Louisette Bertholle
Encyclopedia
Louisette Bertholle is a French chef
and author
, best known as one of the three authors (with Julia Child
and Simone Beck
) of the bestselling cookbook
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
.
, Bertholle, who had the idea of writing a French cookbook for American cooks, met Simone Beck
via the Cercle des Gourmettes culinary club and the two began to develop the concept further, collecting recipes and testing them. Their initial attempts at writing were unsuccessful, however their idea was rekindled in 1949 when they met Julia Child
. Bertholle and Beck did successfully publish the short cookbook What's Cooking in France in 1952, and the three women founded their own cooking school, L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes, in 1951. The latter was created to give French cooking lessons to American women living in Paris, and Child, as well as Beck, would wear the school's logo on her blouse when appearing on television.
By 1960 Bertholle's life had changed significantly: her marriage was failing, she was having financial difficulties and was already over 50. However, she was able to reinvent herself and restart her career via her participation with Child and Beck. The three women had initially signed a contract to publish Mastering the Art of French Cooking with Houghton Mifflin
. The publishing company ultimately rejected the submitted manuscript, believing it was too much like an encyclopedia. When it was finally published in 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf
, the 734-page book was a best-seller and received critical acclaim.
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, best known as one of the three authors (with Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
and Simone Beck
Simone Beck
Simone "Simca" Beck was a French cookbook author and cooking teacher who, along with colleagues Julia Child and Louisette Bertholle, played a significant role in the introduction of French cooking technique and recipes into American kitchens.-Biography:Except for a few years spent learning...
) of the bestselling cookbook
Cookbook
A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Mastering the Art of French Cooking
Mastering the Art of French Cooking is a two-volume French cookbook written by Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, both of France, and Julia Child of the United States...
.
History
After World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Bertholle, who had the idea of writing a French cookbook for American cooks, met Simone Beck
Simone Beck
Simone "Simca" Beck was a French cookbook author and cooking teacher who, along with colleagues Julia Child and Louisette Bertholle, played a significant role in the introduction of French cooking technique and recipes into American kitchens.-Biography:Except for a few years spent learning...
via the Cercle des Gourmettes culinary club and the two began to develop the concept further, collecting recipes and testing them. Their initial attempts at writing were unsuccessful, however their idea was rekindled in 1949 when they met Julia Child
Julia Child
Julia Child was an American chef, author, and television personality. She is recognized for introducing French cuisine to the American public with her debut cookbook, Mastering the Art of French Cooking, and her subsequent television programs, the most notable of which was The French Chef, which...
. Bertholle and Beck did successfully publish the short cookbook What's Cooking in France in 1952, and the three women founded their own cooking school, L'Ecole des Trois Gourmandes, in 1951. The latter was created to give French cooking lessons to American women living in Paris, and Child, as well as Beck, would wear the school's logo on her blouse when appearing on television.
By 1960 Bertholle's life had changed significantly: her marriage was failing, she was having financial difficulties and was already over 50. However, she was able to reinvent herself and restart her career via her participation with Child and Beck. The three women had initially signed a contract to publish Mastering the Art of French Cooking with Houghton Mifflin
Houghton Mifflin
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an educational and trade publisher in the United States. Headquartered in Boston's Back Bay, it publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers and adults.-History:The company was...
. The publishing company ultimately rejected the submitted manuscript, believing it was too much like an encyclopedia. When it was finally published in 1961 by Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
, the 734-page book was a best-seller and received critical acclaim.
Published books
Bertholle published a number of cookbooks in her lifetime.- What's Cooking in France (1952, coauthor with Simone Beck)
- Mastering the Art of French CookingMastering the Art of French CookingMastering the Art of French Cooking is a two-volume French cookbook written by Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, both of France, and Julia Child of the United States...
(1961, coauthor with Julia Child and Simone Beck) - Secrets of the Great French Restaurants (1974)
- Une Grande Cuisine Pour Tous (1976)
- French Cuisine For All (1980)