Bon vivant

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As a bon vivant ( fr. Bon vivant , Living Well ') refers to a person who is dedicated to the pleasures of life, especially good food. An alternative name is Genussmensch . An anecdote from the Franco-German War shows that there are divergent conceptions of the term . When the triumphant German Empire occupied France in 1871, some actors wanted to savor the victory in the spirit of a French-style bon vivant. Above all, Bismarck interpreted this as an occasion for gluttony and excess . The exuberant German Chancellor received, among other things, turkey pies, wild boar heads and Reinfeld ham. His beloved sauerkraut was cooked in champagne. In fact, for the French even then, a bon vivant was more likely to be someone who could keep things moderate in these matters, that is, who knew how to live well.

Bonvivant was used as a self-designation by chefs Fanny and Johnnie Cradock in the byline of their column in the Daily Telegraph .

Bon vivants and playboys are hedonists and, as a rule, bon vivants as well. For them, however, the focus is not on the good life or good food and drink, but on other pleasures.

See also

Web links

Wiktionary: Bonvivant  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. DER SPIEGEL 16/1968 - HISTORY / WAR 1870/71: Rat at noon

swell