The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1914-10-22
JULES, EGG BOY
OF ASTOR HOUSE
Story of Remarkable Rise Of
Young FrenChman in
New York City.
Developed Great Business of Import
Ing DeIleacies From Europe and
Retired a Millionaire Several
Times Over.
BY RICHARD sPlLLANE.

pile known as the Astor house, IN
lower New York city, was more IA
nous than 1t is now, there came to 1t
from over the sea a tall, bright-eyed
youth with a letter TO the chef. AS
the big, fat and usually good-natured
chef read the letter he scowled. 1t
was the same story. Every one in
France who knew him, and some who
did not, seemed bent on recommending
people to him for work He was over
run with applications.
81 can do nothing for you, promise
nothing for you" he exclaimed ex-
citedly. Cooks? Assistant cooks?
Bah! We have more in America than
we need. We shall have all there are
in France if this thing keeps up. Ev-
cry steamer brings a lot, and such
egg"
81 can cook an egg" said the boy.
'Poof!" said the chef. you know
not what you say. To cook the egg Is
gift Any fool can make the omelet,
ehir or boil or fry the egg, but to
ishes the eye, stirs the feeble appetite
to health and desire, brings joy to the
stomach and makes man feel like
god-that-that is art!"
Il can cook an egg," the boy re-
peated.
The fat chef shrugged his shoulders.
There are 200 ways of cooking the
egg," he declared. mo man can say
truly he can cook the egg until he
knows them ALL"
Il can cook an egg," said the boy
Tor the third time.
The calm repetition of the state
ment was an irritation and a challenge
to the chef.
I'VE shall see," he declared impul-
sively.
He took the youth to the kitchen
and left him there for trial. That is
how Jules became egg boy at the
Astor.
Epcures Appreciated Jules.
There used to be democracy about
the old house that was delightful. Gay
boys Of finance, law and the trades
gathered there to feast or to frolic.
They had the tastes of epicures, but,
sad to relate, ordinary or much
abused digestive apparatuses. Soon
after the arrival Of Jules they discov-
cred remarkable merit in omelets,
shirred eggs and other things that
came from his department. When the
palate said mo" to other food it would
appear grateful in its greeting of one
of his delicacies.
Tell Jules it is for me-" would be
the request of railroad magnate,
judge, the head of a hardware con-
cern. The egg boy seemed to learn
the tastes and caprices of the regular
patrons of the house with wonderful
rapidity. Maybe 1t was not 80 much
in catering to individual appetites as
In the daintiness and delicacy, not
only in the cooking, but in the serv-
ing of everything he prepared. He
would not let thing go from his
hands unless 1t was perfect.
Jules had soul above eggs. The
chef discovered after while that the
youth knew as much about boiling,
baking, grilling, frying, stewing and
all the other ways of cooking meats,
fish and fowl as he did about souffle
that would appeal to the appetite in a
way to make the worst dyspeptic be-
lieve there still was joy in living. He
could make soup that was nectar,
and sauces as prepared by him put on
new dignity.
Henri, the chef, blessed the day the
egg boy came to the Astor and never
could be dissuaded from the belief
that 1t was due to his own rare judg-
ment that Jules was secured by the
famous old hotel.
Did Not Work by Rule.
Jules worked by no rule. Why
should he? Back in Alsace, for hun
dreds of years, his forbears had been
day aids to the lords and ladies of the
kitchen. He scorned the oven ther-
mometer. He knew when all was
right. He loved to teach others, but
somehow the others never could get
the same results as Jules. He could
take the simplest of foods and do won
ders with them. He delighted in max
ing stews, plebeian though they are
considered. They came to think In
the Astor that stewing was an art
unknown until Jules came to them
He was radical. THE great secret in
he nj
cooking the meat in its own juices.
Next to achieving miracles with the
stew, he did marvels in the way of
braising, which is combination of
stewing and baking. One of the pecu-
liarities of Jules was that he rarely
worked with very hot fire. He be.
lieved that cooking at aAhigh temper
ature was not only wasteful of fuel,
but not good for the meats. He
thought it was better and more eco
nomical to cook longer and at lower
temperature. Above all things, he was
scrupulously neat. Cleanliness is de-
sirabIe to a superlative degree in the
handling of the things we eat.
Jules was a treasure. Every one
about the Astor appreciated that fact.
It was sad. sad day, then, when he
announced to Henri that he was 60
ing to leave. 1he chef almost had
fit. 1t was unthinKable that Jules should
go. The kitchen would be desolate
without him. Henri would be DESC
lated. What would the longtime pa
irons of the hotel, who had come to
lean upon Jules, say and do? Was it
money? Was Jules not content?
NJ IL r,as rot uoonax, ona 1,o.,.