Chefs, Don’t Forget Your Culinary Heritage!

The importance of remembering and honoring the iconic Chef Auguste Escoffier

// By ACF Chef Paul Sorgule, AAC

In 1998, I walked down the streets of Villeneuve-Loubet, France, with great anticipation of my destination. Walking through the doors at 3 Rue Auguste Escoffier, I entered the museum and previous home to the late, great Chef Auguste Escoffier. I had been dreaming of this day since I first heard the story of the culinary icon from the first executive chef I worked for in Buffalo, N.Y. In his office at the Statler Hilton Hotel, Chef had a copy of “Le Guide Culinaire,” a book that contained 5,000 recipes from Chef Escoffier.

“Sit down, Paul, and let me tell you about the great man who wrote this,” he said at the time.

From that day on, I knew this visit to Escoffier’s home would be part of my bucket list. Walking through the rooms and halls where Chef Escoffier lived, I came upon his desk, one that was likely used when he wrote parts of “Le Guide Culinaire” and developed the brigade system that’s still used in kitchens around the globe to this day. I placed my hand on his desk and felt the electricity course through me — it was a magical moment.

Hearing all this, some will certainly nod in understanding. Others, however, might ask, “Why is this important to me? Why should we care about a chef who lived and worked over a century ago?”

In so many walks of life there are individuals who become a symbol of something special — a point of inspiration and guide to those who aspire to greatness in their lives. They may be political figures, athletes, artists, musicians, religious leaders, business visionaries or beacons of intellect, but in all cases, they provide a benchmark and direction for those who aspire to be like them. Chef Escoffier is the iconic representative of greatness for professional chefs. You will likely find a copy of “Le Guide Culinaire” on many chef’s desks that’s as much a source of inspiration as it is a reference for cooking. Since that day in Villeneuve-Loubet, a framed picture of Chef Escoffier has held a place on my office wall in kitchens I led and later in my home office. He is there to remind me of why I chose cooking as a career and to whom I should aspire as a chef.

So, to answer the question: Why should we care about Escoffier? Here are my thoughts on his contributions:

He elevated the status of chef to be a proud and noble profession. Chef Escoffier operated his kitchen with discipline, but at the same time, always showed respect for those who were members of his team. He insisted they wear their uniform with pride, respect each other and carry themselves as consummate representatives of the kitchen where they worked. What they did as cooks and chefs was important and impactful.

He developed a brigade system still used in kitchens today. Chef Escoffier used his background as chef in the French military to develop the kitchen brigade: how his kitchens were organized, respect for the chain of command and delineation of responsibilities and skill. Although it has changed a bit, the structure of today’s kitchen still follows the essence of this model.

He championed organization and communication . With his kitchen brigade came the ability to organize work for efficiency and build strong communication between cooks and departments. Mise en place is a way of life in kitchens — much of which can be credited to his brigade design.

He strove for excellence in service. Chef Escoffier and his front-of-the-house counterpart, César Ritz, built an environment of mutual respect between employees and guests that led to a model of service that remains the benchmark in quality operations today.

He introduced one of the first forms of a la carte dining Chef Escoffier discounted the ancient style of service requiring all food to be presented simultaneously (service à la Française) and introduced service by course (service à la russe). This helped maintain temperature and quality, reduce waste, improve efficiency and increase profitability, and became the precursor to the model that defines our industry today. He also believed in simplicity in cooking and presentation — something that today we espouse by letting the ingredients speak for themselves and respecting their contribution to the meal.

Some believe that traditions and history hold people back and discourage creativity. Some may feel that respecting tradition is simply another way of resisting change. I feel quite differently especially when it comes to the kitchen. One would only need to look at other art forms to understand the role tradition plays in contemporary expression. Chef Escoffier is a benchmark for modern cooks and chefs — the foundation on which today’s systems, menus and concepts are built. As such, he deserves to be respected and referenced.