Food and Drink Book
THE SAVOY FOOD AND DRINK BOOK (With a picture of a Raspberry sorbet in a biscuit tulip 'en cage') PYRAMID
FIRST EDITION 1988. 210x275mm. 1fep with a b/w photo of Escoffier in top hat at an exhibition. On the verso is a photo of a signed drawing of Francoise Latry, the Savoy Maitre Chef de Cuisines, from 1919 to 1924. Also on the page is the the signature of the Executive Chef, James Pare. Half title with a planche with Trompetto’s signature and a photograph of him in the Savoy kitchen. Frontispiece of Richard D’Oyly Carte. Title page with Adelmann’s signature. Verso with ISBN. 1p Contents. Verso with foyer photograph. 7-9 Introduction. 10-36 + (1) One hundred glorious years. Verso with photograph of chefs. (1)40-207. Verso with photograph of barman. (1)210-221 Cocktail recipes with photographs. 222-224 Index. 1fep. D/J in fine condition. With white cloth binding and gilt writing on spine. Also enclosed are seven pages of nicely produced banqueting menus and a 1916 Savoy leaving certificate of a former Sous Chef; A. Cadier. Very fine condition; as new.
- The Savoy Food and Drink Book is a fine testimony to the excellence of its cuisine. From the historical introduction by Kingsley Amis and the twenty-eight pages detailing ‘One Hundred Glorious Years’ we learn that Richard D’Oyly Carte, originally the impresario behind the Savoy Theatre, was making so much money he invested in the building of the Savoy Hotel on land next to the theatre. The hotel opened in August 1889 and D’Oyly Carte then extended his Midas touch by hiring Cesar Ritz and Auguste Escoffier. Within its first year the Savoy was recognised as the standard for all hotels to emulate. Escoffier and Ritz stayed for ten years and then moved to the newly opened Carlton Hotel in 1899. Their noble and distinguished clientele followed them there. The Savoy never lost its true mystique as a great Hotel and institution. It has been a place of meeting and prominence with members of Royalty, the British establishment, the Arts and Entertainment since its inception. With every recipe in the book accompanied by a fine coloured photograph one gets an honestly great cookbook. The enclosed ephemera, further enhances; the Private Room menus are from the time of Anton Edlemann’s tenure. The other item of ephemera is a Savoy leaving certificate (written in French!) for Adolphe Cadier who was a Sous Chef from July 1915 to August 1916. Also attached to the certificate is a photograph of Cadier and a copy of a letter from Escoffier to Cadier, ironically written by Escoffier while he was at the Carlton. The book is also unique in having the signatures of three of its maitre-chefs de cuisines; Silvino Trompetto and Anton Adlemann, and the signature of the most recent Executive Chef, James Pare, who finished his tenure there on 24th October 2014. In 1938 Hugh Wontner joined the Savoy hotel group and he became managing director in 1941. Under Wontner's leadership, the Savoy appointed its first British head chef, Silvino Trompetto, who was maître-chef de cuisine from 1965 to 1980. Anton Adlemann came to England from Munich in 1971 and started at the Savoy under Trompetto. When he became maitre-chef, Adelmann oversaw the rebuilding of brand new kitchens at a cost of £3.5 million. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth visited them on 5th December 1985. Escoffier’s old ovens which had been in continuous use from 1895 to1985, were finally mothballed. The Savoy has a world-wide reputation and a great history. I have tried every recipe in the book when I was in charge of my own kitchens. Every one worked, and produced very good results. Unlike many other cookery books that have recipes incorporated after maybe one trial at most, the Savoy recipes have been tried and tested over many years. This in-house sumptuously produced signed book with added ephemera is a real collector’s item.
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Modern category
ref number:
11096