Blot, Pierre

Born in France in 1818, Pierre Blot immigrated to the United States in the 1850s and became one of the most celebrated American chefs of his day. He opened Professor Blot's Culinary Academy of Design in New York, the first French cooking school in the U.S., and he also authored "What to Eat and How to Cook It". Celebrated for his precise and clear directions, Blot aimed for housekeepers to be able to prepare the best dishes in a simple and concise manner. In the 1870s, Blot's popularity declined and he died in obscurity in 1874.