You mean they were the ones to codify these things. Stocks and sauces have existed ever since it was possible to create cookware that can simultaneously hold l

You mean they were the ones to codify these things. Stocks and sauces have existed ever since it was possible to create cookware that can simultaneously hold liquid and be heated, the 'brigade' is a basic concept of organisation of human labour, Escoffier just codified it, and milk based sauces, or sauces thickened with starch (often crushed bread or grains), go back a long, long time as well. I mean, I know the real reasons Carême and Escoffier are considered so important (they codified the canon of French cuisine which had its heyday in the generations after WWII and became global 'fine' cuisine), but that style of cuisine is on it's way out, even in places such as Paris. Nowadays global fusion is the standard cuisine, and brigades are getting smaller and less rigid due to economic circumstances. Anyhow, I came up through the industry in rigid brigades headed by a French chef. I know all the terms, techniques, etc... Nowadays though, a successful restaurant is just as likely to be headed by some hipster doing Chinese-Italian cuisine, with techniques that would make my old chefs cringe. But it doesn't matter. Tastes are becoming more cosmopolitan, and all that matters is what's on the plate nowadays. I just came back from a culinary tour of another city, visiting acquaintances in the industry, and the 'top' restaurants are all tiny, loud and have very eclectic menus. I personally think Scappi could be quite relevant in today's culinary atmosphere.