"The HBO show "The Gilded Age" is set during one of the country's most extravagant periods, when robber barons were making historic fortunes through industry, and the clash between old and new money was of paramount social concern. The era took place between the end of the Civil War in 1865 and the turn of the 20th century. The rich in America had never been richer, and they sought to subjugate their peers by putting that obscene wealth on full display."
"The etiquette is so elaborate that actor Christine Baranski said she felt like a horse doing dressage. French haute cuisine was all the rage, which is demonstrated by the Russells' choice to have a French chef, Monsieur Baudin (Douglas Sills). The fact that he turns out to be from Wichita and only pretended to be Parisian to get a leg up in the industry is further indication of how prized French cuisine was."
The Gilded Age setting spans from 1865 to the turn of the 20th century, a period of extreme wealth accumulation by industrial magnates and intense social competition between old and new money. New-money figures aimed to assert dominance through conspicuous displays of wealth and elaborate entertaining. Dining customs emphasized French haute cuisine and rigid etiquette, with households hiring French chefs to signal status. Some luxury foods like celery and ice cream became commonplace, while items such as turtle (terrapin) soup were once ubiquitous but later became rare or legally restricted. The show reproduces period-accurate dishes and dining details.
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