Menus and photographs from 1960s and early 1970s

Starlit Room, Hotel Metropole, c1961

Hotel Metropole, Starlit Room, Brighton, luncheon menu, c1965

Louis Vincent was born in Paris in 1920. During the Second World War he was in Germany as a forced labourer and was subsequently sent to Italy prior to re-patriation but found employment as a cook for American Army officers.

He came to Britain in 1948 with his wife, Hugette Vincent, and worked as a chef in a large house in Eaton Place in London and subsequently for Lord Burghley.

He came to Brighton in 1961 and started work as the Director of the Starlit Room restuarant when it opened in that year and he remained there until 1980. Louis was in charge of the kitchen and restaurant and created some of the dishes.

This collection of menus and photographs from the Starlit Room was contributed to the Letter in the Attic project by Mrs Hugette Vincent, Louis Vincent’s wife.