The Centre des Monuments Nationaux is hosting the exhibition “Paris, Capital of Gastronomy from the Middle Ages to the Present Day” at the Conciergerie de Paris from April 13 to July 16, 2023.
François-Reguis Godry, author and food journalist at France Inter, is the curator, accompanied by Loïc Bienassis, historian from the European Institute of Food History and Cultures (IEHCA/University of Tours) and Stéphane Solier, associate professor of classical literature, researcher in food cultures and culinary author.
In the Salle des Gens-d'armes, which served as a refectory in the Middle Ages, this exhibition offers a journey through the gastronomic legends of the French capital, from the Middle Ages to the present day. From the memorable banquet of Charles V when the court was still in Paris, to the success of the modern capital with its extensive and renowned culinary repertoire, blending haute cuisine, bourgeois and popular traditions and innovations. Works of art, manuscripts, illuminations, original menus, as well as a selection of tableware, paintings, culinary creations, videos, and photographs will serve as a backdrop for this retrospective. These works and objects come from the most prestigious French institutions (BnF, Musée du Louvre, Musée Carnavalet, Château de Fontainebleau, Musée national de la Renaissance d'Ecouen, BHVP, etc.) as well as numerous private collections.
What if Paris remained a beacon of gastronomy around the world? The city maintains a unique dynamism in the world of gastronomy: many of the chefs who work there enjoy international reputations, apprentices flock from all over the world, and gourmets of all nationalities see the capital as a promising gastronomic destination. Paris is both a laboratory and a conservatory of gastronomy. Its status as the world capital of gastronomy is the result of a rich and fruitful history spanning several centuries.
The exhibition begins with the role that the political capital, Paris, played in influencing French gastronomy, with a spotlight on the medieval table in the Conciergerie, a rich legacy of the Capetian royal palace. Taillevent, a French chef credited with creating the famous Viandier, also worked in the monument's kitchens.
After the grand banquet given by Charles V at the Palais de la Cité in 1378, various Parisian feasts are evoked (Catherine de Medici, Napoleon, banquet of the mayors of France, official meals at the Elysée, etc.) with a selection of illuminations, archival documents, works of art, paintings, photographs, prints, menus, etc.
The Histopad, the Conciergerie's augmented reality tablet, allows for new 3D reconstructions that also enrich the immersive experience of Charles V's banquet, and in the kitchens hard at work preparing the feast.
The tour continues with the "Belly of Paris," a title taken from the famous book by Emile Zola. Here, the focus is on supplies, from the historic Halles to Rungis. For the occasion, a grocery store has been recreated in the exhibition to showcase Parisian produce from field to plate. This section immerses the visitor in the atmosphere that nourishes the heart of the capital... its trades, its characters, its slang, but also the culinary ecosystem with which the capital has built the legendary Parisian gastronomy. This abundant production is reflected in objects, prints, paintings, photographs, and films. This part of the exhibition is also an opportunity to (re)discover the terroir of Ile-de-France, where agricultural production continues (mushrooms in Paris, asparagus from Argenteuil, watercress from Méréville, cherries from Montmorency, Brie from Meaux, etc.), and which has always been populated by gourmets.
Visitors are then invited to discover the story of the invention of the restaurant and its rise, from the Palais Royal to the Grands Boulevards and elsewhere in the capital, passing through the great tables, the bistro tables and even the private offices and the bouillon restaurant, all legendary places of Parisian catering.
It's true, the restaurant is indeed a Parisian innovation, a cultural and social revolution. Since the end of the 18th centurye century, the restaurant is also one of the centers of political, intellectual, artistic and literary life, like the cafés of the Palais Royal but also the brasseries where literary prizes are awarded. Paintings, prints, tableware, objects, menus and founding books all serve this perspective.
What would Paris be without the legendary creations of pastry and bakery? From mille-feuille to croissants, macarons, Paris-Brest and baguettes, Paris has undoubtedly seen the birth of many culinary specialties. It also witnessed the birth of Antonin Carême, "King of Chefs and Chef of Kings" (1783-1833), the first great figure of modern pastry. Thus, a section dedicated to Paris, the undisputed capital of sugar and bakery of the 19the century to the present day, combines prints, decorations, culinary creations and videos.
The tour concludes with a spotlight on gastronomic Paris as a crossroads conducive to exchange, fusion, and creativity. The City of Light takes on the role of arbiter of culinary elegance and owes its gastronomic richness to the rest of France: the raw materials it receives, the restaurants serving regional cuisines it hosts, and its delicatessens overflowing with dishes. Paris is also a "global city," where influences from here and elsewhere meet and renew themselves. The final chapter also immerses visitors in the gastronomic prestige of Paris as seen from abroad through the media and cultural scene enjoyed by the capital.
Visitor information
Concierge Service / 2, boulevard du Palais 75001 Paris 01 53 40 60 80 / www.paris-conciergerie.fr / Open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 18 p.m. / Last entry 45 minutes before closing. Late opening on Saturdays until 20 p.m., last entry at 19:15 p.m.
André Tirlet
Captions: 1/ Dinner with the Ambassadors Jean Beraud copyright Paris Museums. Carnavalet Museum. History of Paris. 2/ The banquet of Charles V at the Palais de la Cité. The great chronicles of France 1379 source National Library of France. 3/ Hanap copyright RMN Grand Palais Louvre Museum Daniel Arnaude. 4/ Conciergerie Paris ©Caroline Rose – CMN.
