THE BRIGHTON PAVILION – CAREME'S KITCHEN

The Great Kitchen at the Pavilion was built especially for the Prince’s chefs who kept him and his minions well fed and produced brilliant banquets for his royal guests. 

The Prince Regent was obsessed with all things French: architecture, décor, furniture, china, fashion, and “above all” French food.  Once Great Britain had driven out Napoleon, the Prince Regent had to have a French Chef to prepare his meals and banquets in London at Carlton House and at his Brighton home, the Royal Pavilion. He sent his household Clerk Controller to Paris to find a chef.  Even  the Prince was surprised when the celebrated Antonin Carême agreed to come, probably for the offer of a very high salary. Carême had prepared elaborate meals for the notables of Napoleonic France, particularly the diplomat Talleyrand and the Emperor himself – Carême was the first “celebrity chef.”

Distinguished British writer and actor Ian Kelly is the author of Carême’s biography.  You can read more about Ian and his books here.  A chapter is devoted to Carême’s brief but notable career in England.  He arrived in July 1816, having left his wife and child in Paris. Carême certainly impressed the Prince’s guests with his dishes, particularly with his elaborate, even ostentatious, confections, up to four feet tall.

Before Carême arrived, the Prince was already grossly overweight.  Supposedly the Prince said that the temptations of his new chef’s cooking would be the death of him.  Carême replied, “Your highness, my concern is to tempt your appetite; yours is to curb it.”  Touché!

Kelly had access to the records in the Royal Archive which include bills and notes from Careme’s time. When he arrived from France, Carême altered the usual method of disposing of the extra food  not eaten at the royal table. Previously, the staff could sell leftovers, plus such things as candles, and share the  profits.  Carême kept for himself the right to dispose of items from the kitchens. Thus he was quite unpopular with the staff.  Kelly tells some wonderful stories about the conflicts.  In late 1817, Carême returned to France.

The kitchen as it appears today is only a part of the many rooms that were once used as bakeries, for supplies, preparation, sculleries, and so forth.  Kelly found records showing in 1817, in one month, the kitchens took supply of 428 bunches of radishes, 153 Savoy Cabbages, 7 dozen Cos lettuces, and spent over  £250 on 1,854 pounds of beef and similar amounts of mutton and veal.

For a 360-degree view of the kitchen, click here.


^{The Great Kitchen was built as part of the remodeling of the Marine Pavilion by architect John Nash.  Intended to be a model of innovation, the kitchen had running water, steam heating and special ventilation through the high windows. The oriental theme used in varied versions throughout the palace is also found in the kitchen. Tall pillars supporting the ceiling are adorned with copper palm fronds.}