![]() Georges Auguste Escoffier was born October 28th, 1846 in humble circumstances in the French village of Villaneuve-Loubet, not far from Niece. ![]() He is best known for promoting French cuisine during the Belle Époque in the 1890's. He never worked on an aristocratic estate but instead displayed his culinary skills in restaurants and the grand Hotels of the era. I hope to help right the ship a bit with a series of articles on one of the towering figures of French cuisine. The two are inextricably intertwined, however, because without food to enhance the wine, and vice versa, the pleasurable experience of dining is diminished. I have noticed that in the International Wine & Food Society, at least in the United States, that we tend to emphasize more the Wine part of the name and place less emphasis on the Food. They focus in greater detail on the life, times and importance of this great French chef. The following are the series of articles on the French culinary powerhouse, Auguste Escoffier that appeared in the International Wine & Food Society Council Bluffs Branch, Bluffs Gazettes from January 2014 to April 2014. Marty is willing to travel, so if your branch would like to do something unique, fun and educational, contact Marty at regarding his play Escoffier: Master of the Kitchen.Īctor Marty Skomal portrays Auguste Escoffier Marty wishes to thank Barbee Davis, who directed and wrote a large portion of the production, for her unwavering support in bringing Escoffier from conception to reality. He has performed Escoffier in Omaha previously at Le Voltaire Restaurant, for the Institute for the Culinary Arts at Metropolitan Community College, and in Lincoln for the Angels Theatre Company. As a director, Marty has directed for the play lab of the Great Plains Theatre Conference at Metropolitan Community College in Omaha. Previously he was director of theatre at the Jewish Community Center, production manager at Chanticleer Theatre, and has worked with many local and regional theatres including the Nebraska Theatre Caravan. A native Omahan, he has been an arts administrator with the Nebraska Arts Council for 25 years, as director of programs for the last ten. Marty Skomal (Escoffier) is a graduate of the conservatory of theatre arts at Webster University. The character of Escoffier came alive and spoke directly to you as if you were having a tête à tête in his home in Monte Carlo. From the play we learned about his relationship with these luminaries, the challenges of his day, and his culinary accomplishments. It became more important to be seen dining at the Carlton than to stay and eat at home. When Ritz ran the London Carlton, and Escoffier ran its dining room, together they changed English society's dining habits. Escoffier met with, and impressed, the important people on the world stage at that time: King Edward VII, Kaiser Wilhelm II, actress Lily Langtry, hotelier César Ritz, and opera superstars Nellie Melba and the divine Sarah Bernhardt. This man was a giant in the culinary world at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. ![]() Marty Skomal as Escoffier with member Tom Murnan The one man play is delightful, fitting right into the second part of our IWFS name: FOOD, and its mission to educate its members about the world of food and wine. Our event featured a dinner with all Escoffier recipes paired with all French wines. It's hard to know where you are going if you don't know where you've been, and the whole time I was watching the play I was thinking that I must bring this wonderful presentation to my fellow IWFS members.Īfter a series of articles promoting the history of Escoffier in our Bluffs Gazette, the Council Bluffs Branch engaged local Omaha Actor Marty Skomal to bring Escoffier to life. Serendipity can be a wonderful thing, and it was quite by chance that I stumbled onto an entertaining, and at the same time, educational presentation of Escoffier at Omaha's Institute for the Culinary Arts which presented a brunch and one-man play on his life. I suspect that most members of the IWFS are in the same situation. I was dimly aware of the name Auguste Escoffier just a few months ago, but if I had been asked to give any kind of summary of his life or importance, I would have been unable to do so, other to say he was an pioneer in French cuisine. Auguste Escoffier: Founder of Modern Cuisineīy Tom Murnan ( Council Bluffs & Omaha Branches)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |