Resenhas - Maxim's

nenos 10/12/2023

Rendezvous of all Belle Epoque Paris
This is it. It is the restaurant that Great Chefs aspire to work in, and clients desire to experience. This is the place that refined the realms of food and service, marking the furthest point in my gastronomic journey. I now truly comprehend the essence of the "Golden Age" in gastronomy. Have you ever pondered how certain locales become heritage and landmarks? In the vast cosmological theater where oceans rise, empires fall, and relationships fade, the greatest challenge lies in longevity and vivacity, both of which Maxim’s has triumphantly achieved.
We are transported to an era when Parisian nightlife was just beginning to ignite, and restaurants had yet to assume the recognizable form we know today. It was a time when Bouchons were the norm for workmen, lacking distinctive staff for both kitchen and dining room. It was an epoch when the alimentary code differed, and the last meal transitioned from supper to dinner. Society was at its hierarchical peak, governed by men with their mistresses or companions of the moment. Dress standards adhered to a code, and the supreme consecration of Michelin Stars had not yet come into existence.
Few establishments can boast of such profound influence on the history and evolution of cuisine and Paris itself. Built in 1777, the structure was initially acquired by Duc de Richelieu, the grandson of Louis XIV. During Napoleon's "hundred days" campaign, Jean Lacroix acquired the building, renting the ground floor to the Imoda family for their ice cream enterprise. Finally, a former waiter named Maxime Gaillard established the renowned Maxim's in 1893, initially a simple bouchon for coachmen with modest receipts.
The transformation of Maxim's into the rendezvous of all Belle Époque Paris is shrouded in mystery. However, aside from Mr. Jean-Pascal Hesse's narratives, understanding how the strands were interwoven is not a formidable task. A sumptuous ambiance, dominated by deep dark reds, adorned glass ceilings, mahogany-framed mirrors, woodworks on scarlet velvet—the colors of power, desire, and Art Nouveau—combined with an improved staff led by Maître Albert Blaser. They aimed to meet the rising social status of their customers and serve "invisibly," accompanied by an orchestra and a magnificent meal.
Enduring the ravages of centuries, Maxim's and its building weathered the French Revolution, the Great War, the Great Depression of 1929, World War II, and hosted millions attending the 1900 Exposition Universelle. It bore witness to the introduction of electricity, changed hands among various owners and chefs, fed countless faces, including royalty and icons such as the Rothschilds, Marcel Proust, Gary Cooper, Frank Sinatra, Pablo Picasso, Muhammad Ali, and many others who contributed to making Maxim's a piece of social history.
At the pinnacle of festive cuisine was the remarkable Maître d'Hôtel, Mr. Albert Blaser, who maintained order, led the dining room staff, and emphasized the importance of networking, leaving behind the legacy of exceptional service. Maxim's exemplifies service through "serving invisibly," with glasses always half full, promptly replenished bread plates, swiftly emerging dishes, and elaborate table settings. They discreetly observed, heard, and knew everything.
The cultural disparities between epochs are vivid and explicit, underscoring the reality of the nineteenth century. Management organized space and allocated rooms for "loose" women, some of whom attended Maxim's nightly in the Grande Salle, known as the "young ladies of pleasure" (les demoiselles de plaisir), also nicknamed "quails" or "cocottes," like the famous La Belle Otéro. The liberal-minded owner at the time, Eugène Cornuché, affectionately thanked these women for contributing to Maxim's international renown.
After Maxime Gaillard, the legacy passed to Maître Eugène Cornuche and then shareholder Octave Vaudable. Following Octave's death, his son Louis Vaudable managed the establishment until its sale in 1977, marking the beginning of the Pierre Cardin era. Mr. Cardin, already a luminary, revitalized Maxim's by removing it from the Michelin Guide (where it regularly received three stars), accentuating its character, restoring the entire restaurant, creating an Art Nouveau Museum in the upper stories, and rejuvenating Paris's heritage, entrusted by the Louvre's restoration atelier.
Each owner, client, maître, and chef contributed their unique style, maintaining Maxim's as a temple of Art Nouveau and fashion, striking a delicate balance between tradition and iconoclasm. As the venue where all significant events of Parisian life were celebrated, Maxim's has endured for over 250 years, indisputably becoming part of the Parisian historical patrimony declared by the French government in 1979, alongside landmarks such as the Place de la Concorde, Notre-Dame, the Opéra, Sacré-Cœur, and the Eiffel Tower—illuminating the aura of France.

Link to my highlights: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lGE61vC7PKufcORMe9LplXWsDTUyxSpj/view?usp=sharing
Link to Maxim’s recipes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1neEX_n_5HlJYcHUMV8FgIf7yELzsVfAR/view?usp=sharing