Timeline
Born Alexis Benoit Soyer in October 1809, the youngest son to a shopkeeper, at Meaux-en-Brie on the Marne in France.
1821 - 1826
Apprentice to cook at Grignon, hired at Boulevard des Italiens became head cook 3 years after hire.
June 1830
Second cook to Prince Polignac (French Foreign Office) till July when revoultion begins.
1831
Hired at London Kitchen of Duke of Cambridge. Other employers during this time include Marquis of Waterford, Marquis of Ailsa @ Isleworth, Duke of Sutherland, William Lloyd of Ashton Hall
1837
Chef to The Reform Club in London
June 28th 1838
Prepares breakfast for 2,000 at Queen Victoria's coronation
April 1847
Commissioned to open kitchens in Dublin Ireland by government to help Irish famine victims. Published Soyer's Charitable Cookery while there and donated parts of the proceeds to charity.
1849
Promoted his invention, a stove where food could be cooked at the table.
May 1850
Resigns as Chef from the Reform Club
May 1851
Opens his Kensington restaurant Gore House
February 2nd 1855
Goes to Crimea to cook for the army. Makes changes to the army's hospital diet sheets and cooks for the Fourth Division.
May 3rd 1857 - March 18th 1858
Returns to london and lectures at the United Service Institution on cooking for the armed forces.
August 5th 1858
Passes away at
St. John's Wood in London
Alexis Soyer was buried in the
Kensal Green Cemetery on August 11th 1858.
Assorted information on Alexis Soyer on the WWW: The Victorian Web Bio on Alexis Soyer by Marjie Bloy, Ph.D Soyer, Alexis Benoit - The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition 2001 Books by Alexis Soyer The Pantropheon: Or a History of Food and It's Preparation in Ancient Times The Modern Housewife or Menagere: Comprising Nearly One Thousand Receipts......... Soyer's Cookery Book (1959 Reprint Colorful Pictorial Facsimile of A Shilling Cookery for the People) Intro by James Beard To read about Alexis Soyer Portrait of a Chef: The Life of Alexis Soyer: Sometime Chef to the Reform Club by Helen Morris The Adventurous Chef: Alexis Soyer by Ann Arnold The Selected Soyer: The Writing of the Legendary Victorian Chef Alexis Soyer by Andrew Langley "Alexis Soyer and the Irish Famine" in The Great Famine and the Irish Diaspora in America by Arthur Gribben New Information as of September 11th, 2002
Spoke to a contact at Kensal Green and was informed that both Alexis Soyer and his wife are buried there. His grave location is 3714/80/RS and he is listed in "Paths of Glory" by the Friends of Kensal Green.