Cordon Bleu

Cordon Bleu was originally a title reserved for the Chevaliers of the Order of Saint Esprit (the highest order of chivalry under the Bourbon kings), to whom it belonged because of the blue sash which they wore. Towards the end of the 18th century, in France, the term was being applied to anyone who excelled in a particular field of activity, one example of which was cookery (in England, the phrase ‘blue ribbon’ confusingly referred to the broad blue ribbon of the Order of the Garter).

In the course of the 19th century its scope was gradually focused onto cooks alone, and for the French it was now denoting precisely a very skilful female cook (une cuisinière très-habile). At that time only professional female cooks could be cordons bleus, but in the 20th century, in France, the term has been used rather of gifted amateur cooks, and a professional woman cook would prefer to be chef (a title for long withheld from women) or just cuisinière. Outside France, in contrast, anyone, whether man or woman, who shows a special aptitude for cooking is likely to be pleased at being called cordon bleu, although chefs already well known would probably feel that it was a distinction more appropriate for lesser beings than for themselves. In 1895, Marthe Distell founded the first Cordon Bleu school in Paris, to instruct the daughters of the bourgeoisie in the art of cooking. Since then, similar schools have opened in England (1933), the USA (1942), and many other countries. See also cookery schools.