The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-04-24
BOSS COOK OF'EM ALL IN TOWN
ESCOFFIER, TO WHOM ALL THE
LOCAL CHEFS BOW DOWN.
Ht's Been q Kalser's Cook, but the Inyen.
lion Of Peach Melba Is His PrOudest
claim 10 Fame-And Have YOu Ever
Tasted and Paid for POtage Cardinal?

reute ville!' This New York ia a great
little burg, This New York is a great little
turgl
The greatest cook in the world stood
in he midst Of the vulgar rattle Of pots
and pans down in the basement Of the Hotel
Knickorbocker last evening at the witching
hour " dinner surrounded by his host,
James Regain, proprietor Of the Hotel Knick-
prbocker. and MIR. Regan's chef, Alexander
Gastaud, and said this thing about New
York ueing a grand little burg before he
had got rid Of his sea legs, The greatest
cook is named August Escoffier. He Ia the
inventor Of the most expensive dessert
on The bill Of fare, the -Peche Melba.'
Alexander Gastaud stood respectfully
on tho greatest chefs left and Proprietor
Regain upheld the right. Newspaper
artists ranged themselves in the ofing,
making quick sketches Of the famous a
More reporters came and came Charles
Henry Melzpr himself was there to get
even lust a word from the master.
Master" said the great Alexander Gas
tali himself when he spoke to the European
chef. who had debarked from the Deutsch-
land only an hour before. Alexander
spoke rs a young art student addressing
Whistler. In his hand Alexander held an
English translation Of Msieu Escofiier's
cook book, A Guide to Modern Cookery.
From the masters buttOnhole huttered
the red ribbon Of an Officer du Merit Agri-
colo The Government Of France gave
the great cook that decoration because,
H. he said himself last evening, he had
done 50 much to extend the expectation
Of French eiiblps.
Escofier this front name is not used,
irIsr as We do not bother with the William
before S~hakespeare's nameD- Escofier is a
ht'le. amiable person, 81 years old, with
3 I4asant gray mustachios and no blum or
swalled head, despite his fame.
Il vas Il years Old he said in French
last evening, when | went to Nice to learn
T., do something. | dig. care what, |
cooked and cooked there anu learned some
thing AMI then when | was 81 years old |
had 10 take my share Of compulsory mill
tary service in the French army Army
officers know a g)ol COOK, what? Marshal
Mcmahon himself saw that was the good
COOK. lie saw that the reason Of to be Of
me was 10 be the cook. | cook for the
Marshal Macnahon, who was a great gem
eral Of fair France.
i was cooking for the Marshal Macmahon
when comes along the disaster Of Weissen-
burg All, what a disaster was there! |
an captured a. a prisoner who is detained.
BEFORE the King Of Prussia | am taken,
expecting that tn King will give me the
kicl, of the boot. But no.
King Of the PrIsSians, | begin to say,
when the King interrupts.
King Of tho chefs the King said 10
me. And that IS my reason OF 10 be, be-
cause he, the King himselt, sentenced me
from that time on - b. his clef the King $
chef. And SO ] am.
From that day on M'sjeu Fscoiiler WORKED
and worked at his art, and in the end he
invented the "PtChc Melha, which Is as
high IA an artist can hope to 20. II was
M a dinner TO Nine. Melba in 1859, al the
Carleton, in London, that Escoftier flashed
the "Peche Melba." If you don't think too
highly OF the dessert just you order one,
and when the Chec; IS brought To- you
vou'll begin TO respect Msiel Escofiier's
invention.
Again, take the Masters "Poularde a la
IVA" or stuffed puIlet with foiS gras and
trfles. Why, you cant beat II and the
Master picked that right out OF his owD
head Did you ever have Pariait Fois
Gras? The Master invented that too.
And all the world il brighter since he
brought among us his famous soup, the
$500 ls.l 49, ,s,ff V,araltv Tomato
SCUM but the ecstatiC something, dreamy,
ethereal unearthly, that il down or the
hill II fare az "Potage Cardinal, Sc, N.2j."
All us Americans when we 60 TO Europe
look up that "Potage Cardinal And
M'sieu Escohier invented that too without
taking a single lesson.
Again, he is strong for wax flowers and
uastrv fashioned into the form OF posles
As table decorations. They're simple after
some one has done them, but It took M'sieu
the Master to do that sort OF thing first in
the way Of table decorations. The Master
said so himself, and 81 did the great Alex
ander Gastaud last night, and Landlord
Rogan and General Manager Barney OF the
knlckerbocker. For twenty-five years the
Master has held forth in London, and il
was there that the great Alexander learned
his an under M'sicu the Master.
He il the reason Of to be OF the Ritz
also" said Alexander last night, and every
body nodded approval. Two years ago
Il was in Hamburg and the scene was on
the good steamship Amerika. The Kaiser
was there and ate a dinner directed 10y he
Master. The dinner it Is over. The Kaiser
comes forward and is permitted 10 meet
tsrofipr. and they shake hands cordially,
am glad and proud to shake the hand
n the Emperor Of Emperors,' my Master
said 10 the Kaiser and bowed low.
And | am glad to shake the hand OF the
emperor Of chefs the Emperor said to the
Master,
When the Moulin Rouge was Of the high
class as a restaurant. y continued the great
Alexander in the kitchen OF the Knicker-
booker last night, -the Master was the
chef. In 1872 he became the chef Of the
Moulin Rouge, when IL was in the Champs
Elvs6ps and was mo- Just the dance hall.
Then from 1884 until 1897 he Is the chef OF
the Grand Hotel at Monte Carlo, All, the
ravishing chateau the Master has for his
own home this very night in Monte Carlo!
For seven years he Ia the grand chef OF
the Savoy in London, and he is the opener
Of the Ritz in Paris in 1898, and tho Carl
ton in London he is once again in 1899,
Since then he is the Ritz-Carlton, and
he has the private restaurant OF his own
quite to himself in Ostend. lie It not 60 my
Master?"
La grande petite Vile answered the
Master enthusiastically.
Alexander the Great brought n bottle
after bottle Of sauces with the name Escot-
fer on the labels. There we're almost fifty
seven different kinds Of them. And In the
Office Of Alexander the Great in the base
men' Of the Ka-nick was a large portrait
Of the Master hanging on the wall,
For ten days he will be in our grand
little city, the Master will, as the guest OF
VI sieu Regan, who mel him in London
W or three years ago. Every day he will
give a bit Of time 10 ~inventing new dishes,
H. is his wont. Also he must direct daily
the Ritz-Corlton menug and the menus