One of Escoffier and Charles Scotto's Menus, .
From the Hamburg Amerika liner S.S. Imperator. June 23rd 1914.
180x158 mm. 4 pages. The front cover of the menu is an unusual birds-eye view of New York Harbour with S.S. Imperator steaming towards the Statue of Liberty and skyline of N.Y. in a circle. Beautifully observed and painted. 1st page, A farwell Dinner. Nice big menu written in English and German with eleven courses of French and American dishes. On the verso of the 3rd page, a music programme. Overall in very good condition and housed in a handsome cardboard folder covered in crimson marbled paper with a label on the front cover. A rare item of Escoffier and Charles Scotto ephemera.
- In 1912 the Hamburg Amerika line again requested Escoffier’s services for the planning and inauguration of the kitchens on the brand new 53,000 ton liner, S.S. Imperator. Escoffier had previously planned and opened in 1905, the kitchens and dining rooms of the liners S.S. Amerika and S.S. Kaiserin Auguste Victoria. The new restaurants had been a stunning success. Those a'la carte restaurant services on board all of those liners were called the “The Ritz Carlton Restaurants”. On the Imperator, Escoffier brought his famous pupil, Charles Scotto to be the Head Chef. The official trial cruise was to have an illustrious passenger; Emperor William. On the 8th July 1912, the Emperor boarded and they weighed anchor immediately and set sail towards Heligoland. On the last day of the Emperor’s stay on board He had a conversation with Escoffier. He thanked him for taking responsibility for the cuisine and how delighted He had been at the level of comfort He had experienced on board. In August 1914, as World War I began, the S.S. Imperator was laid up at Hamburg and remained inactive for more than four years until 1918. This menu is a ‘Farewell Dinner’ dated June 23rd 1914. It is not inconceivable that it is a part of the overall farewells of many people associated with this great ship. It is also rare to be able to tie down a Charles Scotto menu. He was to become one of the leading Chefs of the early American Culinary associations and schools. Becoming as famous there as his Master. Ref: Herbodeau and Thalman’s fine autobiography of Escoffier’s life.
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Ephemera category
ref number:
11213