Jeffrey Salazar
Despite his reputation as a military leader, Napoleon was not known for his culinary prowess, and he was not a gourmand. He was a plain eater who preferred simple meals and ate very quickly, often spending less than 15-20 minutes at a meal. He often suffered from indigestion as a result. Napoleon's typical diet included boiled or poached eggs, omelettes, boiled beef, lamb, chicken, and various types of beans and lentils. He also enjoyed coffee, chocolate, and fresh almonds. During military campaigns, however, Napoleon's armies often faced food shortages, and his soldiers had to live off the land, leading to extreme deprivation and even suicide in some cases.
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What You'll Learn
Napoleon enjoyed simple meals
Napoleon Bonaparte was not a gourmet, and he enjoyed simple meals. He ate very quickly, often spending no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a meal, and he suffered from indigestion as a result. His second valet, Louis Étienne Saint-Denis, observed that he preferred simple dishes, and he liked his food hot. He favoured soup, boiled beef, boiled or poached eggs, an omelette, a small leg of mutton, a cutlet, a filet of beef, broiled breast of lamb, or a chicken wing, lentils, and beans in a salad. These were the dishes that were typically served at his breakfasts.
Napoleon's meals were so simple that his valet from 1814 to 1821, Louis-Joseph Marchand, noted that he "preferred the simplest dishes: lentils, white beans, green beans, which he loved but was afraid to eat for fear of finding threads which he said felt like hair, the very thought of which would turn his stomach."
Despite his preference for simple dishes, Napoleon was particular about the quality of his bread. He also enjoyed potato soup, beans, and onions, and this was said to be his last supper. He also liked to soak his bread in the plate. He was fond of hot drinks and often ended his meals with a little coffee, although he would leave most of it. He also enjoyed hot chocolate and diluted his wine with water.
Napoleon also had a sweet tooth and enjoyed desserts and snacks such as rolled waffles with cream, ice cream, hot chocolate, and fresh almonds. He would eat almost a whole plate of almonds and only ate two or three lozenges as candy. He also enjoyed fruit but only ate a small amount, such as a quarter of a pear or apple or a small bunch of grapes. He also liked cheese, especially Parmesan or Roquefort, to finish his meals.
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He often ate quickly
Napoleon Bonaparte was not a gourmet. He often ate quickly, rarely spending more than 15 to 20 minutes at a meal, and he often suffered from indigestion as a result. His second valet, Louis Étienne Saint-Denis, observed that he preferred simple dishes. He liked a good soup (very hot) and a good piece of boiled beef over all the complicated and succulent dishes his cooks could make. Boiled or poached eggs, an omelette, a small leg of mutton, a cutlet, a filet of beef, broiled breast of lamb, or a chicken wing, lentils, beans in a salad, and potato soup were the dishes habitually served at his breakfasts.
Napoleon's meals were simple and essential. He liked to soak his bread on the plate. He often skipped meals or arrived late for dinner, forcing everyone at the table to eat at a fast pace. He ate with his hands and wiped himself on his uniform, which could hardly endure this ordeal; Napoleon often changed his clothes after his meals. He was quick and helped himself.
Napoleon's favourite food was chicken fricassee, or poulet à la Marengo. He also liked to eat beans, lentils, roast breast of mutton, and roast chicken. He also enjoyed Chicken Marengo and Fondant Potatoes. He snacked on ice cream and hot chocolate. He also liked rolled waffles with a little cream and two or three lozenges, which were all the candy he ate.
After his meals, Napoleon was given a little coffee, of which he often left a good part. He never drank liqueurs. He drank only one glass of wine with dinner, which he diluted with water. A piece of Parmesan or Roquefort cheese closed his meals. If there was any fruit, it was served to him, but he ate very little of it. He would only take a quarter of a pear or an apple, or a very small bunch of grapes. What he especially liked were fresh almonds, of which he would eat almost the whole plate.
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He liked hot food
Napoleon was not a gourmet. He liked simple meals, and he ate very quickly, rarely spending more than 15 to 20 minutes at a meal. He often suffered from indigestion as a result. His second valet, Louis Étienne Saint-Denis, observed: "The simplest dishes were those which suited him the best… He preferred a good soup (he liked it very hot) and a good piece of boiled beef to all the complicated and succulent dishes which his cooks could make for him."
Napoleon's typical meals included boiled or poached eggs, an omelette, a small leg of mutton, a cutlet, a filet of beef, broiled breast of lamb, or a chicken wing, lentils, beans in a salad, and potato soup. He also enjoyed chicken Marengo, which was created in honour of his victory in Italy. He was also known to eat fried potatoes and onions before battle.
Napoleon's meals were typically closed with a piece of Parmesan or Roquefort cheese. Fruit was served to him, but he ate very little of it, only taking a quarter of a pear or an apple, or a very small bunch of grapes. He was, however, very fond of fresh almonds and would eat almost a whole plate of them. He also liked rolled waffles with cream and two or three lozenges as candy.
Napoleon drank coffee after his meals, and he diluted his wine with water. He also enjoyed hot chocolate and ice cream.
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He drank diluted wine
Napoleon was not a gourmet. He liked simple meals, eating very quickly, and drinking diluted wine with water. He was quick and helped himself with his hands. He liked to soak his bread on the plate. He preferred simple and essential meals such as potato soup, beans and onions. The chefs weren't paid much, and in ten years, there had been eleven. It is said that Napoleon suffered from gastritis, which forced him to eat lighter and more frequent meals.
Napoleon's typical diet included simple dishes like soup, boiled beef, boiled or poached eggs, an omelette, a small leg of mutton, a cutlet, a filet of beef, broiled breast of lamb, or a chicken wing. He also enjoyed lentils, beans in a salad, and the occasional piece of Parmesan or Roquefort cheese to close his meals. Fruit was not a regular part of his diet, but he might eat a small amount, such as a quarter of a pear or apple or a few grapes. He especially liked fresh almonds and would often eat almost an entire plate. Rolled waffles with cream and two or three lozenges were his only indulgences when it came to candy. After meals, he was given coffee, which he often left mostly untouched. He never drank liqueurs.
Napoleon's preference for simple meals extended to his choice of drinks as well, including his habit of diluting his wine with water. This practice of mixing wine with water was not unusual during his time, as it was commonly believed that drinking water by itself was unhealthy. By diluting his wine, Napoleon could stay hydrated while still enjoying the taste and effects of the alcohol. This practice also allowed him to pace himself and ensure he did not drink too much, as he was known to be a light drinker.
In addition to his diluted wine, Napoleon also drank hot chocolate and coffee. He was particularly fond of coffee and often consumed it excessively when working late into the night. However, he usually left a good part of his cup untouched, indicating that he preferred his coffee in moderate amounts. This preference for moderation extended to his alcohol consumption, as he typically only drank one glass of wine with dinner.
Napoleon's habit of diluting his wine provides insight into his overall approach to food and drink. He preferred simplicity and moderation, avoiding excessive indulgence in either his meals or his drinks. This preference for diluted wine also reflects the cultural norms of his time, where mixing wine with water was a common practice due to beliefs about the unhealthiness of drinking plain water. By diluting his wine, Napoleon followed a contemporary custom while also ensuring he stayed hydrated and maintained control over his alcohol intake.
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He enjoyed chicken, lamb, and beef
Napoleon Bonaparte was not a gourmet. He liked simple meals and ate very quickly, rarely spending more than 15 to 20 minutes at a meal. He often suffered from indigestion as a result. His second valet, Louis Étienne Saint-Denis, observed: "The simplest dishes were those which suited him the best… He preferred a good soup (he liked it very hot) and a good piece of boiled beef to all the complicated and succulent dishes which his cooks could make for him."
Napoleon enjoyed chicken, lamb, and beef. He was particularly fond of a dish called poulet à la Marengo, or Chicken Marengo, which was supposedly created by his chef Dunand after the Battle of Marengo in Italy in 1800. However, this story is likely a myth, and the dish was probably created by a restaurant chef in honour of Napoleon's victory. Nevertheless, it is said that Napoleon ate chicken almost every morning, dressed with oil and onions.
In addition to chicken, Napoleon also enjoyed lamb. He was known to eat broiled breast of lamb, as well as lamb chops. He also liked beef, especially boiled beef, and would sometimes eat a filet of beef. These meats were typically served with simple accompaniments such as beans, lentils, or a salad.
Napoleon's meals often included other types of meat as well. For example, he ate roast breast of mutton and sometimes had veal kidneys. He also consumed poultry and was known to eat rolled waffles with a little cream.
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Frequently asked questions
Napoleon was not a gourmet and preferred simple meals. He often ate quickly, rarely spending more than 20 minutes at a meal, and suffered from indigestion as a result. He enjoyed hot soup, boiled beef, boiled or poached eggs, an omelette, a small leg of mutton, a cutlet, a filet of beef, broiled breast of lamb, or a chicken wing, lentils, beans in a salad, and fresh almonds. He also liked rolled waffles with cream and snacked on ice cream, hot chocolate, and coffee.
Yes, during military campaigns, Napoleon and his soldiers often had to forage for food or plunder nearby villages. During the 1798 Egyptian campaign, for example, the army had to endure a three-day march from Alexandria to Cairo through the desert without adequate food or water.
No, class differences between officers, regular soldiers, conscripts, and camp followers meant that there was unequal access to certain kinds of food, especially meat. Limited supplies during the winter retreat from Russia would have likely exacerbated this inequality of access.
