Louis de Béchameil, Marquis of Nointel

Son of Jean-Baptiste Béchameil,[1] Louis was a rich tax farmer and superintendent to the house of the Duke of Orléans; he was intendant of Brittany and of the généralité of Tours.

Following a reorganisation of the Brittany kingdom's Chamber of Accounts of 1669, a commission (1680) was set up and led by Béchameil de Nointel, as an intendant where he wrote a report to attest what he saw.

[3] Béchameil was an art lover who was directed by the King to found the academy at Angers, for which he delivered the opening address and served as director.

[4] He was a patron of Watteau, who painted a series of arabesque panels with figures for the hôtel de Nointel, Paris, doubtless, from the nature of the allegories, for a small dining chamber.

I was serving breast of chicken à la crème more than 20 years before he was born, but I have never had the chance of giving my name to even the most modest sauce.