Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Doctoral Tourism and Food 2009-01-01 The Emergence, Development and Influence of rF ench Haute Cuisine on Public Dining in Dublin Restaurants 1900-2000: an Oral History Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire Technological University Dublin, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/tourdoc Part of the Oral History Commons Recommended Citation Mac Con Iomaire, M. (2009). The emergence, development and influence of rF ench haute cuisine on public dining in Dublin restaurants 1900-2000:an oral history. Doctoral thesis. Technological University Dublin. doi:10.21427/D79K7H This Theses, Ph.D is brought to you for free and open access by the Tourism and Food at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License The Emergence, Development and Influence of French Haute Cuisine on Public Dining in Dublin Restaurants 1900-2000: An Oral History (Volume 1/3) From Ancient Greece and Rome to 21st Century Europe Submitted by Máirtín Mac Con Iomaire B.Sc.(Hons)Ed.&Tech. to School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology Dublin Institute of Technology for the Award of PhD. Supervisor: Dr. Pat Dargan 2009 Abstract The words Dublin or Ireland do not immediately come to mind when haute cuisine is mentioned. However, two leading French chefs, the brothers Francois and Michel Jammet, opened a restaurant in Dublin in 1901 which, up until its closure in 1967, remained one of the best restaurants serving haute cuisine in the world (Mac Con Iomaire 2005a; Mac Con Iomaire 2006). Haute cuisine was served in many Dublin hotels, clubs and restaurants during the twentieth century and came under similar influences as London and other European cities, moving from the Escoffier orthodoxy to the influence of nouvelle cuisine. This research reveals that French haute cuisine was widely available in Dublin hotels and restaurants from the late nineteenth century. German and Austrian chefs and waiters were widely employed in Dublin until the First World War, after which, Swiss chefs became more prevalent. Dublin restaurants enjoyed increased business during the ‘Emergency’ as gastro-tourists and army officers came to Dublin from England and Northern Ireland to dine. Restaurant Jammet during the years of WWII was reported to produce ‘the finest French cooking from the fall of France to the liberation of Paris’ (Ryan 1987). In 1949, another French chef, Pierre Rolland, arrived in Dublin as chef de cuisine of the Russell Hotel and the restaurant under his leadership also became world renowned for haute cuisine (Mac Con Iomaire 2004b). Dublin restaurants serving haute cuisine enjoyed a ‘golden age’ in the two decades that followed the Second World War. The kitchens and dining rooms of the Russell and Royal Hibernian Hotels became nurseries for young Irish chefs and waiters who gradually replaced the Continental head chefs and waiters and became the culinary leaders in the 1970s. When the Egon Ronay Guide covered Ireland for the first time in 1963, the Russell was awarded three stars – the highest possible accolade. It was described as ‘one of the best restaurants in Europe’ in the 1964 guide and by 1965 the entry for the Russell Hotel Restaurant read ‘words fail us in describing the brilliance of the cuisine at this elegant and luxurious restaurant which must rank amongst the best in the world’ (Egon-Ronay 1965:464). The Michelin Guide to Great Britain and Ireland was first published in 1974, awarding one star to the Russell 2 Hotel which also closed in 1974. Haute cuisine moved from the restaurants of Dublin to the country house hotels during the 1970s and 1980s. The next Michelin star was not awarded in Dublin until 1989, to another French chef / restaurateur, Patrick Guilbaud. By 2001 there were two Dublin restaurants awarded two Michelin stars each, Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, and Thornton’s, run by an Irish chef Kevin Thornton. Another Irish chef, Conrad Gallagher, was awarded one Michelin star in his restaurant Peacock Alley in 2001, and seven other Dublin restaurants were also awarded Red ‘M’s in 2001, symbolising good food and a reasonable price. This thesis is presented in three volumes. Volume I presents a broad review of the literature concerning the emergence of haute cuisine in a European context from Ancient Greece and Rome up to 21st century England and France, which acts as a historic backcloth against which the developments in Ireland can be seen. Ireland’s culinary history is reviewed in part one of Volume II, focusing particularly on the growth of public urban dining locations from taverns, coffee houses, clubs, chop houses to the emergence of the first French restaurant in Dublin in 1860. The main body of Volume II offers a chronology of how restaurants developed in Dublin from 1900 to 2000. Using a combination of documentary evidence, archival sources, material culture and oral histories, this volume attempts to establish the influence French haute cuisine had on this development. Sources will be critically analysed and compared with the findings of Volume I. Finally, the findings are assessed, conclusions are drawn and results are offered for consideration. The growth of restaurants in Dublin during the twentieth century is divided into four phases: Phase One: Dublin Restaurants (1900-1922) The Last Years of Imperial Rule Phase Two: Dublin Restaurants (1922-1946) From Independence to post-Emergency Phase Three: Dublin Restaurants (1947-1974) The Golden Age of Haute Cuisine Phase Four: Dublin Restaurants (1974-2002) Decline, Stagnation and Resurgence 3 Volume III presents over 40 transcribed life history interviews with chefs, waiters, restaurateurs and discerning diners, from which much of the information for this research derives. This volume acts both as a reference to the themes discussed in Volume II and as a repository of life histories and material culture as a resource to future scholars of culinary history, social history and folklore. 4 Declaration I certify that this thesis which I now submit for examination for the award of Ph.D. is entirely my own work and has not been taken from the work of others, save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. This thesis was prepared according to the regulations for postgraduate study by research of the Dublin Institute of Technology and has not been submitted in whole or in part for another award in any Institute. The work reported in this thesis conforms to the principles and requirements of the Institute’s guidelines for ethics in research. The Institute has permission to keep, lend or copy this thesis in whole or in part. On condition that any such use of the material of the thesis be duly acknowledged. Signature: _________________________________ Date: ____________ 5 Acknowledgements I have received so much support, encouragement, and generosity of spirit, time, and knowledge from such a wide range of people while undertaking this research project, that to list them all would form a small volume. A general acknowledgment and thanks is offered to all who assisted me in identifying sources, engaging in interviews, sharing their family memories and material culture. The names of interviewees are listed in Chapter Thirteen, and I am deeply indebted to them all in sharing their time so generously with me. A number of individuals, however, need to be personally identified. First and foremost, is my wife Linda Byrne, who along with my two daughters Aoife and Sadhbh have been more than patient and long suffering as this project approached completion. Thank you Linda, Aoife and Sadhbh for your love and understanding; I dedicate this work to you. Secondly I acknowledge the love of learning, history, and folklore engendered in me by my parents Liam and Bairbre, and the support of my family, Máirín, Nuala, Colm, Ruairí and Darach, go raibh maith agaibh uilig. I also acknowledge the support of my wider family and friends, particularly my mother in law, Margie Byrne who has been extremely supportive in very practical ways. This project would not have developed as it did without the guidance, support and erudition of my supervisor Dr. Pat Dargan. Thank you for your encouragement, insight and good cheer throughout the journey. A number of other individuals within the Dublin Institute of Technology need to be mentioned for their guidance, encouragement, help and support during this research project: Dr. Joseph Hegarty, Dr. Aodán Ó Cearbhaill, Joseph Erraught, Elizabeth Erraught, Pauline Danaher, Mary Dineen, Dr. Tom Duff, Dr. Marlene Proctor, Dr. Michael Mulvey, Dr. Sheila Flanagan, Brian Gillespie and the Library staff, and all my colleagues in the School of Culinary Arts and Food Technology, and in the DIT in general. 6 Glossary of Terms À la carte According to a menu that prices items separately. Aislinge Meic Con Glinne A 12th century satirical vision written by a Roscommon man who goes to Cork and is treated with meaness. Alehouse A public house which sold ale ‘alcoholic drink made from fermented malt’. Anglo-Irish The inhabitants of Irelands of English birth or descent. Aristocracy A privileged class of people usually of high birth; the nobility. Bain-marie A vessel for holding hot water, in which sauces or other dishes are gently cooked or kept warm. Bistro Originally dating to late 19th century, meaning a small establishment serving food and drink, where one can eat simple rustic dishes that are not expensive without having to wait to long. By the end of the 20th century the word was annexed by more pretentious premises.