He would come to favour a more moderate socialism and, like other members of the IWA in Switzerland, eventually rejected anarchism, though he remained active in radical politics.

[1] Although he wanted to train as a doctor, the local lawyer who raised him told him that, because of his humble origins, he had to choose between becoming a priest or learning a manual trade.

After peace came in 1871, Favre began a routine where he worked in hotels in the season, then spent the winters in Geneva, where he attended courses at the university.

[4] He mixed in anarchist and socialist circles and became a friend of Élisée Reclus, Arthur Arnould, Jules Guesde, and Gustave Courbet.

[7] Articles by Favre, Malon, Zanardelli, Natale Imperatori, and others appeared in the Almanacco del proletario pel 1876 ("1876 Workers' Almanac") in which they opposed anarchist insurrection.

[6] In the winter of 1875–76, Favre prepared a dinner for Mikhail Bakunin, Errico Malatesta, Reclus, Malon, and others, described in his dictionary of cooking, in which he created a recipe for a "Salvator" pudding.

The group was ill-assorted, with different political views, wine and beer drinkers and abstainers, vegetarians and gourmets, but all could agree that the pudding was exquisite.

[6] In February 1877, Favre played an active role in the second congress of the Northern Italian section of the International Workingmen's Association (Federazione Alta Italia dell'Associazione Internazionale dei Lavoratori, or "FAIAIL"), where he spoke several times in favor of participating in parliamentary elections.

[6] Favre, like other great chefs of this period, was a follower of Antonin Carême and accepted his culinary theories concerning haute cuisine.

[4] A story relates that in 1876, Favre was chef at the Hôtel Zaehringen in Fribourg, and prepared a light meal for the Bishop of Orléans, Félix Dupanloup, and the Empress Eugénie, who was travelling incognito.

[4] On September 15, 1877, Favre launched La Science culinaire in Geneva, the first time a professional chef had run a journal.

[4] The journal published contributions from chefs, and may have started the concept of applying science to cooking, although it would be many more years before theories of molecular gastronomy began to appear.

[11] In 1879, Favre founded the Union Universelle pour le Progrès de l'Art Culinaire, which grew to 80 sections around the world.

[13] Favre's colleagues are said to have been upset that he sponsored cooking classes for the public and free lectures, since they thought he was revealing professional secrets.

[14] Favre retired to Boulogne-sur-Seine and spent the last years of his life preparing his great dictionary of cooking, whose first articles had appeared in La Science culinaire.