In this showcase adjoining the entrance to our restaurant “La Table du Château,” we wanted to bring together different literary references on the subject of French gastronomy, a cultural heritage with international renown.
Among these works is, of course, a copy of the illustrious “Physiologie du Goût” written by Brillat-Savarin in 1826. The reference to this refined gastronome lawyer is interesting in that his work lays the foundations for the construction of an entire society based on gastronomy. Indeed, he studies the link between the culinary arts, politics, and social belonging. “The art of eating,” far more than a simple natural need for nourishment, according to Brillat-Savarin, results from a well-thought-out social construction and a culture with codes influenced by geopolitics. It is also a way to approach the new type of establishment that appeared in the eighteenth century: the “restaurant” reshuffles the cards of the functions and roles of the diners.
“Inviting someone means taking charge of his/her happiness for as long as he/she remains under our roof” Brillat-Savarin
Other works deal with “domestic economy” aimed at bourgeois housewives, a theme in which “good cooking” holds an important place. Furthermore, some references specifically focusing on pastry depict the advent of “the art of dessert,” often with colorful and enticing illustrations…
Finally, we present some examples of dated menus that were actually served on various occasions in the nineteenth century, allowing us to appreciate the eating habits of the time… And especially the guests’ capacity for large consumption!
