The word pantry comes to us from Old French paneterie, which means bread closet, and is derived from the word panetier, meaning pantry servant, coming from the root word pan, meaning bread.  Grand Panetier translates roughly as ”Great Breadmaster”, one of the Great Officers to the Crown of France, who served as the chief of the grande paneterie (pantry), or bread department.

The Grand Panetier was in charge of providing bread to the Royal Household, having such privilege as jurisdiction over the bread makers of Paris and collecting a tax on them until 1711. This position was made to be hereditary in the 16th century, starting in the noble family of Cosse de Brissac.