When you hear the name Ritz, you invariably think of the most luxurious hotels in the world.
Did you know that a Swiss by the name of César Ritz was the creator of these hotels? César Ritz was born in 1850 in a very small village in the Swiss Alps. He was the youngest of 13 children brought up in a modest yet respected family. His father was the mayor of the village.
Young César started off as an apprentice in a hotel not far from his home. His boss was so unhappy with his work that he fired him. His parents paid a princely sum to a larger hotel that would accept him as an apprentice. Guess what? He failed again.
Monument of César Ritz in his place of birth in Switzerland. Source: Wikimedia.org
Much to his parents’ horror, young César boarded a train to Paris where he saw his future. He started as a waiter and very quickly rose in the hotel’s hierarchy. However, he left again for the South of France and the intention to get acquainted with all the important hotels at the famous Côte d’Azur, which was not touristic at all but just started to attract well-to-do guests that came to cure their health issues. César led a restless life and would accept engagements of some weeks, or even some days, in order to learn his trade. And he did.
After lots of travels and more engagements in Monte Carlo, to Lucerne in Switzerland and other destinations, he understood what wealthy people needed. Not only did they want the best accommodations, they also were bored to death and needed entertainment. People would speak about his events for days.
The Ritz
In 1898, César Ritz founded the first hotel that would make his name immortal. The Ritz in Paris was the first hotel worldwide to offer hot water and electricity in every room. César Ritz’s motto was very Swiss: Perfection, Precision, Elegance. He preferred to have a relatively small hotel with few rooms compared to international standards, but everything must be of unparalleled luxury.
In order to offer the most excellent food, Ritz teamed up with Auguste Escoffier who revolutionised the way a kitchen is organised and invented hundreds of recipes for the Ritz Hotels alone, the most famous one being The Coupe Melba.
Two fierce innovators built a legacy that is the standard for luxury to this day.
The Parallels to Stilettissimo
Like the Ritz, Stilettissimo is rooted in Swiss values. We share César Ritz’s commitment to precision and excellence and translate them into the world of handcrafted Italian shoes. At the Ritz hotels, gesture is centered around the guest. At Stilettissimo, every detail is created for our customers, whose desires and individuality are our command.
Top image: Ritz Paris. Source: Wikimedia.org