Guillaume Tirel, said Taillevent
First master of mouth of the kings of France
Guillaume Tirel, said Taillevent
First master of mouth of the kings of France
"CY starts the Viandier Sizent, which Cuisinier du Roy Nostre Sire ..."
It is rare that a medieval cook comes out of the shadow of time with so much sharpness. However, Guillaume Tirel, nicknamed Taillevent, alone embodies the emergence of the figure of the chief in France : a man whose career, fame and culinary heritage cross the centuries, from the King's kitchens to modern libraries.
An extraordinary destiny
We do not know his birthplace, but Guillaume Tirel appeared for the first time in 1326, a kitchen child in the service of the Queen of France and Navarre Jeanne d'Évreux. We guess him teenagers, between 10 and 15 years old, being busy with household chores in royal kitchens. In 1330, he described as a "kitchen valet" with Jeanne de Bourgogne, wife of Philippe VI, and quickly climbed the ladder: in 1346, he was "King's cook", then " Queux " , term designating the one who supervised the sovereign table.
His career stretched for almost fifty years in the service of three kings : Philippe VI, Jean Le Bon, Charles V. In 1364, he became " first queux " , supreme title, true conductor of court feasts. He will keep this function until his death in 1395, at over 80 years old. This professional longevity record illustrates its talents as much as royal trust.
A much more than culinary power
Sizent was not just an executor. From Charles V, he supervised the entire operation of kitchens: purchases, supplies, staff management. It was a prestigious position, reserved for nobles . He participated in diplomatic receptions and ceremonies. It is even mentioned in royal acts for the acquisition of land, proof of its social position. With Charles VI, which he served until his last years, he has accesses the function of cupnson " - responsible for drinks - and continues to direct all of the Palais kitchens.
A pioneer figure in the history of the profession of cook
Until the 14th century, the cook was often only an executor, anonymous and interchangeable. But Guillaume Tirel changes the situation. He is one of the first to embody a valued, codified and recognized culinary function.
His nickname, " Taillevent ", could evoke a blade which split the air or a lively man, with the sharp gestures. But it is above all a stage name-the first perhaps-in a universe where the food trades come out of the shadow of the palaces.
Taillevent died in 1395, buried in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. By his longevity, his mastery of the royal table and the imprint he leaves in the manuscripts, he opens the way to a new recognition: that of the cook as an artist and technician, pillar of the royal prestige as much as of culture.
The Viandier - An invaluable culinary legacy
Taillevent went above all to posterity thanks to a work that bears its name: Le Viandier . This collection of recipes, the oldest manuscripts of which date from the beginning of the 14th century, is one of the first French culinary treaties. It is difficult to determine what part really comes back to Tirel, but its name is associated at the end of the Middle Ages with a culinary written tradition of Grand Prestige.
There are around 230 recipes: soups, meats, fish, sauces, desserts. The emphasis is placed on the use of spices (saffron, ginger, cinnamon), multiple cookings, sweet and savory mixtures, colors and aesthetics of dishes. The term " meats " does not only designate flesh, but all foods in general.
The first printed edition dates from 1486 and was regularly reissued until 1615 . The popularity of the Viandier is such that it contributes to forging a French culinary memory even before the word “gastronomy” appears.
A living memory
Even today, Taillevent remains a celebrated figure: a starred restaurant bears its name in Paris, and the Guillaume-Tirel hotel high school forms future chefs in its tutelary shadow.
More than a man of his time, Taillevent embodies the birth of a learned, codified and transmitted culinary culture. He is one of the first to show that cooking could be an art, a science ... and a power.
