Giovanni Vialardi and Savoy court cuisine
A chef whose illustrated treatise documented technique, service, pastry and the culinary traditions of nineteenth-century Piedmont.
More than a cookbook
In 1854 Giovanni Vialardi published his Trattato di cucina, pasticceria moderna, credenza e relativa confettureria. The title page identifies him as a senior cook and pastry specialist serving Carlo Alberto and Vittorio Emanuele II, kings of Sardinia.
The volume advertises nearly two thousand recipes and extensive illustrations, offering a remarkable window into nineteenth-century techniques, ingredients and table service.
Agnolotti, rice and white truffles
Vialardi’s recipes include risotto, agnolotti and white truffles, revealing how regional ingredients met elaborate court cooking techniques.
His agnolotti “alla casalinga” show that domestic styles were documented alongside ceremonial dishes.
How to read culinary history
Historical cookbooks describe practices at a particular time; they do not prove that a dish was first invented by the author.
A digitised copy of the 1854 treatise allows visitors to check names, recipes and preparations directly against the original source.