Marie Antoine Carême

Marie Antoine Carême (1784-1833), French master chef and writer on cookery. He rose from tavern apprentice to pastry cook in an elegant patisserie in Paris. About 1805 he became cook to the French statesman Talleyrand. Subsequently Carême was head chef in the households of the prince regent, later George IV of England; Emperor Alexander I of Russia; and the French banker, Baron James de Rothschild. It is believed that Carême's great skill in making the elaborate pastry constructions used as centerpieces at great banquets was due to the study and practice of architectural drawing. Among his writings—on food and its service as well as on pastry making—is L'art de la cuisine française au XIX^e siècle (The Art of French Cuisine in the 19th Century, 1833-34). This five-volume work, completed by an associate after Carême's death, set the standards for French classic cuisine.