François Vatel

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François Vatel (1631 – April 24, 1671) was a French chef, famous for inventing Chantilly cream, a sweet, vanilla-flavoured whipped cream, for an extravagant banquet for 2,000 people hosted in honor of Louis XIV by Louis, the great Condé in April 1671 at the Château de Chantilly - hence the name crème Chantilly.

At this same banquet the consummate perfectionist Vatel was supposedly so distraught about the lateness of the fish - the banquet was to be held on a Friday - and about other mishaps that he committed suicide by running himself through with a sword. According to some versions of the story, his body was discovered by an aide who came to tell him of the arrival of the fish.

This popular story was described in a letter by the marquise de Sévigné. In more modern times, it was depicted in the 2000 film Vatel by Roland Joffé, with Gérard Depardieu playing the role of Vatel.

Vatel was already renowned for having served Nicolas Fouquet in the splendid inauguration of the Château de Vaux-le-Vicomte (1656).

[edit] References

  • Madame de Savigné's account of Vatel's supposed suicide, in both English translation and the French original: vatel.netfirms.com
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