History

Château Story  |  Cornufé Story  |  Exclusive G4 Technology

In 1908, in the heart of Paris, Albert Dupuy ignited the flame of elite cuisine. It was there that Dupuy premiered the world’s first convection oven. At the time, most ovens were mere flat-topped cavities that held racks suspended over a fire. The majority of people simply considered cooking to be heating food to eat. But Dupuy pondered: “What does it really mean to cook?” He developed his oven with a vaulted ceiling to usher heat around the food, rather than trapping it to burn beneath. To enable optimum precision, the oven drew upon the city gas lines that were winding their way to homes and street lamps throughout the City of Light. Dupuy christened the oven La Cornue^® after the French term cornue — the system for refining the gas that warmed the new creation but also for its analogy with the distillation retorts used in perfumery.

While we export ranges to more than 250 retailers in 40 countries, it’s comforting to also note that La Cornue^®, at its core, remains a craft manufacturer, with a full compliment of only 70 employees.

Each range is made by hand and the labor is intensive. Each worker is a specialist, understanding the greater goal.

They are not just craftsmen, but companions to each range along its journey from inception to crated final product. They are experts in steel, copper and brass, inspired by great design, working as a team to create an inspired tradition.

True excellence can only be achieved when every step in the process is in pursuit of perfection.

For over 100 years, La Cornue^® has continued to build upon Albert’s initial convection innovation. They’ve expanded the design, introduced new styles, but still maintain that it’s all done for one reason, and one reason only: the pleasure of the customer. Our reputation is fortified each day by those who engineer, build, refine, test, and polish each La Cornue^®. As a result, the name La Cornue^® represents a renowned spirit.