For our first post of 2024, we're taking it back to the city we're always inspired by here at The French Workshop -- Paris (but of course)! We love the city's unique history and aesthetic, and one of its oldest institutions, Maxim's, is the gastronomical embodiment of Paris in all those aspects and more. From its original founding by former waiter Maxime Gaillard to its eventual ownership under designer Pierre Cardin, the establishment has gone from a small bistro into a place renowned for style, elegance, and lavishness.
In its heyday, one would find themselves rubbing shoulders with the likes of a Rothschild or Onassis, or even royalty such as the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson. In later years, one could find Brigitte Bardot and Barbra Streisand among its famous patrons, with eventual owner Cardin and his longtime companion counted among them. At the height of Maxim's popularity, the Art Nouveau-style restaurant saw the start of an expansion for the brand, with other locations in places such as Hong Kong and France's Orly Airport, among others.
These days, Maxim's de Paris has become a fully international brand, all thanks to Cardin's business savvy. Not only does the restaurant boast other outposts in cities such as Tokyo, Monaco, Geneva, and elsewhere, but it has also expanded into various gourmet goods such as chocolates (which you can find on our shelves at The French Workshop), wines, and even perfumes. It only goes to show that even today, the name of Maxim's still evokes luxury, Parisian-style!
Photo, Top: Courtesy of Sortir á Paris. Photo, Right Insert: Estate Brassaï Succession.
Comments