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🔥 At a ball held in 1810 at the Austrian Embassy in Paris to celebrate the wedding of Napoleon and Marie-Louise, a fire broke out. Prince Alexander Kurakin, the Russian ambassador, was severely burned. He had to remain bedridden for many months, but continued to entertain, imposing seated dinners and "service au plat", to avoid stretching out his arm to the center of the table. This was the birth of Russian-style service, quickly adopted by the bourgeoisie. From then on, the menu was the same for everyone: starter, main course, dessert. Pieces of meat or fish were cut up on a pedestal table, in front of the guests. At last dishes were served hot, one after the other, by maître d'hôtel. Guests helped themselves directly to the dishes on their left, following the order of precedence. On the table, floral arrangements replaced the many dishes and fruit bowls. Thanks to Russian-style service, food & wine pairing developed, as did the codification of service in restaurants, then in full expansion 🍽️
About L'Institut Bernardaud:
Because the French art of living is the envy of the world, what better way than with porcelain to introduce you to the teeming world of the table... Contribute with L'Institut Bernardaud to reenchanting this convivial and so precious moment of the meal by following our various workshops and conferences. A program with a creative approach and open to the world to live an exciting adventure at the crossroads of gastronomy, art, history or decoration.
