Tschirky, Oscar PERSONALITIES

Tschirky, Oscar

( words)

 

Oscar Tschirky was one of the legendary maître d’hôtels of the Waldorf=Astoria, in New York.

Oscar was a superstar of his time, with his tips on service and cooking often making headline news. Despite not being a chef, Oscar of the Waldorf* was an arbiter of culinary taste who was credited with ‘inventing’ Veal Oscar and Egg Benedict. He is certainly the father of the Waldorf Salad, created in 1893.

Oscar Tschirky (1866 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland – November 6, 1950 in New Paltz, New York) was maître d'hôtel of Delmonico's Restaurant and subsequently the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

Tschirky had a farm in New Paltz where he hosted picnics for friends and family as well as other chefs. In later years the property was purchased by the Philantropique Society and was operated as a retirement home for chefs. It would later become open to the general public and was known as The Culinarians' Home.

* While at the Waldorf, he began a lifelong hobby of collecting menus, some of which were from functions he himself arranged at the hotel. Upon his death, Oscar Tschirky’s menu collection, papers, and personal memorabilia were donated to Cornell University. The Library of Cornell’s School of Hotel Administration continues to add to the collection, which today numbers more than 10,000 menus from across the country and the world.

Oscar Tschirky’s menu collection provides a fascinating window on America’s dining habits from the 1850s to the present.

Cornell University holds the Oscar Tschirky papers and his noted collection of menus (Cornell University School of Hotel Administration). Karl Schriftgiesser wrote a biography, Oscar of the Waldorf, that appears to be virtually an autobiography. Much recollection is devoted to the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and its founder, George C. Boldt, and his wife, Louise Kehrer Boldt.

Most Popular

Mandarin Oriental Savoy Zurich (former Savoy Baur en Ville)

Mandarin Oriental Savoy Zurich (former Savoy Baur en Ville)

Zurich can take great pride in having had such a farsighted entrepreneur, who managed to leave the world two of its most famous hotels. His name was...Read More

Raffles Hotel

Raffles Hotel

The historic building (top, slide to the right): The "new" Raffles main building in 1899. It opened on 18 November 1899, featuring the all new...Read More

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok

Since decades “The Oriental”, as it is affectionately known by travellers from all over the globe, leads the lists of most...Read More

Half Moon

Half Moon

In 1952, a group of wealthy individuals including Donald Deskey, the fabled designer (among his works the Radio City Music Hall); Harvey Firestone,...Read More

Mount Kenya Safari Club

Mount Kenya Safari Club

You don your safari gear during the day, but you always dress for dinner. Because Mount Kenya Safari Club Nanyuki is an exclusive retreat. High on...Read More