Mère (restaurateur) facts for kids
The word Mère (pronounced "mare") means mother in French. It was a special title given to very talented female cooks in France. These women, many of whom learned to cook on their own, became famous during the 1700s, 1800s, and 1900s.
Their amazing cooking helped make the city of Lyon and its surrounding areas known as the food capital of France and even the world! One of the most famous Mères, Mère Brazier, is often called "the mother of modern French cooking."
History of the Mères
The first time someone was called "Mère" for their cooking was in 1759. This was Mère Guy, who worked at an inn by the Rhône River. She became famous for her delicious eel stew. Later, in the early 1800s, Mère Brigousse was known for her tasty dumplings.
Over time, many skilled female cooks, often without formal training, earned this special title. The idea of calling female cooks "Mère" became very popular in the 1800s. It reached its peak between World War I and World War II. During this time, many talented cooks who worked for rich families started their own restaurants. This happened because family finances were changing, and more people were traveling by car.
Lyon: A Food Capital
Lyon is known as the "birthplace" of the Mères. These women had a huge impact on Lyonnaise cuisine, which is the cooking style of Lyon. Many food experts say the Mères turned Lyon into the food capital of France and the world.
According to one expert, Jean Vitaux, the Mères of Lyon created a unique, feminine, and regional style of cooking. Another writer, Francois de Melogue, said they "brought the gastronomic spotlight to Lyon." Their influence helped shape classic French cooking as we know it today.
Famous Mères from Lyon
Mère Guy: The First Mère
The first Mère from Lyon was Mère Guy in 1759. She cooked at an inn near the Rhône River. She was famous for her eel stew and crawfish gratin. In the 1800s, her granddaughter also became known as Mère Guy. Her restaurant even earned three Michelin stars in 1936.
Mère Filloux: Queen of Chickens
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Mère Filloux (born Françoise Fayolle in 1865) was called La Reine des Poulardes, meaning "The Queen of Chickens." She was also known as the "Empress of the Lyon Mothers." Her recipes were still used even in the early 2000s.
She moved to Lyon in 1890 and worked as a cook. Mère Filloux created a famous dish called poulet demi deuil (half-mourning chicken). This dish had black truffles placed under the chicken's skin. It is now a classic French recipe. She was also known for her truffle-flavored cream soup and poached chicken.
Mère Filloux only hired women to work in her kitchen. She retired in 1925. It's estimated she carved half a million chickens during her career! Near the end of her career, other female cooks outside Lyon started to be called Mère too.
Mère Brazier: Mother of Modern French Cooking
Mère Brazier (born Eugénie Brazier in 1895) started working as a maid and then a cook around 1914. She later worked for Mère Filloux. In 1921, at age 26, she opened her own restaurant in Lyon. Like Mère Filloux, she also specialized in poulet demi deuil.
The mayor of Lyon, Édouard Herriot, often ate at her restaurant. Mère Brazier expanded her business. In 1932, she opened another restaurant in a nearby village. The Michelin Guide gave it two stars the first year and three stars the next! This made her the first woman to earn three Michelin stars.
Her original Lyon restaurant also received three stars that year. This meant Mère Brazier was the first person ever to hold six Michelin stars across two restaurants! She trained other famous chefs, including Paul Bocuse. Mère Brazier died in 1977. Her original restaurant was still run by her granddaughter in 2001. Many people consider Mère Brazier "the mother of modern French cooking."
Mère Bourgeois: Game and Fish Dishes
Mère Bourgeois (born Marie Humbert in 1870) was a cook for a wealthy family. She and her husband bought an inn near Lyon. She was famous for dishes made with local fish and game, like a special lark pate. Her pate was known around the world. She held three Michelin stars from 1933 until she passed away in 1937.
Mère Léa Bidaut: Daily Changing Menus
Mère Léa Bidaut (born in 1908) worked for rich families as a teenager. She opened her restaurant, La Voûte, in Lyon in 1943. Her special dish was sauerkraut with champagne. But when other restaurants copied it, she removed it from her menu.
She then focused on local specialties. These included tripe with chervil, pike quenelles, and baked cardoon with bone marrow. Her menu was never printed and changed every day! She retired at 74 and died in 1997.
Mère Castaing: Poached Trout and Eel Stew
Mère Castaing (born Paulette Penel in 1911) opened a restaurant called Beau Rivage with her husband in 1946. Her special dishes included poached trout, eel stew, and pike mousseline. She earned a Michelin star in 1954 and a second in 1964. She kept these stars until she sold her business in 1988.
Mère Bizolon: A Hero During Wartime
Mère Bizolon (born Marie-Joseph Clotilde Thévenet in 1871) moved to Lyon after getting married. During World War I, she set up free food and drink stations for soldiers traveling through. After the war, she turned her husband's shoemaking shop into a restaurant. In 1925, she received a special honor called the Legion of Honor. Sadly, she was murdered in 1940, and her case was never solved. After World War II, a street in Lyon was named after her.
Other Lyon Mères
Other famous Mères from Lyon included Mère Jean, Mère Vittet, Mère Poupon, La Grande Marcelle, Mère Charles, La Mèlie, and the cheesemonger Mère Richard.
Other Amazing Mères
Mère Poulard: The Famous Omelet
Mère Poulard (born Annette Boutiaut in 1851) started as a maid. She traveled to Mont-Saint-Michel, a famous abbey, with her employer. In 1873, she married Victor Poulard. They opened a restaurant where she served a special fluffy omelet. This omelet became very famous as the omelette de la Mère Poulard. Her restaurant, now called La Mère Poulard, was still open in 2020.
Mère Blanc: Best Cook in the World
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Mère Blanc (born Élisa Gervais in 1883) took over her husband's parents' restaurant. She used many of her own mother's recipes. Her specialty was Bresse chicken, which made her famous and earned her first Michelin star.
In 1930, she won first prize in a cooking competition. Her restaurant received a Michelin star in 1931 and two in 1932. A famous French food critic called her "the best cook in the world" in 1933. Her grandson, Georges Blanc, took over the restaurant in 1968. It is still open today and has earned three Michelin stars.
Les Mères Allard: Parisian Delights
Les Mères Allard were a mother-in-law and daughter-in-law team in Paris. Marthe Meuriot opened a bistro in Paris in 1920. She was known for Burgundy stew and jugged rabbit. After World War II, her son and his wife, Fernande, took over. Fernande also became known as Mère Allard. Her specialties included pâté en croûte, cassoulet, and chicken in red wine. Their restaurant was still open in 2001.
Mère Crouzier: Rabbit Albicocco
Mère Crouzier worked at La Croix-Blanche, one of France's oldest inns, from 1945 to 1986. The restaurant had female chefs since 1779. She created her special dish, rabbit Albicocco, in 1969.
Mère Adrienne Biasin: A Small, Popular Restaurant
Mère Adrienne Biasin opened her restaurant, Chez la Vielle, in Paris when she was 25. She ran it from 1958 to 1993. Her restaurant was small, with only 30 seats, and reservations were booked three months in advance! She became very well known after a famous food critic wrote about her. She even had a TV show for two years and wrote a newspaper column.
Mère Barale: Niçoise Specialties
Mère Barale (born in Nice in 1916) took over her parents' restaurant at age 17. Her specialties were traditional dishes from Nice, like trouchia (an omelet with cheese and chard) and pissaldiera (a pizza-like onion tart). A local newspaper called her "the most delicious monument of Nice's heritage." She was still running the restaurant in 2001.
Mère Maury: Adding Ravioli to the Menu
Mère Maury (born Marie-Louise Gélibert in 1863) inherited her parents' cafe in 1894. She became known for adding delicious ravioli to the menu. She passed away in 1941.
