Bartolomeo Scappi

Bartolomeo Scappi (* probably after 1500 in Dumenza, † April 13, 1577 ) was a famous Italian chef of the Renaissance. His most famous work entitled Opera appeared in 1570 in Venice.

Life

It has long been controversial, whence comes Scappi. Italian historians have now to prove that he came out of the place Dumenza in Lombardy. He was not married.

At the age of about 30 years, he joined in 1534 under Pope Paul III. in the service of the Vatican kitchen, and worked until 1576 as a personal chef for several Popes. Julius III, Paul IV and Pius IV, Pius V and Gregory XIII .. Scappi mentioned that he was a chef for Cardinal Grimani in Venice and the banquet of Emperor Charles V in April 1536 prepared. It consisted of 13 courses with a total of 789 dishes. He then worked for Cardinal du Bellay, Pietro Bembo and Andrea Cornaro. After many years of service in the Vatican Scappi was appointed Mazziere, responsible for the supervision of the papal ceremonies and received the title of Count Palatine.

His date of death is evidenced by an entry in the Book of the Dead of the Vatican Archives. He was buried in the church of Santi Vincenzo e Anastasio alla Regola, which was specially reserved for chefs ( Church of the cooks) cemetery.

Work

1570 published his cookbook "Opera" in which he has handed down about 1000 recipes of the Renaissance cuisine is best known to posterity. In his work, but he also deals with cooking techniques as well as with the kitchen appliances. Scappi revolutionized the kitchen of his time by applying new methods of preparation and use of new imported from America food. In addition, Scappi but was also interested in the cuisine of Spain, France and Germany, nay, he even describes a couscous dish.