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Louis Sherry Archive

Call Number

MSS.266

Date

1891-1930, inclusive

Creator

Sherry, Louis

Extent

1.5 Linear Feet in 5 boxes.

Language of Materials

Materials are in English

Abstract

Louis Sherry was a noted "society caterer" in New York City during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. This collection is comprised of ledgers recording the menus for the dinners and events Sherry or Louis Sherry, Inc. catered between 1891 and 1930.

Biographical Note

Louis Sherry, a noted "society caterer" in New York City during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, was born in St. Albans, VT in 1855. From a young age he was interested in hotels and restaurants. His first job was as a waiter at the Brunswick Hotel. He brought such dedication to this position that the manager of Hotel Elberon, in Elberon, NJ, took note and invited Sherry to oversee the Elberon's dining room and kitchen during the summer season. Sherry excelled in that appointment, and with the wages he earned he opened his first restaurant in New York City at 36th Street and 8th Avenue. As his goal was to eventually compete with the city's most fashionable restaurants, including Delmonico's, Sherry committed to using only the best ingredients and techniques possible. Sherry embraced innovative approaches to cake and pastry decoration to attract clients, and maintained this growing client base by actively seeking out knowledge about the latest culinary innovations and trends.

As Sherry's business grew and he began serving numerous members of the elite and "ultra fashionable" New York City "four hundred," he was compelled to move his business uptown three times, finally settling at 44th Street and 5th Avenue. It was at this location that Sherry's status as a society caterer was confirmed when Mrs. Astor held a ball at his establishment. Countless social events, including dances, important dinners and debutante presentations, were held at Sherry's restaurant. Among his patrons were J.P. Morgan, James Hazen Hyde, James Roosevelt, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt and Mrs. William Vanderbilt.

Sherry eventually closed his restaurant and ballroom in 1919. Almost immediately Louis Sherry, Inc. was established to continue the catering business, which became a joint venture with the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Sherry passed away due to illness in 1926 at the age of 71.

Arrangement

This collection is comprised of five ledgers.They have been arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content

This collection is comprised of ledgers recording the menus for the dinners and events Sherry or Louis Sherry, Inc. catered between 1891 and 1930. Each entry includes the name and address of the patron, the date of the event and the menu served. The ledgers each contain an original, alphabetical index by patron's name.

Conditions Governing Access

Materials are open to researchers. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright (or related rights to publicity and privacy) for materials in this collection was not transferred to New York University. Permission to use materials must be secured from the copyright holder. Please contact the Fales Library and Special Collections, fales.library@nyu.edu, 212-998-2596.

Preferred Citation

Published citations should take the following form:

Identification of item, date (if known); Louis Sherry Archive; MSS 266; box number; folder number; Fales Library and Special Collections, New York University Libraries.

Provenance

The ledgers were purchsed by NYU's Fales Library & Special Collections from a book dealer in 2009.

Collection processed by

Ashley Todd, 2011.

About this Guide

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2023-08-20 17:08:17 -0400.
Language: Description is in English.

Repository

Fales Library and Special Collections
Fales Library and Special Collections
Elmer Holmes Bobst Library
70 Washington Square South
2nd Floor
New York, NY 10012