“The dream of all felines is to one day dine at the famous restaurant for cats Le Chat Mechant in Toulouse, France.
Established in 1841
Le Chat Mechant
(The Wicked Cat) has always been both a haven for gourmets with its regional specialties and the place to be for the international Cat Set.”
Menu 1876, illustrated by Pierre Chatillon.
“At the barricades in the Toulouse riots 1843, the epic battle of Rue Poissoniere between the dogs and cats is a cornerstone in French cat culture. Le Chat Mechant was the cats stronghold which they defended with the motto
Mort aux Chiens ! Nine lives - Eight for France”
Liberty or Death, the turning point of the battle when Bisou a simple housecat lead the charge against Colonel Croutons Dog Brigade.
Colonel Crouton, leader of the dogs realises all is lost.
Bisou, Heroine of the revolution.
Petit Jacques, nom de guerre Le Waco Kid.
The price of freedom.
“At the turn of the 19th century Le Chat had become the bohemian center of Toulouse, artists, poets and writers crowded in to drink absinthe and create the future of feline culture.”
Le Chaton Vert, ruin of many a cat.
“Fifth generation owner and chef Henri Petit Jacques maintains the culinary tradition with the immortal dish of Souris Royale, four Perigord mice stuffed with foie gras, roasted and served on a bed of truffled potatoes.”
Tradition is an honour for the few - Customers can still bring their own mice for the signature dish.
“A dish his great grandfather Hercule Petit-Jacques created during the Franco Prussian war.”
Portrait of Hercule by Chatillon.
“Cats do love fish and Capitain Neptune only catches the best for the customers of Le Chat Mechant.”
Capitain Neptune, the God of Seafood.
A table for one, on Fridays book early.
Friday is Bouillabaisse Day, cooked to the recipe of the “Pretty Fishmonger.”
“At Le Chat Mechant the stars come out day and night.”
Home to many film and TV stars who love the lavish atmosphere and attention.
Just a dash of water, a big cat beats the heat with a pastis on the terrace.
Ginger, Team captain of Equipe Mechant Tour de France cycling team.
“The fame of Le Chat Mechant became so great that in 1908 the lions from the Paris Circus travelled to Toulouse for their annual dinner. ”
The commemorative dish created especially for the Lions of Paris visit.
The only known bowl remaining in existence, courtesy L’Empire des Chats Collection.
Eat or be eaten - A special African Animal menu was prepared for the gala dinner..
After the feast Christian decided not to return to Paris and became the assistant pastry chef .
Don’t let them intimidate you, the aplomb of Sommelier Emile and Luc the wine waiter.
“Good friends stay in touch, before the internet there were postcards and the habitues of Le Chat would always send news to their chums around the world.”
A very rare Le Chat Mechant postcard franked Toulouse 22.04.1974
A postcard to Fluffy c.1974 Fluffy was one of “le gang” until his owners moved back to Brooklyn. Fluffy went on to fame as the bouncer at Gingers Mouseteria in New York.
“During the Second World War, Le Chat Mechant became a nerve center of the Cat resistance. Special message bowls were created under the guise of souvenirs which were then unwittingly distributed by the enemy.”
The famous bowl which gave the agents news of the Allied landings in Normandy.
The unsuspecting enemy never knew these innocent souvenir bowls held the key to their downfall. The message bowls were identified by the false date of 1842.
Souris Royale - The historic codeword that ordered all cats to launch the attack.
Many military secrets were collected by the nonchalant waiters and passed back to headquarters.
“Nothing is more French
than a French cats love of pastis. ”
Memories are made of this - is your cat drinking to remember or forget?
May the best cat win - The Equipe Mechant Tour de France Waterbowl 1957.
Just a drop of water - A perfect way to pass the afternoon.
“All over France the arrival of the Beaujolais Nouveau is always celebrated and
Le Chat Mechant is no exception.”
Sponsored by the elite of the French vineyard cats, it is the autumn social event that nobody misses.
From the aristocracy to the fishmarket, in Toulouse everycat is a beaujolais expert.
“Beaujolais Nouveau is only a party without the perfect companion dish of Twice Fucked Rabbit, a pot au feu which requires two rabbits cooked and served in the traditional mounting position. ”
An elaborate signature dish originally created as a good luck feast in the middle ages.
The cooked rabbits are recomposed into a pleasant tableau of abundance and fertility bringing good luck for the winter.
