Sèvres plate bearing the Rothschild family crest from the collection of French Rothschild family, late 19th century.
Dining in style
When, in November 1821, Metternich, the Imperial Austrian Chancellor, received an invitation from Amschel Rothschild (1773-1855) "to take soup with him" at his house in Frankfurt, he little expected the magnificent banquet which awaited him. Food was to become both a love and an important asset to the smooth transaction of business. Magnificence and scale needed the best chefs and the best technology; Rothschild kitchens were among the finest to be found. In 1826, James de Rothschild (1792-1868) took on the great chef Antonin Careme, formerly employed by the Tsar of Russia. Several of his most famous recipes bear the name ‘Rothschild.'
Rothschilds and Sèvres
Many members of the Rothschild family collected Sèvres porcelain. The collection of Ferdinand de Rothschild (1838-1898) included the Razoumovsky dessert service, now on display at Waddesdon Manor. Some of the collections of Sèvres of the French branch of the family can be seen today in the Villa Ephrussi at St Jean Cap Ferrat, the former home of Béatrice Ephrussi, née de Rothschild (1864-1934).
