Francesco Leonardi was anItalianchef and food author, born inRome, and active in the 18th century in several European countries.
He concluded his career as chef of EmpressCatherine II of Russia. Back in Rome, he wrote the cookbookL'Apicio moderno, ("ModernApicius") in six volumes, first edited in 1790. In the book's introduction Leonardi sketches the first historic survey of theItalian cuisine, from theRoman age through the golden age of theRenaissance until the 18th century. He also shows a profound knowledge of international cuisines, includingRussian,Polish,Turkish,German,English andFrench cuisines. At the end of the book, a glossary of French culinary terms evidences his awareness of the state of the Italian cuisine, at that time heavily dependent on French cuisine. Leonardi also portrays a vast list of the wines in the sixth volume.
The first Chef to regularly use tomatoes in his work, Leonardi claimed the invention of the classic tomato sauce for pasta.[1]
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