About the Author

Francois Pierre (de) La Varenne (1618 - 1678), Burgundian by birth, was the author of Le cuisinier francois, the founding text of authentically French cuisine. La Varenne broke with the Italian traditions that had revolutionized medieval French cookery in the 16th century. La Varenne was the foremost member of a group of French chefs, writing for a professional audience, who codified French cuisine for the age of Louis XIV. Philip and Mary Hyman are historians specializing in the study of cookery and cookbooks in France and are the acknowledged authorities on La Varenne. They are the authors of several books on French food published in both English and French.