Oscar Tschirky

Oscar Michel Tschirky ( born September 28, 1866 in Le Locle, † November 6, 1950 in New Paltz, New York) was maître d' hôtel at the Waldorf -Astoria Hotel in Manhattan.

Life

Oscar Tschirkys father came from white fir (municipality Mels) and was an agent at a travel agency in La Chaux -de-Fonds, his mother came from Lucerne. Oscar first attended school in La Chaux -de-Fonds, and later he was sent by his father along with his ten- year-older brother Brutus to a farmer to Fribourg.

Old Waldorf -Astoria

Shortly after, Brutus emigrated to the United States. In 1883 he wrote in a letter of the ways to earn money there, and called the family to follow him. So wandered the 17 -year-old Oscar Tschirky 1883 to New York, the day before the opening of the Brooklyn Bridge. On May 14, an hour after his arrival, he applied for U.S. citizenship and went in search of work. The Brunswick Hotel, where his brother worked as chief assistant, nothing was free but at the Hoffman House, on Broadway, one of the best hotels in town, Tschirky received seven hours after his arrival in New York a job as Bagagist for $ 18 a month.

Thanks to its ability to drive him further tasks were assigned to soon: He received the supervision of a floor, organized parties, worked at the reception or in the books and was steward on the yacht of the owner.

1887 Oscar Tschirky moved into Delmonico's on Fifth Avenue and 26th Street. The Delmonico's Tschirky itself should have been recruited on the recommendation of Oscar Wilde. First Tschirky worked at the bar and in the service; later he became head of catering and organized events. At 21, he was already well known in the industry and financially secure.

1890, shortly before the opening of the first Waldorf hotels, Tschirky be applied during future director George Boldt for the post of maître d' hôtel and in 1891 was appointed on the recommendation of numerous celebrities. With a monthly salary of $ 250 Tschirky began his new job in the first unfinished Waldorf Hotel, which was opened with its 450 rooms, 350 bathrooms, halls and restaurants and bars on 13 March 1893 in a grand gala with 2,000 guests - organized by Oscar Tschirky.

Oscar Tschirky hosted extravagant occasion with exquisite menus and excellent service. Industrialists, show stars, politicians, dignitaries and musicians offered Tschirky at the Waldorf a stage for their festivals. With " Oscar of the Waldorf " as Tschirky was now officially called, to be known and to dine at the Waldorf, was considered as an award. He was approached with " Oscar ".

The success of the Waldorf was so great that John Jacob Astor IV next to the Waldorf was planning another hotel. 1897 Astoria was opened, which was even more luxurious with its 17 floors and its ballroom for 1500 guests as the Waldorf. Both buildings were combined to " Waldorf Astoria ", "The best hotel in the world " with over 1000 rooms. Tschirky spared no effort to meet the demanding Society of New York justice. For a visit to the Chinese viceroy, the hotel was decorated with kites and glass chains, for the U.S. president William Howard Taft he left the ballroom to a meeting held at Yale University remodel and an industrialist, the hall was transformed into a circus tent with trapeze artists. For the most expensive banqueting, a Roman feast, paid $ 250 for every guest, he left the hall to a Roman park with flower beds, fountains, palm trees and hundreds of canaries rebuild. A particular success was the menu of the canteen at the prison Sing-Sing, which he adapted easily set before his guests.

New Waldorf -Astoria

The old Waldorf -Astoria was demolished only 36 years after its opening in 1929; in its place was the Empire State Building arise. The new Waldorf -Astoria was built on Park Avenue, opened with 2,000 rooms, 100 apartments and 47 floors 1931 - again with the now 63 -year-old Oscar Tschirky as host. At the Golden Wedding of Oscar and his wife Sophie in 1937 published 1,000 guests. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the hotel also Tschirky was honored and the journalist Karl Schriftgiesser dedicated to him, the 250 -page biography of the Oscar Waldorf.

After the death of his wife in 1950, Tschirky a small town moved back to New Paltz, about 110 kilometers north of New York. In 1889 he had bought a farm there, and later built a summer home where he hosted picnics for friends, his family and other chefs. The property was acquired by the Philanthropic Society and used as a retirement home for chefs. Later it became known as culinarians Home.

When Oscar Tschirky died on November 6, 1950 at the age of 84 years, the flags waved for days at the Waldorf-Astoria at half-mast and in the newspapers published page-long article. The couple had two Tschirky sons and a daughter.

On Tschirky go back, among other things, the " veal Oscar " and the Waldorf salad. In 1896 he released his cookbook The Cook Book By " Oscar " Of The Waldorf. In memory of Oscar Tschirky the restaurant is " Oscar 's at the Waldorf Astoria » named at the Waldorf - Astoria.

Oscar Tschirkys estate and its collection of more than 10,000 menus is managed by Cornell University.