Foundations of Cookery (lost early BBC cooking show; 1939)
Foundations of Cookery is an early BBC television cooking show. It is notable for being the last television program hosted by French chef Marcel Boulestin, who had previously hosted the first cooking television program Cook's Night Out, Dish of the Month, and various one-off programs.
Background
Like with Boulestin's other shows, Foundations of Cookery involved the chef detailing how to produce certain dishes. These episodes were broadcast from February 22nd to July 12th, 1939.[1] However, the limited detail provided by relevant Radio Times issues makes it impossible to determine what meals Boulestin cooked during these broadcasts. Nevertheless, issue 823, which detailed programs to be broadcast between the 9th and 15th of July, states that the final two episodes, broadcast on the 11th and 12th of July respectively, concerned making picnic food suitable for the hot weather.[2][3] Additionally, there is a show simply titled Marcel Boulestin that was broadcast on 24th March 1939.[4] Whether or not it was an episode of Foundations of Cookery is unknown, but it involved Boulestin showing how to make a Rouget Marseillaise.[5]
Ultimately, Foundations of Cookery proved to be Boulestin's last television program. Whether or not he intended to host additional programs is unknown, but on 1st September 1939, BBC Television Centre ceased all transmission following the outbreak of the Second World War.[6] During the Summer of 1939, Boulestin and British food writer Arthur Henry Adair were on holiday in the Landes at a house Boulestin himself built. Adair was unable to retreat from France as he became ill, with Boulestin deciding to remain in the country to provide support, even moving to Paris as Adair became imprisoned by the Germans. Boulestin remained in Paris for the remainder of his life, before passing away aged 65 on 20th September 1943, following a brief illness.[7]
Availability
Like other early BBC television broadcasts, including all of Boulestin's shows, Foundations of Cookery was broadcast live and was not recorded. Therefore, all episodes are now permanently missing. A photo of Boulestin cooking is all that remains of the show.
Gallery
See Also
Early BBC Television
- Alexandra Palace's wartime television demonstrations (lost footage of private television transmissions; 1943, 1945)
- An Inspector Calls (lost television adaptation of play; 1948)
- Ann and Harold (lost early BBC drama television series; 1938)
- BBC Election Night (lost coverage of British general elections; 1950-1951)
- The Care of Your Car (lost early BBC motoring show; 1947)
- Cook's Night Out (lost early BBC cooking show; 1937)
- Craftsmen at Work (lost early BBC documentary show; 1938, 1946)
- Dish of the Month (lost early BBC cooking show; 1937)
- First Aid (lost early BBC medical show; 1937)
- Marcel Boulestin television shorts (lost early BBC programs; 1937-1939)
- Masks through the Ages (lost early BBC history talk show; 1937)
- Opening of the BBC Television Service (partially found coverage of inaugural day of high-definition television service; 1936)
- The Orchestra and its Instruments (lost early BBC music talk show; 1937)
- RCA recording of BBC Television Service (found footage of pre-Second World War BBC television broadcast; 1938)
- Sea Stories (lost early BBC talk show; 1936-1937)
- Spelling Bee (lost early BBC game show; 1938)
- Telecrime (lost early BBC crime drama; 1938-1939; 1946)
- The Wasp's Nest (lost early BBC television adaptation of Agatha Christie short story; 1937)
- Weaponless Self-Defence (lost early ju-jitsu television program; 1936-1937)
- The World of Women (lost early BBC talk show; 1937)
Early BBC Sports Television
- 1931 Epsom Derby (lost televised footage of horse racing event; 1931)
- 1937 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1937)
- 1937 International Imperial Trophy Race (lost footage of motor race; 1937)
- 1937 Wimbledon Championships (partially found footage of tennis tournament; 1937)
- 1938 Ashes Series (partially found footage of international test cricket match; 1938)
- 1938 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1938)
- 1939 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1939)
- 1947 FA Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1947)
- 1953 British Grand Prix (partially found footage of Formula One race; 1953)
- 1955 Scottish Cup Final (partially found footage of football match; 1955)
- Archery (lost early televised toxophily; 1937-1938)
- Arsenal 7-1 Hibernian (lost footage of charity football match; 1952)
- Arsenal vs Arsenal Reserves (lost footage of early BBC televised football match; 1937)
- Barnet 3-2 Wealdstone (lost footage of Athenian League football match; 1946)
- The Boat Race 1938 (partially found footage of rowing race; 1938)
- Catch-As-Catch-Can Wrestling (lost early BBC televised professional wrestling matches; 1938-1939; 1946-1947)
- Charlton Athletic 1-0 Blackburn Rovers (lost footage of FA Cup match; 1947)
- Darts and Shove Ha'penny (lost early BBC televised darts matches; 1936-1939)
- England 0-1 Scotland (partially found international football match; 1938)
- England 1-1 Scotland (partially found footage of international football match; 1947)
- England 16-21 Scotland (partially found footage of rugby match; 1938)
- England 3-0 France (partially found footage of international football match; 1947)
- England 3-0 Rest of Europe (partially found footage of international football match; 1938)
- Falkirk 3-2 Newcastle United (lost footage of football match; 1953)
- Horace Lindrum vs Willie Smith (lost footage of televised snooker; 1937)
- Scottish Universities 1-1 English Universities (lost footage of international football match; 1952)
- Woods and Jack (lost early televised lawn bowls; 1937; 1946)
External Link
References
- ↑ BBC Genome archive of Radio Times issues, listing the episodes of Foundations of Cookery. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
- ↑ Radio Times issue 823 summarising the first picnic food episode. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
- ↑ Radio Times issue 823 summarising the second picnic food episode. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
- ↑ BBC Genome archive of Radio Times issues, listing the Marcel Boulestin show which may well have been a Foundations of Cookery episode. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
- ↑ Radio Times summarising Marcel Boulestin Rouget Marseillaise program. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
- ↑ BBC Handbook for 1940 extract published on Transdiffusion, discussing BBC Television Centre ceasing all transmissions following the outbreak of the Second World War. Retrieved 18 Apr '21
- ↑ An Omelette and a Glass of Wine, which documented Boulestin's life and his final days. Retrieved 18 Apr '21