Charles Elmé Francatelli

Who was Charles Elmé Francatelli?

Charles Elmé Francatelli, Anglo-Italian cook, was born in London, of Italian extraction, in 1805, and was educated in France, where he studied the art of cookery. Coming to England, he was employed successively by various noblemen, subsequently becoming manager of Crockford's club. He left Crockford's to become chief cook to Queen Victoria, and afterwards he was chef at the Reform Club. He was the author of The Modern Cook; of A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes, "The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant" and of The Royal English and Foreign Confectionery Book. Francatelli died at Eastbourne. A Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes was reprinted by Pryor Publications in 1993, complete with the original advertisements and introduction, and has been reprinted almost every year since. ISBN 0-946014-15-9