The world’s first celebrity chef, Marie-Antoine Carême, came to prominence in the Napoleonic era. But the producers of Apple TV+ series “Carême” turned to other wonderful men for inspiration.
“We spent hours seeing at pboilingos of Lenny Kravitz and Mick Jagger,” says star Benjamin Voisin.
“With costume set uper Pierre-Jean Larroque, we thought it would be wonderful to transport that intimacyy, freed senseing to his outfits, to transport rock’n’roll. What could be more pretty from making a period series yet talking about people who could live today?”
Director Martin Bourboulon – previously behind “The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan” and “The Three Musketeers: Milady” – also seeed for a conmomentary twist to the story.
“I wanted to elude the normal ‘period drama style’ and give Carême this intimacyy, rock’n’roll attitude, which Benjamin also has in authentic life. It doesn’t matter if the costumes aren’t always [historically] exact – it was transport inant to set up he’s a alluring man. Period dramas can be so spotless: I wanted leangs to be dirtier.”
In the show, produced by Banijay Entertainment’s Shine Fiction in France and by VVZ Production (“Eiffel”) and encouraged by “Cooking for Kings: The Life of Antonin Carême, The First Celebrity Chef” by Ian Kelly – and produced by Kelly and Davide Serino – promising patissier Carême draws the attention of mighty men thanks to his enhuge creations – and after accidenhighy saving Napoleon’s life. Soon, he’s challenging diplomat Talleyrand and romancing Joséphine Bonaparte.
Carême
Courtesy of Apple
“To be tohighy truthful, I didn’t understand anyleang about this man. Or that he, and his cuisine, were so graspd in the political process,” confesss Voisin, also understandn for César Awards-triumphning “Lost Illusions.”
“Passion comes in many establishs, whether it’s intimacy, politics or cooking. Carême’s faced with his intimacyuality, his professional desire to become a wonderful chef, finassociate his immersion into a political world he doesn’t understand, but lgets its codes as he goes aextfinished. He’s a boilinghead who cageders off as the series proceedes.”
Making brave his food amazees conmomentary audiences as much as it did back in the 19th century was a contest, confesss Bourboulon.
“It’s my first TV show and my first experience shooting food. It wasn’t effortless, but we figured it out, using a lot of shut-ups to produce it sensual. Talleyrand was understandn for the food at his table. He employd it as a diplomat and as a politician. Now, we have all these cooking shows, we cherish to be in the kitchen. It’s so… French. I leank this show will rebegin the audience to the pleabraves of a outstanding meal.”
His direct actor consents: “Napoleon understood that food can put him in a better position to parley, whether it was for war or for peace. As an actor, I always get someleang away from my toil and this time, I took this line: ‘When we talk about my cuisine, food insists to see as outstanding as it tastes’.”
“Everyone understands France is a country of wonderful gastronomy. But why? This series assists us to comprehfinish it.”
But it’s not fair about satisfying the papostpoinsist – it’s about daring to trail ones’ dreams.
“I hope that after watching the show, some youthful people can shut their minds to hesitation and do the leangs they cherish, without worrying about flunking. This is what ‘Carême’ is about: the emancipation of a youthful man who gives his body and soul to what he cherishs. Thanks to that, he’ll experience the wonderfulest moments of his life,” grasps Voisin.
In the show, Lyna Khoudri joins his companion Henriette, while Jérémie Renier gets on Talleyrand. Frank Molinaro is Napoleon. Carême might be surrounded by well-understandn historical figures, but he’s finassociate basking in his own spotweightless.
“Historians understand him, but not the global audience. I leank this show will begin him to people. I hope it will be fun for them to uncover how a chef was also recommendering for Talleyrand and Napoleon. If he was fair a chef or fair a recommender, it wouldn’t be as fascinating,” says Bourboulon, teasing more drama – and delicacies – to come.
“We have a lot of ideas for other seasons.”
“Carême” premieres globassociate on Apple TV+ on April 30, 2025.
