Who Was Chef Marie-Antoine Carême, the Subject of a (Sexy!) New Apple TV+ Series?

Marie-Antoine Carême is considered the first celebrity chef, and his legacy in modern Western cuisine is immense. He systemized, rationalized, and professionalized French cuisine in the early 1800s, creating the foundation for haute cuisine. Carême's work is the basis for French cooking, which has permeated every country and remains dominant in fine dining today. Born in Paris in 1784, Carême spent nearly 40 years working in professional kitchens, starting as a dishwasher and eventually becoming a renowned pastry chef and cookbook author. Carême's work was groundbreaking, as he was the first to distinguish haute cuisine from regional French home cooking and catalogue it for future generations. He extrapolated four essential sauces, known as "mother sauces," which formed the basis of hundreds of dishes. Carême's work was well-documented, and his methods were the first to be extensively recorded. He is credited with inventing iconic desserts like strawberries Romanov, coeur à la crème, croquembouche, mille-feuille, and charlotte Russe. Carême's legacy extends beyond his culinary creations, as he also systemized dress and professionalized the culinary arts, introducing the concept of uniforms for chefs. Despite his vainglorious self-promotion, his talent and contributions to French cuisine are undeniable, and his work continues to influence cooking globally.