Relish: The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer, Victorian Celebrity Chef [Paperback]

Ruth Cowen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 28, 2008

Rarely has a man defined the spirit of an age as well as Alexis Soyer. A celebrity chef, bestselling author, entrepreneur, inventor, and Crimean war hero, Soyer built the world famous kitchens of London's Reform Club and filled them with such ingenious inventions as the gas stove and steam lifts. In the 1840s he established soup kitchens during the Irish potato famine—a revolutionary concept at the time—and in the following decade risked his life by traveling to the Russian peninsula to reform army catering for the troops, saving thousands of soldiers from the effects of malnutrition. But Soyer—in the spirit of his age—was also a secret womanizer, near bankrupt, and an alcoholic. Despite the fame of his lifetime, Soyer dropped completely from the public eye after his untimely death. His friend Florence Nightingale, never one to praise lightly, wrote that his passing was "a great disaster for the nation." Despite making several fortunes Soyer died penniless. His personal papers were destroyed, his funeral a hushed-up affair, and today his grave lies neglected and rotting. This is the story of one of the Victorian age’s most favored—and soon forgotten—shining stars.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'I was riveted from start to finish. What a fascinating, endearing, complex, contradictory man Soyer was, and what a life!' -- Deborah Moggach 'a masterly account not only of a Victorian chef but of a Victorian era.' -- Martin Gilbert 'A riveting book with all the elements of a Hollywood Oscar winner' -- Clarissa Dickson Wright 'The most admirable and attractive of all chefs has been given an equally admirable and attractive biography.' -- A A Gill 'engrossing biography... A sybarite and dandy with a social conscience and hustling entrepreneurial streak, Soyer was an intriguing, contradictory figure.' FINANCIAL TIMES 'Ruth Cowen has brought Alexis Soyer back to life with the kind of flourish he would have appreciated.' SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'Chef Alexis Soyer was as famous as Dickens in his day... Cowen explores his amazing life and the reasons behind his obscurity.' SAINSBURY'S MAGAZINE 'excellent, entertaining and vivid... colourful, compassionate, generous, inventive, indefatigable. Now at last [Soyer] has the biography he deserves.' -- Joanna Simon SUNDAY TIMES '[Cowen] has crafted a filling dish... Cowen captures the curious combination of his astute commercial skills... and his selfless philanthropy' SUNDAY EXPRESS 'Ruth Cowen guides us elegantly through the turbulent, intoxicating life of this brilliant but flawed man' -- Jill Turton www.askmario.co.uk 'The story of [Soyer's] vigorous life is a potent one, and Cowen's comprehensive, sensitive recording of it is long overdue.' DAILY TELEGRAPH 'Ruth Cowen's lively new biography... is a highly readable account of an important life.' THE GUARDIAN 'Ruth Cowen's excellent biography... is a riveting story... it's also a marvellous portrait of the early Victorian age.' TIME OUT '[Soyer's] colourful life story - he was a bigamist, bankrupt and alcoholic - is told brilliantly by Ruth Cowen.' SOLDIER MAGAZINE 'Sparkling... If only all history were written like this.' SUNDAY BUSINESS POST 'This very well-written and researched book. will serve for some time as the best record that we have on this great chef.' MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY 'Alexis Soyer deserves a biography of flair, passion and frivolity. Ruth Cowen has delivered just such a book.' THE FIELD --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Ruth Cowen has written for numerous newspapers, including the Financial Times, The Independent, the Guardian, and the Evening Standard.

Product Details

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: Phoenix (April 28, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753821966
• ISBN-13: 978-0753821961
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,067,510 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great book!, November 7, 2007

By 

V. Webb - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Relish: The Extraordinary Life of Alexis Soyer, Victorian Celebrity Chef (Hardcover)

This is one of the best biooks I have read in years! Not only is the main character a fascinating man, the book also sheds wonderful light on the Victorian era and its foibles, energy and style. As the author of "Florence Nightingale: The Making of a Radical Theologian," I was particularly interested in Soyer's visit to the Crimean War to improve the food for Britain's soldiers.