Robert Carrier (chef) facts for kids
Part of a portrait photograph of Robert Carrier by Michael Birt, 18 March 1982; collection of the National Portrait Gallery, London
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| Born | Robert Carrier McMahon November 10, 1923 Tarrytown, New York, U.S. |
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| Died | June 27, 2006 (aged 82) Provence, France |
| Cooking style | French Italian Moroccan |
| Education | Grandmother, Chez Fifine |
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Previous restaurant(s)
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Television show(s)
Carrier's Kitchen
Food, Wine and Friends The Gourmet Vegetarian Carrier's Caribbean. |
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Award(s) won
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Robert Carrier McMahon, also known as Robert Carrier, was a famous American chef, restaurant owner, and cookery writer. He was born on November 10, 1923, and passed away on June 27, 2006. He became very successful in England, where he lived for many years.
Contents
Robert Carrier's Early Life and Journey
Robert Carrier McMahon was born in Tarrytown, New York. He was the third son in a wealthy family. His father was a lawyer, and his mother was from a rich French-German family. During the Great Depression in the 1930s, his parents lost their money. They kept their fancy lifestyle by cooking their own big dinner parties.
Becoming an Actor and Learning to Cook
Robert studied art and trained to be an actor in New York City. He even performed in a Broadway show called New Faces. He also toured Europe, singing in musicals.
After returning to America, Robert often visited his French grandmother in upstate New York. She taught him how to cook. He learned to make biscuits and fry fish caught from a nearby stream. These cooking lessons from his grandmother were very important for his future.
Serving in World War II
During World War II, Robert Carrier joined the United States Army. He worked as an intelligence officer in the Office of Strategic Services. This group was a bit like today's Central Intelligence Agency. Because he spoke French and understood German, he was sent to England in 1943. After D-Day, he worked in Paris as a cryptographer for General Charles de Gaulle.
Life in Paris and New Beginnings
After the war, Robert decided to stay in Paris as a civilian. He dropped "McMahon" from his name, becoming "Robert Carrier." He felt it sounded better in French. He worked for a US forces radio station and a political newspaper.
In 1949, a magazine he edited closed down. Robert then moved to St. Tropez to work in a friend's restaurant called Chez Fifine. This helped him feel better after a difficult time. He started writing about food as Europe began to enjoy different flavors again after the war. He then moved to Rome, Italy, to learn more about cooking and even acted in an Italian musical show.
Moving to London and Public Relations
In 1953, a friend invited him to Great Britain for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. Robert decided to stay in London. He started working in public relations, helping to market different food products. He also co-wrote a book about London's history called The Vanished City.
Robert Carrier's Cookery Career
In 1957, Robert Carrier wrote his first food article for Harper's Bazaar magazine. Soon, he was writing regularly for Vogue and then a weekly column for Sunday Times newspaper. This column made him famous.
The Success of Great Dishes of the World
His newspaper articles were collected and turned into his first cookbook, Great Dishes of the World, in 1963. This book was beautifully illustrated and very expensive for its time. Despite the high price, it sold an amazing 11 million copies!
Opening Restaurants and Cookshops
With his new fame, Robert Carrier opened his own restaurant called Carrier's in 1966 in Camden Passage, Islington, London. He also started an international chain of cookshops, with the first one opening in Harrods in 1967. His recipes were printed on special wipe-clean cards, which was a new and helpful idea. His recipes were very clear and detailed, making it easy for home cooks to create impressive meals.
Hintlesham Hall and Cookery School
In 1971, Robert bought Hintlesham Hall near Ipswich, Suffolk. It was an old, rundown building. He spent a lot of money and hired 60 people to restore it. In August 1972, he opened it as a hotel and restaurant. He also brought back the Hintlesham Festival.
Later, he decided to open a cookery school at Hintlesham Hall. He converted old buildings into a modern school with classrooms and cooking stations. The school attracted students from all over the world.
Becoming a TV Star
In the late 1970s, Robert Carrier started his television series, Carrier's Kitchen. This show was based on his cooking cards from the Sunday Times. Before him, British TV cooking shows were often in black and white and showed more traditional British food. Robert Carrier, with his color TV show, introduced British viewers to exciting new Continental cooking styles.
He had a very dramatic and lively style on TV, often using words like "Gooorgeous… Adooorable… Faaabulous!" People watched him not just for his recipes, but also for his unique American accent and fun personality. He later had three more TV series: Food, Wine and Friends, The Gourmet Vegetarian, and Carrier's Caribbean. This TV fame led to a popular weekly magazine published between 1981 and 1983.
Later Years and Legacy
By the early 1980s, Robert Carrier's TV style was seen as a bit old-fashioned, and his food was considered too complicated. He left his TV show and grew tired of being a celebrity. In 1982, he closed his famous Hintlesham Hall restaurant, and sold it the next year. He also closed his Camden Passage restaurant.
Robert Carrier then moved to France and also spent time at his beautiful home in Morocco. He often traveled with his friend Oliver Lawson Dick.
In 1983, he was featured on the British TV show This Is Your Life. He also became popular in the United States, writing a weekly food column for a magazine. In 1984, he became a strong voice for the British restaurant industry, pushing for changes to licensing laws. For his efforts, he was given an honorary OBE award.
He used his experiences in Marrakesh, Morocco, to write another cookbook in 1987. In 1999, he rewrote Great Dishes of the World, but this new version, which featured lighter, more modern recipes, did not sell as well.
By 1994, Robert Carrier had returned to London. He also came back to television with GMTV, promoting healthy and vegetarian eating. He sold his home in Morocco and owned a property in Provence, France, where he enjoyed painting. Robert Carrier passed away in France on June 27, 2006.
Television Shows
- 1975 Carrier's Kitchen
- 1980 Food, Wine & Friends
- 1994 The Gourmet Vegetarian
- 1996 Carrier's Caribbean, BBC2 12-part series
Images for kids
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Robert Carrier, a famous chef and writer.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Carrier (chef) para niños
