French chef, born in 1846 to a poor family in Villeneuve-Loubet in the south of France, who revolutionised the professional kitchen. He was sent to work in a professional kitchen at the age of 13, where conditions were chaotic: noise, drunkenness and regular fights.
After joining the army, Escoffier was inspired by military discipline and hierarchy to remake the restaurant kitchen. He forbade chefs from drinking and instructed them to keep quiet. Before Escoffier, chefs were responsible for entire meals. He instead put chefs in charge of individual components of a dish, with a senior chef assembling the final plate -- anticipating the industrial principles of specialisation and the division of labour. His innovations remain the foundation of modern professional kitchen organisation, including the mise-en-place system of careful advance preparation. His methods are still visible in cruise-ship catering operations today.
Misery loves company, but company does not reciprocate.