Soyer, ALEXIS

Soyer, ALEXIS, cook and author of books on gastronomy, was born at Meaux in 1809, and, designed for the church, was trained as chorister in Bossuet's famous old cathedral. But his inclinations turned another way: he went through a systematic training as cook in several notable restaurants in the provinces and in Paris, and, suppressing some temptation to give scope to his dramatic powers and fine voice on the stage, he became the most famous cook of his time. He had a post in Prince Polignac's kitchen in 1830, and was nearly murdered there by the revolutionists, but escaped to London, and was cook in various hotels, private houses, and latterly in the Reform Club (1837-50). For a time he managed a 'symposium' or restaurant of his own. He had gone to Ireland during the famine (1847); contributed greatly to improving the food of the army and navy; and in 1855 he went for a time to the Crimea to reform the food-system under which the army was suffering. His works greatly increased the public interest in economic, scientific, and tasteful cookery, and comprised Culinary Relaxations (1845); Charitable Cookery (1847); The Gastronomie Regenerator (1846; 9th ed. 1861); The Modern Housewife (1849; 36th thousand, 1866; new ed. 1872); Shilling Cookery-book (1854; 123d thousand, 1858). He wrote an account of his experiences in the Crimea, and died 5th August 1858. See the memoirs by Volant and Warren (1858).