. His rank is that of a
general in the Russian army, and he
commands every person serving in any
capacity under him in the different cui-
sines. His salary amounts to over $780,
600 a year.
His duties are more administrative
than manual. If the czar becomes
weary of the ordinary table delicacies,
and desires something new, the head
chef must bestir himself and create
something never heard of by mortal
ears before. This is the only time in
which he comes into intimate contact
with the pots, kettles, and pans,
though every employe is a mark for his
watchful eye.
How to Prepare Royal Dish
With his small quantities of materials
he closes himself in the private kitchen,
and SINNERS and stews, combining the
most daring things until the compound
that comes forth is as ambrosia. Then
he tastes it, and his under chefs taste
it,, and the under-under chefs taste it.
A major of the army is called in. and
he tastes it, too. Then they all wait,
and if reasonable time expires, bring
ing no fatal results to any one of the
honored ones, the czar eats, and is de-
lighted with a hash that was invented
specially for him.
His majesty is a large, healthy, and
hearty eater. His appetite is by no
means royal. He eats and delights in
n cOnglomeration that would put many
men in their graves. Every morning
major of the army, selected by the em-
peror himself, and always in the kitch-
en-, is called into the royal presence and
given the menu for the day by the czar
himself. The czarina never orders a
meal.
The major goes to the kitchen and
gives the menu to the chef who posts it
in a conspicuous place. Every under
chef reads, selects the dish that comes
in his department, and proceeds to cook
The kitchen is soon a scene of hustling
activity, and the 800 men under the head
chef are enveloped in delicate vapors.
At in the morning the breakfast is
served. This meal is merely a simple
repast of eggs, tea coffee, chocolate,
and fruits, but caviar is never absent
from the table of the czar, nor is the
pate de foie gras that he likes.
Food Locked in Car
Then comes the luncheon at H. with
salads, soups, and cold meats, ices, and
deserts. This is but forerunner of the
O'Clock meal, a quarter to ) everything
is diShed up in the kitchen as it is to
be served in the cars presence. The
major on duty comes and partakes of
every dish that is on the menu. Then
the food is placed in an elevator haV-
ing closed shaft; the major also en-
terS the car with the food, is locked in
and the lift goes directly to the dining
room into the presence of the czar.
Here again the major eats under the
strict surveillance of his royal master
and, nothing happening to him, the
family sits down to dinner No dish
that is served on the tai BILE of the cZar
is ever permitted to go to the dining
room except through the elevator shaft
1t never enters corridor, so that the
only possibility OF poison being mixed
with the food lies in the hand of the
major, who would die first after tast-
ing it, without harming the Czar
The dining room in which the regular
meals of the family are serving is a re-
markable chamber. 1t is built entirely
of cast iron and sealed between meals
like a great bank vault. 1t is not large
hIlt is nprfpptlV bOp1b-nrnOf.
Gar Takes All Courses
But to go back to the dinner. The
czar is gourmet. After several appe-
Tiers he always begins with bortsch a
typical Russian soup, and then goes on
TO hot and cold meats, four or five en-
trees of all natonalties, hot and cold
poultry hot and cold vegetables hot
and cold puddings ices and cold cakes
wine and hot tea or vodka. The czar
eats through the whole menu, and never
misses a course. He is fondest of the
cold soups and frequently has several
kinds served at a meal.
The end of the feast is a delight and
a surprise to the children of the fam
lily as well as to their father 1t con-
sists of dainty sweets or fancy sugar
made by the court confectioner i'm di-
vers forms. One night it is double
headed eagle, the coat of arms of Rus
sia, another time the likeness of some
celebrity, at another a flower or a fruit.
The number of courses is always the
same except when the meal is a state
banquet.
Then the large state banqueting room
is used, and none of the imperial fam
lily appear except the czar.
Hundreds of men are employed in the
imperial kitchens and wine cellars, and
it is certain that the daily expenses of
the Little Fathers" meals would feed
many of his subjects for month. 1t
is quaint situation-an army of cooks
TO prepare food for one man, one wo-
man, and some little children.