Modern Period (1800-today)

In the 1800s, soup evolved as cooking became more diversified, and artistic cooks started to realize that soup would become more extravagant. The 1800s are considered as a period of discovery since different kinds of ingredients would be added to gain new flavors or remove unwanted flavors.

One of the most significant contributors to the evolution of soup is Chef Marie Antoine Careme, having been born in Paris on June 8, 1784; he is internationally known for his elaborate style of cooking, referred to as Grande cuisine. We can’t talk about French cuisine without mentioning Careme’s contribution. He is regarded as the key reason why the French way of cooking has penetrated nearly every country across the globe. In his books, Chef Marie Antoine Careme referred to himself as “the chef of kings and king of chefs.”

Another big contributor is Chef Auguste Escoffier, having been born in 1846, he was a French chef, restaurateur, and writer who began his career at the age of 13 years. His contribution to the industry is one of the greatest in the history of culinary arts, and he has helped raise the stature of cooking to a highly respected career path from him there is a lineage of finely trained chefs throughout the culinary history.

One of the latest contributors is Chef Paul Bocuse having been born in 1926 and passed on in 2018, he was a French chef based in Lyon. Chef Paul is known for his group of restaurants and his innovative approaches to Modern Cuisine. On February 25, 1975, Paul Bocuse created the Paul Bocuse Truffle Soup at the Elysee Palace, where he was receiving the Legion of Honor from President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, which has remained one of his signature dishes. Despite being named the chef of the century after his death, he was dubbed as the “Pope” of French cuisine due to his contribution to the food world in the 1970s during the Nouvelle Cuisine revolution; therefore, creating the idea of a celebrity chef.

Through technological advancement, in the 20th century, there were a few inventions such as Bouillon cubes, which were considered to be the first form of dried soup that did not require any refrigeration. Another invention of dried ramen noodle soup was made in 1958 by Japan’s Nissin foods. This type of soup would be made by combining two ingredients: a nest of dried noodles and dried soup stock, before covering with boiling water. Due to the invention of microwaveable bowls and microwaves, soup has become a convenient meal even in our workplaces, some of the most popular soups are Chicken noodle soup, Cream of Mushroom, and Campbell’s soup. Hot chicken soup is used to clear sinuses while Broth soup is taken to handle upset tummies.

Over the ages, soup has evolved into a more healthy choice of diet, especially in the current times when everyone is cautious about what diet they are consuming. Soups have become the choice of diet for individuals seeking to lose some weight, or even those suffering from certain illnesses such as a cold, this is because soup can be of nutritional benefit having vitamins, carbohydrates, proteins, minerals and fiber in its composition, also being an easy to prepare diet and being economically affordable to everyone. The demand for convenience is a major contributor to the growth of the soup industry; the future is bright with new innovations and discoveries being made every day.

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