Auguste Escoffier was the first great star of modern cooking. Acknowledged during his lifetime as the greatest chef in the world, his clientele included Edward VII and Kaiser Wilhelm II as well as the leaders of society and of fashion. His partnership with the hotelier Cesar Ritz established a tradition of superb cooking as an essential part of the luxury hotel, at the same time making dining in public respectable for women. Escoffier also revolutionized the way food was presented, popularized his repertoire in a series of hugely successful cookery books. Kenneth James traces Escoffier's career from his humble origins on the French Riviera to Paris, London and New York. He shows what made cuisine at the Savoy and the Carlton so outstanding, as well as drawing a personal and culinary portrait of a chef of genius. Escoffier: The King of Chefs also presents the dishes, from eggs to lobster, on which Escoffier had both a lasting influence and strongly-held views.