Scene from the Royal Agricultural Society's twelfth annual meeting and exhibition in 1850 showing a 'baron' (sirloin and rump of both sides)of beef being roasted by gas, and overseen by the famous chef, Alexis Soyer. Soyer, a celebrated Parisian chef, came to England in 1831, gaining popularity by working for a number of aristocrats before finding fame as chef of the Reform Club. Soyer is best-known for his philanthropic work and efficient domestic inventions, notably the introduction of the soup kitchen in poverty-stricken areas (particularly Ireland during the famine) and for providing nutrition for British and French soldiers during the Crimean War.