Carême premiere ending explained: Why does Antonin Carême drug Josephine Bonaparte?

Carême is a French historical drama series that premiered on Apple TV+ on April 30, 2025. It follows the story of the French chef Antonin Carême, who came from a humble background and went on to become the world's first celebrity chef.

The show chronicles Antonin's journey to achieving this huge feat in the culinary world and sheds light on the power dynamics in France at the time. As such, Carême is a blend of drama and political intrigue.

Disclaimer: The following article contains spoilers for Carême episodes 1 and 2. Reader's discretion is advised.

Carême's opening episode sets the stakes high. The titular protagonist's father is arrested, and apparently, the only person who can help Antonin get his father out is Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord, Napoleon Bonaparte's chief diplomat.

Talleyrand has no plans to help Antonin without gaining anything from him. He tells Antonin to cook a feast for the British lords so that relations between France and Britain do not become strained. Antonin successfully avoids a diplomatic incident with his intelligence.

The next thing Talleyrand asks Antonin to do is find out the route Napoleon and his family will use to go to the opera. The route can only be found in Napoleon's itinerary. Antonin tries a different tactic since it is impossible to surpass the security and get to the First Consul's room.

Antonin seduces Josephine's lady-in-waiting, claiming he wants to cook and serve Josephine alone. Antonin drugs Josephine's food so that she falls asleep. Once she falls asleep, Antonin goes to Napoleon's room, takes out the map from his itinerary, and makes a copy of it. Later, he hands it over to one of Talleyrand's men.

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Why does Antonin agree to work as Talleyrand's cook in Carême?

Jérémie Renier as Talleyrand in Carême (Image via Apple TV+)

In Carême episode 1, The Infernal Machine, Antonin rejects Napoleon's offer to work at the Tuileries Palace. Shortly after that, his adoptive father, Sylvain Bailly, is arrested, and he tells Antonin to seek Talleyrand at Hôtel de Gallifet, as he might.be able to help him get out of prison.

Antonin wastes no time in meeting Talleyrand, who advises him to accept the job at the Tuileries and assures him that he will help him free Bailly. Antonin does as he is told and even helps Talleyrand avoid a diplomatic incident that could have soured the relationship between France and Britain.

Talleyrand praises Antonin for his smart move before tasking him with making a copy of the map Napoleon keeps in his room. Although Antonin is initially uncertain that he can do it, he draws a copy of the map.

Talleyrand uses the map to plan a bomb blast on the day Napoleon and his family go to the opera. Antonin also shows up at the market where the bomb was supposed to blast. He loses his cool when innocents die in the blast, and Napoleon's cavalry remains unscathed.

A furious Antonin visits Talleyrand at Hôtel de Gallifet but cannot meet him. He later catches the diplomat in his carriage and demands to know why he warned Napoleon about the blast. Talleyrand explains that he did what had to be done and blackmails Antonin to work for him as a cook. Antonin accepts the offer because he still needs help for his father's freedom.

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Why does Talleyrand fire Antonin in Carême?

Maud Wyler as Josephine in Carême (Image via Apple TV+)

Furious that Talleyrand used him to his advantage, Antonin decides to get back at him. He finds the perfect opportunity to do so when he discovers that Talleyrand and his mistress Catherine have a daughter named Charlotte out of wedlock. Antonin sends a letter to the Minister of Police, Fouché, about Talleyrand's illegitimate daughter.

Fouché visits Talleyrand's place and demands that he tell him what he knows about the blast unless he wants Napoleon to find out about Charlotte. Talleyrand refuses to give in to the blackmail. Then, Fouché reveals that he knew Talleyrand would not agree to help him, so he had already told Napoleon about Charlotte.

With no other choice left, Talleyrand and Catherine decide to marry despite the former's initial reluctance. However, the revelation about Charlotte meant that he had lost his credibility in advocating for divorce to stay in the Civil Code.

Talleyrand had been trying hard to stop Napoleon from removing divorce from the Civil Code because it would mean millions of people would stay in unhappy marriages. Now that he can not stop Napoleon anymore, thanks to Antonin, he decides to fire Antonin when he learns that he was the one who told Fouché about Charlotte.

Antonin offers to fix the mess by asking Talleyrand to throw an engagement party at which he would blackmail Josephine. The plan is carried out successfully, as Antonin uses Josephine's attraction to him to his advantage.

Antonin threatens Josephine that her daughter, Hortense, and her husband, Louis, who was also Napoleon's brother, will be in a compromising position unless she promises to convince Napoleon to keep divorce in the Civil Code. Josephine acquiesces, afraid that Napoleon will find out about her infidelity. Later, when Antonin tries to tell her he has no choice, she threatens to destroy him.

At the end of the episode Blackmail, Fouché realizes that the handwriting on the letter about Talleyrand and the one on the map showing Napoleon's route are the same. So, he threatens the little boy named Etienne to tell him the name of the person who gave him the letter.

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Carême is available to stream on Apple TV+.