The story
Lobster Thermidor takes its name from Thermidor, a play by Victorien Sardou that opened at the Comédie-Française in Paris in January 1891. Set during the Reign of Terror and named after a month of the revolutionary calendar, it caused such an uproar that the government halted it within days, and it did not return until 1896. Which kitchen first named a dish after it is disputed: Chez Marie in 1894, Maison Maire near the Porte Saint-Martin theatre, or Leopold Mourier, a former assistant of Escoffier, at the Café de Paris. A tale linking the name to Napoleon has little evidence. Every serious claim is Parisian.
Rival claims
Which restaurant created it is disputed (Chez Marie in 1894, Maison Maire, or Leopold Mourier at the Café de Paris), but all claims are in Paris.
Also known as homard Thermidor, homard à la Thermidor.
On the Meridish menu
Lobster Thermidor was the main course on menu No. 21 on October 21, 2026. Its clue in the game, which hints at the place without naming it:
Lobster in a creamy mustard and brandy sauce, browned under cheese back in its shell, named after a scandalous play about the revolution staged here in the 1890s.
In Meridish, every dish is pinned to the town or city most widely credited with creating it. A guess within 25 km scores all 100 points. How scoring works.
Sources
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobster_Thermidor
- tastingtable.com/1215732/lobster-thermidors-conflicting-origin-stories
Food history is often disputed. Think we've pinned it in the wrong place? Tell us at hello@meridish.com, ideally with a source.
