Auguste Bernay

Little is known about Auguste Bernay’s early life, but we know he was born in France and moved to Washington, D.C., sometime before or in 1825. That year, he ran advertisements in a D.C. newspaper announcing the opening of his confectionary shop, which also sold liquor and offered room for boarders. The advertisement identified him as a “French Cook” who would prepare meals upon request.¹ 

It is unclear when or why Bernay began working at the White House, but we know he was working as a cook by at least September 1828. On September 29th Charles Francis Adams, the son of President John Quincy Adams, stated in his diary that Bernay prepared a meal for the Adams family. This diary entry also suggests that Bernay was a talented chef: “Bernay the Cook gave us a chef d’oeuvre of science and skill in the culinary art and for my life I could not avoid indulging though I knew I should be obliged to pay for it.”² In February 1829, President Adams listed the members of his household in his diary, including “Berney,” whom Adams identified as a cook. Adams mentioned no other cook or chef, so Bernay presumably was the head cook. He supervised two cook maids, Mary Baun and Fanny Thomas, as well as one kitchen maid, Charlotte Jener.³ 

After President Adams left the White House in March 1829, Bernay remained in D.C. and continued to run his confectionary shop. By 1833, however, he had fallen into financial trouble and was imprisoned for debt.⁴ He was released but had to pay his debts by selling his property, including the confectionary.⁵ Bernay passed away on October 11, 1833.⁶