Opening Course: A Chef Steps Into History
On 30 April, Apple launches Carême, the new Apple TV+ historical drama that unwraps the extraordinary life of Antonin Carême—the world’s first celebrity chef.
Across eight episodes, director Martin Bourboulon (The Three Musketeers) turns copper pots and court gossip into weapons of statecraft, positioning cuisine at the heart of European power plays.
From Street Kid to Imperial Tastemaker
Born into poverty, twenty-five-year-old Carême (played by Benjamin Voisin) agrees—reluctantly—to cook for Napoleon Bonaparte (Frank Molinaro). The invitation ushers him into the Tuileries Palace, where steaming consommés, towering pastries, and whispered negotiations share the same marble halls. Each dish is more than dinner; it is diplomacy on a silver platter.
| Milestone | Episode Highlight |
|---|---|
| Life on Paris streets | Carême’s knife skills buy his first cookbook |
| First imperial banquet | A pastry “pièce montée” stuns foreign dignitaries |
| Tsar Alexander’s visit | Russian tastes clash with French pride |
| Rothschild patronage | Carême learns wealth can spoil faster than cream |
The Secret Horror Behind Grandeur
Voisin calls the series “a small story inside a big story.” While cannons roar off-screen, kitchens seethe with their own dangers: exhausted apprentices, poisoned sauces, and a ruler who uses banquets to bend kings to his will. In this new Apple TV+ historical drama, food becomes both carrot and stick—revealing a softer horror lurking beneath imperial pageantry.
Flavor Profiles: Key Characters
- Antonin Carême — Brilliant, ambitious, and occasionally naïve; his menus can win peace or spark conflict.
- Napoleon Bonaparte — Seen mostly in silhouette or profile, his appetite dictates European politics.
- Henriette (Lyna Khoudri) — Carême’s confidante and lover; her sharp palate matches his sharp knives.
- Kitchen Brigade — A chorus of roux-splattered dreamers whose rivalries simmer hotter than their stockpots.
Why It’s a Breakout for Apple
- Fresh Lens on Familiar History – Audiences know Napoleon the general; the new Apple TV+ historical drama spotlights the emperor’s dining table, a battlefield of forks and contracts.
- Cinematic Kitchens – Bourboulon shoots copper, steam, and sugar like weaponry, giving culinary craft the tension of a spy thriller.
- International Appeal – French setting, Russian intrigue, and Rothschild opulence widen the flavour profile for Apple’s global subscriber base.
Themes on the Menu
- Power & Palate – Negotiations conclude only after dessert.
- Class Mobility – A penniless cook climbs faster than any soldier.
- Romance vs. Ambition – Henriette must decide whether love can survive service to an empire.
- Soft Horror – The tyranny of perfection: one burnt sauce could cost a head.
Release Details & Episode Strategy
The streamer drops all eight episodes simultaneously, encouraging viewers to binge the new Apple TV+ historical drama while sampling Carême’s evolving repertoire of sauces, soufflés, and political manoeuvres.
Early Buzz
“We knew Napoleon’s battles; we never tasted his fears. Carême serves them à la carte.” —Series director Martin Bourboulon
“Behind every treaty was a dessert fork.” —Benjamin Voisin to Express Online
How to Watch
- Open the Apple TV app on any supported device.
- Search Carême.
- Pair viewing with a rich chocolat chaud to honour the show’s velvet sauces.
Final Tasting Note
With its mix of espionage, romance, and haute cuisine, Carême may be Apple’s most tantalising period piece yet.
By exploring the kitchen that powered an emperor, the new Apple TV+ historical drama invites audiences to savour history one sumptuous bite at a time.
