Gouffé, Jules

Gouffé, Jules (1807–77) one of the most famous French chefs of the 19th century, wrote one of the finest French cookery books.

His father Louis Gouffé was a pastry chef in Paris, whose three sons all entered the profession. At the age of 16, Jules was sufficiently accomplished to be making the presentation pieces for the window of his father’s shop. One day, his constructions caught the eye of a passer-by, the famous carême, who at once recruited Jules for his brigade de cuisine. Gouffé spent the next seven years working under Carême, learning the general art of cookery as well as that of preparing pastries. He later wrote: ‘A good pastry chef can become an excellent cook, but one rarely hears of a man trained as a cook who goes on to master pastry.’ He was fortunate in mastering both arts himself while so young, thus paving the way for a distinguished career as chef in important households.