SC - Officier Vatel - was Feastocrat vs Head Cook: Long

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Hi, all!

After all the talk about head cooks, autocrats, etc., and the horror
stories, I remembered a little cautionary tale that I had posted to the
EK list a year or so ago. It may help some people put this game in
perspective a bit:

> There has been enough recurring traffic on the threads concerning the responsibilities of the autocrat / kitchencrat, with a certain amount of defensive attitude, that I felt it was time to remind people of the story of Vatel, for those who are unfamiliar with it. Technically, it is from outside period; Vatel’s leap into history occurred in 1671, but it is such a great example of what not to be that I thought we might make an exception. Here it is, from a letter by Mme. de Sévigné:
> 
> “Moreuil has just told me what happened at Chantilly, apropos of Vatel. Here is the full story. The king arrived on the Thursday evening; the promenade, the light supper in a spot carpeted with jonquils, everything was as perfect as one could wish. Supper was served, and there were a few tables at which the roast was lacking, because of a number of diners who had not been in the least expected. This obsessed Vatel; he said several times: ‘I am dishonoured, I cannot bear such a disgrace.’ He said to Gourville: ‘My head is spinning, I haven’t slept for twelve nights: help me to give orders.’ Gourville assisted him as far as he could. The roast, which had been lacking, not for the king’s table, but for the twenty-fifth table (in order of precedence) preyed on his mind. Gourville told the Prince de Condé. The prince went to Vatel’s room and told him: ‘Vatel, everything is all right; nothing could have been so excellent as the king’s supper.’ ‘My lord, I’m overwhelmed by your kindness; I know that there was no roast at two tables.’ ‘Not at all,’ said the prince, ‘don’t worry, everything is going well.’ At midnight the fireworks failed because they were hidden in mist; they had cost sixteen thousand francs. At four in the morning, Vatel went on his rounds and found everyone asleep; he met a little merchant who had brought just a couple of baskets of fresh fish, and asked him: ‘Is that all?’ ‘Yes, sir,’ he answered, not knowing that Vatel had sent to all the seaports for supplies. Vatel waited a little longer; the other merchants did not arrive; he grew hysterical, and thought that no more fresh fish would  arrive. He found Gourville and told him: ‘I shall never survive this disgrace.’ Gourville laughed at him. Vatel went up to his room, placed his sword against the door, and ran it through his body; but he only succeeded at the third blow, for he gave himself two other wounds which were not fatal, before he fell dead. The fresh fish, however, came in from every side; Vatel was wanted to distribute it, they went to hi
broke down the door, and found him in a pool of blood. The prince was in despair when he heard; the duke wept; his whole journey to Burgundy depended on Vatel. The prince told the king, full of sorrow; people said he had done it because he was so sensitive about his honour; he was much praised, praised and censured for his courage. Gourville tried to make good the loss of Vatel; it _was_ made good; dinner was excellent, supper, promenades, games, hunting, everything was scented with jonquils, everything was under a magic spell.”
> 
> I will not insult the patient readers of this list by supplying what I feel to be the moral here, unless someone asks me to, as I feel the story pretty well says it all.
> 
> Toodle-pip!
> Adamantius


It was just that I recalled that the late, great, but ultimately
unlamented Vatel was the officier of the Duke of Burgundy, and that his
story provides a useful lesson to autocrats and cooks as well.

Adamantius (still)
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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