César Ritz (1850-1918) was a Swiss hotelier renowned for his impeccable taste and standards of luxury. He managed the opening of the iconic Savoy Hotel in London in 1889, where he partnered with chef Auguste Escoffier. Ritz is credited with creating the modern luxury hotel experience, introducing novel concepts like hotel rooms with private bathrooms and allowing unaccompanied elite women to dine. The term "ritzy" is derived from his name.

Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) was a French chef who pioneered many innovations in haute cuisine and kitchen management. At the Savoy, he implemented the brigade de cuisine system, streamlining kitchen operations and elevating cooking to an art form. His seminal cookbook Le Guide Culinaire codified French cuisine and remains influential today. Escoffier created iconic dishes like Peach Melba and popularized serving smaller multi-course meals.

Richard D'Oyly Carte The impresario who founded the Savoy Hotel. He recruited Ritz and Escoffier to bring his vision of a world-class hotel to life.

Louis Echenard The maître d'hôtel who, along with Ritz and Escoffier, formed the core team that revolutionized the Savoy Hotel's service standards.