A classical dish created at the beginning of the 19th century by a restaurateur called Mechenet. The popularity and success of this dish was owed to the Duke of Chartres who commended it in Paris. Today the most famous place in Paris to eat Pressed Duck is the restaurant La Tour d’ Argent. When the famous chef Frederic took the restaurant over he decided to number each pressed duck served. Over the years many famous people ate at the restaurant and many photos of statesmen and actors are displayed on the walls.

Pressed Duck is prepared in front of the customer. Thin slices of the breast (aiguillettes) are cut from the bird and placed on a dish with well-reduced red wine standing on a hotplate to keep warm. The rest of the duck, except the legs, which are served grilled, is pressed in a screw press. The press is something similar to a wine press. Made out of silver and fairly expensive contraption. All of this is done in front of the customer. The idea is to press all the “juices” out of the remainder of the duck, which is than thickened with butter and flavoured with Cognac and poured over the thin slices of duck.

I know it sounds very boring, but what make this dish special is the theatrics that goes with it, as with most dishes that are prepared or finished of at the customers table. Makes it more personal. Same can be said for Crepes Suzette and Steak Diane, both are done in front of the customer by the waiter. I only ate Pressed Duck once and that was done during my training at hotel school. Trust me the duck press is a contraption that reminds me of a instrument of torture the Catholic Church would have used during the Spanish Inquisition. I would not recommend this dish for people who like their meat well done, a lot of blood is pressed out of the carcass and added to the sauce that helps it to thicken.

Leon Daudet describes the following:

You ought to have seen Frederic with his monocle, his greying whiskers, his calm demeanour, carving his plump quack-quack, trussed and already flamed, throwing it into the pan, preparing the sauce, salting and peppering like Claude Monet’s paintings, with the seriousness of a judge and the precision of a mathematician, and opening up, with a sure hand, in advance, every perspective of taste.

Few famous customers:

No 328 - Edward VII - then the Prince of Whales in 1890.

No 33 642 - Theodore Roosevelt

No 253 652 - Charlie Chaplin

So on your next Paris trip you may spoil yourself with a meal at this famous restaurant and make history for your family.