Immerse yourself in the extraordinary world of caviar, sturgeon and Prunier's hi
Rumour has it that you're just as likely to bump into members of the Russian Imperial Court here as in St Petersburg. So it's hardly surprising that Alfred Prunier and his son Émile specialised in Russian caviar to satisfy their most loyal customers, the Russian elite in Paris.
In the early 20th century, Émile Prunier's ingenious and innovative spirit enabled him to build a veritable empire around seafood. The company now has its own trawlers and oyster beds. Prunier became the official supplier of fish, oysters and caviar to numerous hotels and restaurants in France and Europe. In 1918, Émile Prunier negotiated exclusive distribution rights for Russian caviar, making Paris the epicentre of caviar for the first time.
In 1920, Émile Prunier received a visit from Monsieur Blanc, a former regular at the restaurant, who informed him of the presence of sturgeon in the Gironde. Without further ado, in 1921, with the help of Monsieur Blanc, he launched France's first caviar production centre and built 9 workshops around the fishing villages*.
Inspired by Russian savoir-faire, in 1921 Prunier became the pioneer for French caviar, the first company in history to produce and deliver caviar in a short circuit.
* Saint-Seurin-d'Uzet, Port Maubert, Port des Callonges, Blaye, Marmisson, Port de la Plagne, Saint-André-de-Cubzac, Cambes and Rioms. He also set up a shipping unit in Saint-Seurin-d'Uzet, which today houses the Prunier Caviar Museum.
Image: Prunier's, The Story of great restaurant, 1957 - Simone Prunier.