James Larra, the publican at the Freemason’s Arms in Parramatta was not only one of the first to receive a liquor license in the colony, he was possibly also the first to offer his customers French hospitality. In 1802 he was host to the French scientific expedition led by the naturalist François Péron, who recorded that during their six days at Parramatta his party ‘were constantly served with an elegance and even with a luxury that we would never have believed could exist on these shores, if we had not been the object of it.’ The French visitors were served the best wines of Madeira, Xérès (sherry), Porto, Cape Town and Bordeaux. The food was presented on good plates, the glasses were crystal, and everything was served in the French style, made all the easier because Larra (whom Péron described as ‘un Juif François’) had ‘un excellent cuisinier de Paris’ and two other young French men among his assigned servants (Péron, Voyage de Découvertes aux Terres Australes … sur les Corvettes le Géographe, le Naturaliste et la Goélette le Casuarina, pendant les Années 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803 et 1804, Paris: Arthus Bertrand, 1807, pp. 408, 409).
Larra would have had few opportunities to entertain his countrymen. It has been estimated that even by the middle of the nineteenth century there may have only been three hundred French in Sydney (Ivan Barko, ‘The French in Sydney’, Sydney Journal 1 (2), 2008). French fare then was not advertised to lure the French but as a marker of refinement, fashionability, sophistication, of professionalism and good taste. Those who traded on their Frenchness did so to distance themselves from the run-of-the-mill, the predictable and the crass.
A colourful character, François Girard was sentenced for stealing and transported for seven years in 1820. He began his colonial career as a dancing master and fencing instructor and subsequently became best known as a baker (winning a contract to supply bread to the government, which was not without some controversy), and for his flour mill and adjacent wharf (constructed on the harbour in Cockle Bay at the bottom of Napoleon Street), among a number of entrepreneurial activities.*
In September 1826 Girard expanded his bakery business (which operated out of his home at 16 Hunter Street) by opening what was advertised a ‘a COFFEE ROOM á la Françoise’ where he would provide ‘pastry and refreshments of any kind’, including coffee at any hour of the day, confits, jellies, sweet wines and fruits in season. The gentry were informed that he would ‘spare no pains to render his coffee room a place of fashionable resort’ (Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (hereafter SG), 13 September 1826, p. 2 and advertising p. 1). There is no record of what experience, if any, Girard had of either baking or running a coffee room in the French fashion. Nor is it clear how successful this operation was but Girard seems to have been confident that the residents of Sydney were ready for something more sophisticated than they had experienced hitherto. In early 1828 he took over the license of the Sydney Arms Hotel in George Street.
The Sydney Hotel/Sydney Arms Hotel dated from 1820 when a Mr Stillwell converted the ‘extensive and commodious premises’ formerly the town residence of Sir John Jamison, into a hotel and coffee house, where he provided accommodation, breakfasts, dinners and suppers (SG, 11 March 1820, p. 1). The building was located on the corner of George Street and Charlotte Place, approximately at the intersection of George Street and Grosvenor Street today. Only seven months later the premises were available for lease and subsequently occupied by the Principal Superintendent of Police.
The building did not operate as a hotel again until ‘revived’ by William Cummings in 1822 and opened as ‘a respectable Coffee house Tavern and Hotel’ (SG, 7 October 1820, p. 2; SG, 6 December 1822, p. 2). Cummings had only recently arrived in the colony, but he brought with him ‘several years experience’ which appear to have stood him in good stead. The Sydney Hotel was well-regarded and allowed Cummings to make a ‘respectable and honest subsistence’ until he decided to move to larger premises in Macquarie Place (SG, 19 November 1827, p. 1, Australian, 15 February 1828, p. 2).
When Girard took over, the Australian reported that he was fitting up the Sydney Hotel as a French café and restaurant, ‘desirous of modelling his house in a style which will be nouvelle to the Colony – somewhat after the fashion of a comfortable Parisian “Restaurateur”’ (Australian, 19 December 1827, p. 2; 15 February 1828, p. 2). Just what changes, if any, were made to the hotel is not recorded but Girard planned to ‘dispense “Café”, and “liqueurs” and the like; with certain literary ephemerals of the day’ in what was described as ‘the airy and spacious room at the entrance, on the left’. The newspapers do not report to what extent Girard’s plans were realised
Cummings had explained that one reason for his abandonment of the Sydney Hotel was ‘the want of room’. Earlier the Sydney Gazette had described the building, ‘this old crazy edifice’, as ‘a disgrace to the premises by which it is surrounded’ and suggested that the best thing that could happen was for the Sydney Hotel to be ‘razed to the ground’ (SG, 10 June 1826, p. 2). Eventually John Jamison agreed. In January 1830, Jamison gave notice that the house Girard now occupied was to be demolished (SG, 7 January 1830, p. 2.). All the buildings on Jamison’s estate were demolished and the land divided into allotments for sale from January 1831 (SG, 21 September 1830, p. 3; The Australian, 28 January 1831, p. 3). François Girard meanwhile had moved on to pursue other ventures. He was by no means the only baker in Sydney. Competition, in what was a small market, was fierce. The case of Thomas Dunsdon is one example of the difficulties newcomers could face in this ruthless environment. Success often depended more on determination and perseverance than skill and experience.
Francis Durand was an experienced French cook. He arrived in Sydney in 1826 and swapped his role as ship’s steward on the Regalia for his own business offering ‘cookery and confectionery in all its branches’ at 10 Pitt Street (SG, 8 November 1826 p. 3). He advertised French bread and biscuits and catering, providing English and Foreign dishes ‘on the shortest notice’ (SG, 2 January 1830, p. 4).
Eating was the province of those who found themselves away from home at lunch or dinner. Dining was more likely the business of the wealthy and those who threw parties or routs. It was these clients who were most likely to appreciate the talent of someone ‘experienced as a French cook’. Like Girard and others who started out as confectioners/bakers, Durand saw more potential as a publican and established himself as the host of the Baker’s Arms in George Street until poor health forced him to look for some other outlet for his talents (Australian, 5 August 1831, p. 4; SG, 27 November 1832, p. 1). His next venture involved purchasing the whole stock of ‘Mr Henry Bull, Provisioner, of Hunter Street’ and continuing that business as well as operating as a cook and confectioner and offering private dinners in ‘a pleasant well-furnished room, on the first floor’ above his shop. (SG, 13 June 1833, p. 3; Sydney Herald, 27 June 1833, p. 1; SG, 8 August 1833, p. 4).
Whether dogged by ill health or not able to make a successful living as a cook/caterer/confectioner, Durand again tried his hand as a publican, this time as the licensee of the Hope in Goulburn Street. This was a less salubrious part of town, and he certainly did not advertise that he was serving his patrons French cuisine, but he did maintain the license for three years (SG, 31 October 1833, p. 3; Sydney Herald, 9 January 1834, p. 1; SG, 6 April 1837, p. 2). Rather than establishing a reputation for his food Durand’s legacy was the naming of Durand’s Alley ‘a place notorious as the resort of bad characters’ which eventually deteriorated into ‘an infamous “rookery”’ (The Sydney Monitor, 21 July 1837, p. 2; see also https://dictionaryofsydney.org/entry/haymarket). The connection of the alley to Durand may have come from the hotel or be related to houses he owned in the area (Sydney Herald, 2 October 1834, p. 3).
His next enterprise was a confectioner’s shop next door to the Theatre Royal, seemingly an ideal location. Here he also advertised gentlemen could ‘be accommodated with an Ordinary daily at any hour they please’ but did not specify French cooking (The Australian, 20 June 1837, p. 3). Durand’s final undertaking was the license for the Baker’s Arms hotel at the corner of Sussex and Druitt Streets, just in time for him to witness William Toogood proclaiming himself a restaurateur at the Rainbow Tavern (SG, 5 April 1838, p. 2; Sydney Monitor, 23 July 1838, p. 2). After 12 years in the colony Durand could make little claim to have advanced the cause of French cuisine or sophisticated French dining and his time had run out; he died in October 1838 (Commercial Journal and Advertiser, 31 October 1838, p. 2).
Tracing the careers of Girard and Durand through the newspaper reports gives little insight into the extent of any French community in Sydney, the interaction between French speaking men and women in the colony and precious little idea of the influence of French ideas on the local community. Other than that Frenchness was at least assumed to have some cachet, the extent that anything offered by these Frenchmen to their clientele was anything more French than they could obtain at other eating establishment in the city is debatable.
In this early period, that is before the era of the gold rushes, there are only two other references to enterprises offering French fare or at least fare produced in the French style.
In January 1842 Cleris and Calonder announced they were opening a confectionery business in George Street (Sydney Herald, 3 January 1842, p. 2) and in July of the same year Henin and Bourdon opened their French restaurant on Pitt Street (Australasian Chronicle, 28 July 1842, p. 3). Louis Bourdon was one of the Canadian rebels transported to Australia in 1840 and thanks to research into the lives and connections of the rebels in Sydney it is possible to piece together something of the story behind these two ventures.**
Just how and when Cleris and Calonder arrived in the colony is not known. Jacques Calonder was a Swiss confectioner (Petrie p. 301) and Cleris may well have been a German cook/chef (Petrie, p. 147), although their advertising claimed they were ‘late from Paris’ and their expertise lay in confectionery, pastry and chocolate manufacture. They were certainly professionals promising, among a mouth-watering selection of ‘delicieux morceaux’ ‘Gateaux de Savoi, Crème a la Chantilly’ and ‘many other elegantly ornamented cakes’ along with a range of offerings not generally available in the colony including Biscuits de Rhins, Charlotte Russe, Gateaux Parissiens, Gateaux de Milan, and Croquets Hollondais, all of which they intended to make themselves. They also planned on providing a dizzying array of other items from custards, jellies and sugared almonds to macaroni, vermicelli, fresh salmon, salad oil and a ‘Vegetive syrup strongly recommended by the Faculty of Paris for the cure of dropsy’.
Cleris and Calonder set up their business in the premises ‘lately occupied by R. Clint, engraver’ which raises the question of how much work was needed to make the space suitable for producing cakes and other confectionery and how much equipment they either brought with them or purchased locally. Many of these catering/confectionery businesses sprang up seemingly overnight although starting out must have involved some not inconsiderable investment in both modifying the premises and furnishing the necessary batterie de cuisine. The establishment also needed staff and one of the employees of this venture was Louis Bourdon. Bourdon had no expertise to offer (he is variously described as a farmer and merchant’s clerk), but he had a good command of English and was put to work on the counter (Petrie, p. 147).
As promised Cleris and Calonder quickly expanded their business to provide breakfast at 10 am, lunch at 1 pm, dinner with coffee a la Francaise at 6.30 pm, and suppers at 10 pm, although anyone who turned up between those hours would be accommodated (Sydney Free Press, 8 March 1842, p. 3). Whether the business was not as successful as envisaged or because the partners had a difference of opinion the ‘copartnery’ did not last long. Cleris announced he was severing is connection with Calonder as of 10 March, after only three months (Sydney Free Press, 19 March 1842, p. 3), and by May all the stock-in-trade was being auctioned (Sydney Free Press, 7 May 1842, p. 3). The auctioneers list gives some indication of the investment in fixtures and paraphernalia needed to establish the business - glass cases, counters, furniture and the unexpired lease on the premises; sugar, flour, confits, syrup, chocolate salad oil, chairs, tables, sofas, dumb waiters, glasses, tumblers, dinner and tea services, kitchen utensils etc.
M. Calonder went on to be employed as a cook by John Ireland, the landlord of the Plough Inn at the junction of Parramatta and Liverpool roads, Ashfield thanks to the intervention of another of the Canadian transportees (Petrie, p. 301).
The premises they vacated, directly opposite the Bank of Australasia, did not stand empty for long, becoming the Victoria Refreshment Rooms, under the supervision of Mr and Mrs Dunsden. Here the epicure was provided with food prepared by ‘the unrivalled French cook lately in the employ of Cleris and Calonder’, who was, presumably, M. Cleris (The Sydney Herald, 31 May 1842, p. 3.; Australasian Chronicle, 11 June 1842, p. 3). What happened to Cleris after the Victoria Refreshment Rooms closed (The Australian, 12 December 1842, p. 3) is not known but, like Jacques Calonder, it is probable he found employment in another kitchen.
Louis Bourdon remained with Jacques Calonder until the business in George Street closed, after which he pursued the partnership with Henin. Again, there is nothing to suggest how or when Henin came to the colony, but it is possible he had some experience as either a baker or a ‘restaurateur’ (Henin is referred to as both a baker and a restaurateur; Petrie p. 287 and 326). The two certainly had grand plans, taking over the Noah’s Ark Tavern in Pitt Street, next to the theatre, an ideal location for their projected French Restaurant. They advertised they would provide a variety of French and Italian dishes at lunch and dinner and were available to cater for dinner parties as well as offering board and lodging to ‘a few private gentlemen’ at a moderate price (Australasian Chronicle, 28 July 1842, p. 3). This may well have been a serious attempt to establish a French restaurant in Sydney, but it was short lived. The last advertisement appears in August (Australasian Chronicle, 9 August 1842, p, 3) and Petrie (p. 326) records that the enterprise failed after only six or seven weeks because of the high rent on the premises and the limited financial resources of the two partners.*** Bourdon then stayed at Mr Meillon’s Inn, The Jews Harp, Brickfield Hill (Petrie p. 326) and absconded from the colony in September leaving his debts behind (Boissery p. 275–6).
Neither John Ireland nor John Meillon took advantage of the services of a French cook.
Intriguingly notices appeared in newspapers in September 1842 placed by ‘a French cook, lately arrived in the colony, who understands the French, English and Italian cooking’ who was looking for employment and hoped to meet with employers at Meillon’s hotel (Australasian Chronicle, 13 September 1842, p. 3). It is possible that this was the mysterious Henin, of whom nothing more is known other than a reference to the departure of Mr. and Mrs. Henin and child, headed for the South Seas, in January 1846 (SMH, 27 January 1846, p. 2).
In general, a lack of finance, limited experience on the part of the entrepreneurs, perhaps also limited knowledge of English, and a seeming lack of interest or enthusiasm on the part of the eating public stymied the success of these French businesses. Although little is known about most of the individuals involved their stories do hint at a more cosmopolitan Sydney than is perhaps generally recognised before the flood of Europeans arrived during the gold rush years. Unearthing the links between Cleris, Calonder, Bourdon and Henin also suggests the interconnectedness at street level of the albeit small French community, and points to the possibility that there were many more cooks with some knowledge of French cookery working in hotels and private homes than is discoverable using the extant records.
* For a full account of Girard see Kenneth R. Dutton ‘A colonial entrepreneur: François Girard (1792?–1859)’, Explorations no 39, December 20025, https://www.isfar.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/39_KENNETH-R.-DUTTON-A-Colonial-Entrepreneur-Francois-Girard-1792-1859.pdf
**The most accessible sources for information on the Canadian rebels are Brian Petrie, French Canadian Rebels as Australian Convicts (Melbourne: Australian Scholarly Press, 2013) and Beverley Boissery’s thesis, ‘The Patriote Convicts: a study of the 1838 rebellion in lower Canada and the transportation of some of the participants to New South Wales’, PhD, Australian National University, 1977 which is available on-line through Trove.
***Boissery records that Bourdon made some money while at Longbottom, selling shells, for lime, and timber, but how much he had to invest in the business and what resources Henin possessed is not known.
