Is Carême based on a true story? Explained
The French language drama/political thriller series Carême was released on Apple TV+ on April 30, 2025. Featuring Benjamin Voisin as the titular character, the show tells the story of Marie-Antoine Carême/ Antonin Carême, one of the world's first celebrity chefs to emerge during Napoleon Bonaparte's regime.
In addition to his professional life as a chef, the show also traces his journey as a spy, a path he enters due to his circumstances. In the show, Antonin is not well-off in the beginning, and influential figures, such as politicians, use this by asking favors from him in exchange for monetary compensation. Most of these favors involve him spying on behalf of others, particularly on their enemies.
While the show's story may sound like something that has been specifically curated for the screens, it is a real story based on real characters. Marie-Antoine Carême was indeed one of the topmost chefs to have existed during the 19th century, coinciding with Napoleon's existence. However, his being a spy was only hearsay, and there has been no evidence till now to prove the same.
Carême is partly based on a true story
As previously mentioned, Apple TV Plus's latest French-language drama television series is based on a true story. The story is that of chef Marie-Antoine Carême, who hailed from a poor background and gradually made his way up in the food industry.
At the prime of his career, Antonin worked for several influential people, including Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Tsar Alexander I of Russia, and the Prince Regent of Britain. He also closely worked with Napoleon Bonaparte, who was the French Emperor at the time.
That being said, the plot about him being a spy for politicians and other affluent people is only a rumor. There is no proof that he was engaged in these activities during that time.
This means the show's creators took creative liberties while introducing this plot in the series. Although they have not explicitly mentioned the reasons for doing the same, it seems that they did it to make the plot more engaging.
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What is the show about?
As previously mentioned, the show chronicles 19th-century talented chef Antonin's life on whose surname the show is named after. The official synopsis for the show, as highlighted by Apple TV+ Press, reads:
"'Carême' follows the thrilling story of the world’s first celebrity chef, Antonin Carême (Benjamin Voisin), who rose from humble beginnings in Paris to the height of culinary stardom in Napoleon’s Europe."
It continues:
"While he dreams only of becoming the most famous chef in the world, his talent and ambitions attract the attention of renowned and powerful politicians, who use him as a spy for France."
The synopsis also highlights how Antonin is determined to escape poverty and fulfill his dreams. However, to be able to do that, he needs to make some difficult decisions that will lead him to gain a few things and lose a few. And even after he decides on one of them, he needs to see if he is strong enough to endure the repercussions of his decisions.
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