On the occasion of the 175th birth anniversary of the great of French gastronomy, epicureans from all over the world gathered on the evening of October 28 to share the same menu and ambitions accompanied by an act of charity, as it was conceived 109 years ago by "The Cook of Kings and King of the Cooks", Master Escoffier himself. 

In Jakarta, Chef Gilles Marx of Amuz Gourmet restaurant was happy to announce the first Disciple Escoffier Epicure's Dinner at Amuz restaurant on October 28, 2021. The Disciple Escoffier is a worldwide association of chefs who, since 1954, serve to promote the values of August Escoffier. With more than 30.000 members in 47 countries worldwide, the values of the association are to honor the memory of Auguste Escoffier, to promote the art of cooking and eating, to organize culinary competitions for young chefs and waiters, to bring closer chefs and waiters, and to arrange culinary events for the public, and to support charity associations.

The origins

With Auguste Escoffier, things never dragged on. A few months after founding the Epicure Notebooks, Auguste Escoffier created the League of Gourmands with friends. This allowed Escoffier to realize one of his old dreams: a planetary dinner called Epicure’s Diner and, at the same time to demonstrate the excellence of French cuisine all over the world.

From March 3, 1912, when the League was created, the affair took a few weeks to go in complete secrecy.

The menu drawn up and signed by Escoffier (with new recipes) was luxuriously edited to become a work of art. The chefs of the restaurants affiliated with the League received this menu and the recipes only ten days before in a sealed envelope. They had to keep it a secret. If they had betrayed him, they would have been kicked out of the League.

The English and French newspapers informed of the project were faced with a refusal of more information, which only increased the restaurants' suspense and reservations. Part of the profits would necessarily be donated to the French Cuisiniers retirement home.

The first epicure's dinner

It takes place on May 25, 1912, bringing together 300 people at the Cecil Hotel in London and more than 4 000 in the 37 restaurants scattered around the world but linked by telephone and telegraph that evening. All the international press echoed this "world event". It was on this occasion that Escoffier created, among others, the Fraises Sarah Bernhardt.

Two years of prestigious dinners 

The second Epicurean Dinner was held on July 27, 1912, in more than 50 restaurants worldwide, including the Grand Hotel in Yokohama, bringing together 5,400 people. Escoffier creates the ”Timbale Jean Richepin” for this occasion.

Every two months, these dinners followed one another, bringing together more and more guests. More than 140 restaurateurs worldwide (London, Paris, New York, Pittsburgh, Bombay, Lahore, etc.) when the last Epicure’s Dinner took place on June 14, 1914.

Epicure's dinners by disciples Escoffier international

In 1996, 82 years after the last Epicure's Dinner by Auguste Escoffier, the eponymous Foundation with the Disciples Escoffier resuscitated them to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Master’s birth.

On October 28, 1996, this Epicure's Dinner was served in over 150 cities worldwide, from South Africa to Canada and Japan. Always in the Escoffier tradition, a wonderful menu was printed, numbered, and offered to each guest.

One of the most sumptuous of these Dinners took place at the Ritz, Place Vendôme, in Paris. Today, every year, the Disciples Escoffier of each Region of France and each Country of the world organize an Epicure's Dinner.