Prosper Montagne

Prosper Montagné (1865–1948) was a renowned French chef of the Belle Époque and a prolific culinary writer, best known for creating Larousse Gastronomique (1938), an encyclopedic dictionary of French gastronomy. Born in Carcassonne to a department store manager, he worked in prestigious kitchens across Europe, organized Allied army kitchens during World War I, and contributed to reforming French cuisine by simplifying preparations and menus. After retiring from active chef roles around 1907, he authored numerous books and articles, lectured widely, and briefly ran a delicatessen in Paris.