The French dish Lobster Thermidor has an interesting origin story. It was first introduced in 1891 at Chez Marie, a restaurant located near the famous Theatre de la Porte Saint-Martin in Paris. The dish was named in tribute to a play called Thermidor, which debuted at the theatre earlier that year. The play was set during the French Revolution and was based on the events of the Thermidorian Reaction, a significant moment when Robespierre was overthrown, marking the end of the Reign of Terror. The title Thermidor itself is derived from the Greek words therme meaning “heat” and doron meaning “gift”, symbolizing the month’s position between July and August, the hottest time of the year.
