Guillaume Tirel, alias
Taillevent was cook to the Court of
France at the time of the first
Valois kings and the
Hundred Years War. His first position was enfent de cuisine to Queen
Jeanne d'Évreux. From 1326 he was
queux, head chef, to
Philip VI. In 1347, he became squire to the
Dauphin de Viennois and his queux in 1349. In 1355 he became squire to the
Duke of Normandy, in 1359 his queux and in 1361 his
sergeant-at-arms. The Duke of Normandy became
Charles V in 1368 and Tirel continued in his service. From 1381 he was in service to
Charles VI. He is generally considered one of the first truly "professional" master chefs. He died in 1395 at around 80 years of age.