The British Connection

Dating back to 1815, Marie-Antoine Carême was employed by the then Prince Regent at his ornate pavilion in Brighton. Although he stayed only two years before moving on, he and the Prince had set a trend. Banquets were now a mark of wealth and excess and the only chef that would do was a French one. The extent of his influence can be seen in the pages of a book called London at Table (1851) by Chapman and Hall Publishers - probably Britain’s first ever restaurant guide.