Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin (1755-1826) held several notable positions including lawyer, teacher and politician. Yet, he's best known for his passion and promotion of the culinary arts. Born in France, Brillat-Savarin studied highbrow subjects like medicine and law but was captivated by cooking. In an effort to elevate gastronomy, he released his most famous work--Physiology of Taste. Published in 1825, it was the first book of its kind to explore the mental, physical and emotional connection of food.