Gabriel Tschumi

Tschumi was born 23 October 1882, in Moudon, Switzerland, where his father was a professor of languages; his father was killed in an accident some days after his birth. At the age of 16 in 1899, he was appointed a cook's apprentice in the kitchens of the Royal Household through the good offices of his cousin, Louise Tschumi, who was at the time one of Queen Victoria’s dressers.

Recalling his arrival at Buckingham Palace to start as a kitchen apprentice, Tschumi described the royal chef M. Menager (equivalent to chef de cuisine in a restaurant at the time), who had eighteen chefs working under him, eight of whom had their own tables in different parts of the kitchen. "These, I found out, were the master cooks, some of whom one day might rise to the position of chef, with large staffs of their own, In the meantime they worked under M. Menager's supervision ...... assisted by the heads of other sections, the two pastry cooks, two roast cooks, bakers, confectioners' chefs and two larder cooks. Then, in diminishing order of importance, came two assistant chefs, eight kitchen maids, six scullery maids, six scourers, and finally the four apprentices."^[1]

Tschumi was successively promoted to Second Assistant Cook in 1905, Assistant Cook in 1906; Sixth Chief Cook in 1911; and Fifth Chief Cook 1918–19. When he received his Long and Faithful Service Medal in 1930, he was Third Chef. Tschumi helped to prepare meals for grand occasions. On the menu for dinner at Balmoral on 9 October 1900, was a sideboard of hot and cold chicken, boiled tongue and cold roast beef, vegetable soup, pheasant consommé with quenelles (dumplings, possibly lobster), cod, ham with cucumber, braised cabbage, stuffed turkey, haricot beans and Brussels sprouts.^[2]

Edward VII's 1902 coronation banquet included sole poached in Chablis garnished with oysters and prawns, a quail and a third of "a very plump" roasting chicken (per person), asparagus with Hollandaise, roast beef, snipe cutlets, a soufflé Parmesan, and a strawberry dessert that took three days to assemble. The 250 guests were each given a handmade sugar crown as a table favor.^[1]

Tschumi was also responsible for the wedding breakfast for the Duke and Duchess of York on April 26, 1923, featuring: Consommé à la Windsor, Suprèmes de Saumon Reine Mary, Côtelettes d’Agneau Prince Albert, Chapons à la Strathmore and Fraises Duchesse Elizabeth.^[3]

Members of the royal family insisted on using an affectionate Anglicized version of his last name, uniformly calling him ‘Chummy’.