Louis I. Szathmary \ President,
Louis Szathmary Associates
Food System Designers and Management Consultants
Chicago, Illinois
Born June 2, 1919, Budapest, Hungary. Graduate, University of Budapest, Masters degree in Journalism; Ph.D., Psychology, 1944. During the war he briefly attended the Hungarian cooks school while in the Hungarian Army. One of his responsibilities as a psychologist was to write the instruction manuals for the troops regarding field artillery as well as any issues of field cookery and proper procedures relating to military rations. Immigrated to United States, 1951. Married Sadako Tanino, of Los Angeles, CA, 1960. Died in Chicago October 4,1996.
Business Experience
1989-1996 Founder/Curator Emeritus
Culinary Archives & Museum at Johnson & Wales University
(The world’s largest culinary museum. His contribution was over 400,000
pieces from ancient times to the present.)
1989-1996 Chef Laureate, Johnson & Wales University, Providence, RI
1964-1996 President, Louis Szathmary Associates, Food System Designers and Management
Consultants, Chicago
1962-1989 Executive Vice-President, Lou D’Or, Inc., ChicagoOwner-chef,
"The Bakery" Restaurant, Chicago
1959-1964 Manager, New Product Development, Armour and Company, Chicago
1958-1959 Plant Superintendent, Reddi Fox Caterers, Darien, CT
1955-1958 Executive Chef, Mutual Broadcasting System, New York
1951-1955 Chef, New England Province, Jesuit Order, Norwalk, CT
Author And Columnist
Over the years, Szathmary has written for the "Skyline," (a near north newspaper), the Chicago Daily News, Chicago Sun-Times, Houston Chronicle, and "Inside Lincoln Park." He has been contributing editor of "Chef" Magazine, published by Talcott Publishing Company. He has authored more than 500 articles in food service, scientific and educational journals, among them the Cornell Hotel Quarterly, Food Service Magazine, Cooking for Profit, American Wine & Food, Food & Wine Society, Travel/Holiday Magazine, Hungarian Heritage Review, In This Issue, Biblio Magazine, as well as and several Hungarian publications in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
Broadcaster
Over some 50 years, he participated in more than 1,150 television and radio broadcasts, local and national, including Mike Douglas, Dinah Shore, Phil Donahue, Kathryn Crosby, Oprah Winfrey, the Pat Sajak Show, "Good Morning America," "PM Magazine," "Kup’s Show," "ABC Network News," and NBC "Go."
Lecturer
Lectures and demonstrations at more than 30 colleges, trade and professional associations, including: Cornell, Michigan State, Florida International University, Roosevelt University, Tirton College, Kendall College, Washburn Trade School, California Polytech, Boston University, Oklahoma State, University of Missouri, Penn State, University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Oxford University, England, Dartmouth College, Harvard University, University of Chicago, Purdue University, University of Michigan, Culinary Institute of America (New Haven & Hyde Park), University of Southern California, Grand Rapids Junior College, and Johnson & Wales University. Also, The Young Presidents Organization, National Restaurant Association, National Frozen Foods Association, National Festival of American Foods and Cookery, American Culinary Federation, American Academy of Chefs, Honorable Order of Golden Toque, and The Food Service Executives Association.
From 1992 to the present, among the many places he lectured at were the Cosmos Club in Washington, D.C., National Space Society’s "Treasures of Discovery," the 11th International Space Development Conference, Penn State, University of Iowa, Johnson & Wales University, and Oxford University in England.
Commercials and Advertisements
Appeared in numerous broadcast commercials and print advertisements, sponsored by Sears, Charmglow, Chicken Delight, Tum’s, Lipton Tea, Lea & Perrins, Christian Dior, Jim Beam, Armour, American Express, Stewart’s Coffee and many others.
Memberships
Society of Professional Management Consultants; Council on Hotel, Restaurant and Institutional Education; Board of Governors, National Space Society; Board of Directors, Chicago Academy of Sciences; Screen Actors Guild; American Federation of Television and Radio Artists; International Association of Cooking Schools; Les Amis d’Escoffier; American Culinary Federation; American Academy of Chefs; Honorable Order of the Golden Toque; Chefs de Cuisine Association; Master Chefs Institute; International P.E.N. Club; International Food Wine & Travel Writers Association; International Wine & Food Society of London; Caxton Club of Chicago; Cliff Dwellers Club of Chicago; Groiler Club of New York; Stephen Parmenius Foundation; and American Hungarian Cultural Association of Chicago.
Directory Listings
Marquis’ Who’s Who in the World, Marquis’ Who’s Who in America, Men of Achievement, Hungarians in America, The Hotel and Restaurant Business Book, Books for Cooks, English Language Cook Books, and Gastronomical and Culinary Literature. His internationally renowned "The Bakery" Restaurant was listed in national and international restaurant guides.
Forceful Advocate for the Profession of "Chef"
It was at the 1974 American Culinary Federation convention in Cleveland, Ohio, when keynote speaker Chef Louis Szathmary declared that European governments honored their Executive Chefs, but that in America, chefs were officially listed in the same category as "domestics, dog walkers, chamber maids and butlers." He called on the convention to change this official view and gave the first $500 to hire a professional lobbyist to achieve this goal. In January 1977, at the final Washington, D.C. meeting which included Department of Labor and American Culinary Federation officials, the listing of Executive Chef was advanced in the Dictionary of Official Titles from the "Services" category to the "Professional, Technical, and Managerial Occupations" category. America’s Executive Chefs were officially recognized as professionals!
Awards and Recognitions
Works In Progress At The Time of His Death
Crowning Achievement
Chef Louis Szathmary lectured to culinary and hospitalty students all over the world. He would emphasize why he felt it was important for industry leaders to take the time to lecture to the next generation of culinarians and hoteliers. His internationally renowned "The Bakery" Restaurant was located across the street from a funeral home. Chef often remarked that for 26 years he observed those who had passed on being taken in and out of the funeral home. He noted that when they left this world, they were not able to take any worldly possessions with them. After years of observing this he felt an obligation to pass on as much of his knowledge to students because he realized that, when he was gone, he would never have the opportunity to share it with anyone.
Upon his retirement, the administration at Johnson & Wales University, wanted to provide him a house to reside in Providence, Rhode Island. He absolutely refused, citing the funeral home.
The accomplishment he was the most proud of was that he lived among the students he loved, in a residence hall. Among students, he was more recognizable than than the President of the University. He was the only adult on campus who was not a member of the Residential Life Staff who lived in the dorms, "by choice." He enjoyed eating in the cafeteria with the students, walking in the halls, riding the elevator, and even the 2:30 a.m. false fire alarms -- including the evacuations while still in their pajamas.
He felt that the best discussions he had in his life, were the moments he shared with the students -- out of a classroom, when he was just one of them.
Szathmaryism: