born June 8, 1784, Paris, Fr. died Jan. 12, 1833, Paris French chef. Born into a poor family, he attained employment in a pastry shop frequented by Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand. He served as Talleyrand's chef for 12 years and subsequently created grandiose dishes and elaborately sculpted confections for the most splendid households of Europe, including those of the young George IV, Tsar Alexander I, and the baron de Rothschild. He wrote several classics of grande cuisine