French Cuisine-

How did it get to its international leadership status?

EXCELLENCE – INNOVATION – TRADITION

France, a Brief Overview

• A unique geography with suitable characteristics to allow diversity

• A complex and rich history with multiple influences

• Global leader in agricultural production

French, the Language of Cuisine

With history and France’s contribution and influence in the world, the French language has been used widely and commonly throughout the food and beverage industries as well as being found recurrently within the English vocabulary...

A la carte Bain-Marie Biscuit Bon appétit

Brunoise Canapé Consommé

Crème Brûlée Entrée Flambé Gratin

Jus Macaron Mayonnaise Petits fours Quiche

Sauté Table d’hôte Velouté

Pain au chocolat Café au lait Croissant

Various hallmarks that brought French Cuisine from the medieval ages where things were not so organized to sophistication and structure:

•Catherine de Médicis: (1519 - 1589)

•The first known modern restaurant (1765)

•Jean Anthelm Brillat-Savarin (1755-1876)

•Marie-Antoine Carême (1784-1833)

History of French Cuisine

• The French Revolution (1789) changed everything in France.

• It was the end of the monarchy

• All the institutions and industries were affected.

The French Revolution

Georges-Auguste Escoffier (1847-1935)• Considered to be the father of twentieth-century

cooking

• Escoffier rejected the “general confusion” of the old menus in which quantity seemed to be the main emphasis.

• Order and diversity and a careful selection of one or two items per course. His personal guidelines:

Harmony – Delicacy – Simplicity

• Compiled and codifed the techniques, language and ingredients involved in Cuisine

• 1903 : Published “Le Guide Culinaire” in 1903, which is largely viewed as the inspiration for the “Larousse Gastronomique”, published in 1938, and recognized globally as the culinary “Bible” of the 20th century.

• Introduced “the brigade system” – streamlined work system still used today around the world.

The Classic BrigadeExecutive chef

↑Sous chef is normally second in command and controls production and staff supervision.

↑The station chefs are in charge of specific areas of production:

•The saucier – sauces, stews, stocks, hot hors d’oeuvres, and sauté.•The poissonier– fish dishes•The rôtisseur – roasted and braised meats and their gravies and broiled meats.•The grillardin – broiled items, and maybe deep–fried meats and fish.•The garde manger – cold foods, including salads, dressings, pâté, cold hors d’oeuvres, and buffet items.•The pâtissier– pastries and desserts.•The tournant– relief cook.•The expediteur or aboteur – takes orders from waiters and passes them on to cooks.

The Classification of the Culinary Delivery Concepts• As the culinary techniques and the industry developed

in France, so were the service standards.

• The French also took a technical and systematized approach to service which is still in use today in most Food and Beverage operations.

• Towards the end of the 19th century most of today’s restaurant formats had already been conceptualized:

- Café- Salon de The - Patisserie - Boulangerie - Sandwicherie- Chocolaterie- Bar - Bistrot - Brasserie- Restaurant

Concepts related to French Cuisine - Art de Vivre

• Art de vivre – “Art of Living”

– Great emphasis on personal time

– Constant quest for less tension, less drama, pleasure is not a guilt.

– French like to think they are a highly cultured society, they sometimes call themselves “Intellos”, they enjoy debating and engaging stimulating arguments to bolster creativity.

– appreciation for beauty and elegance, people value the substance of an object or a situation (concept, origin, technique…)

• Concept of “Art”

• Holistic approach meaning that the appreciation of a situation will be a result of the sum of its parts.

• Art de Vivre is also related to another concept the Art de la Table.

Concepts related to French Cuisine - Terroir

• Originally a French term in wine used to denote the special characteristics that geography bestowed upon them.

• Group of agricultural sites in same region which share the same soil, weather conditions and farming techniques...

• Loosely translated as "a sense of place”

• Essence of French food local identities.

• Also encompasses the local culture and know how, which is transmitted generation after generation.

• Can reflect local lifestyle

Concepts related to French Cuisine - The Appellation System

• The concept of terroir is at the base of the French wine “Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée” (AOC) system that has been model for appellation and wine laws across the globe.

• AOC system is now controlled by the Institut National des Appellations d'Origine (INAO)

• The INAO has 4 comittees:• Wine, Spirits and other Alcoholic Beverages• Dairy products, Agriculture and Forestry• “Indications Géographiques Protégées” (protected

geopgraphical labels), Meats and Traditional specialties

• Bio products and Eco- Agriculture

• Development and the preservation of identities through comprehensive standards implementation and control techniques

• Concept of Traceability

• Becoming a global concept for other governments

France’s Culture for Excellence• Historical and cultural connection to cuisine as part of

their national identity.• Preservation of heritage through:- Strong local support at the national, regional and even

deeper at the community level- Associations:- Set standards- Stimulate innovation/competition- Local and national events

- International events like the SIAL, VinExpo

- Industry and public rankings eg Michelin guide

- Education-industry partnerships:- High emphasis on internships, - industry is willing to transmit knowledge

- High degree of specialization depending on the culinary field

French Cuisine Perception in the World• February 2009, Le Monde, international survey

involving the French Diplomatic services• 156 questionnaires • 110 responses were returned (70%). French cuisine was

considered • a “vital reference” (66%) • “passport to the future” (13%); • 7% felt that it was “old fashioned” • while 14% were without opinion.• The number of French restaurants is increasing in 30%

of the countries, stable in two thirds and decreasing in only 4%.

• Until then no other tool of analysis was available to France to allow them to measure the extent of their cuisine.

• Perhaps it was considered too easy to answer the question simply by making circuit of the Michelin stars accumulated by its internationally acclaimed Chefs such as Joël Robuchon, Paul Bocuse or Alain Ducasse.

Supporting France’s Cuisine globally • International gastronomic events and wine • Sopexa - 35 branches in 28 countries. • Ratio specifically French products 94%.

• “Aperitif a la Francaise”.• Events like St Valentine or Christmas are becoming

global

• Other Ambassadors• Wine – Beaujolais nouveau celebration worldwide• French Bread• French Patissiers – global brands

• Tourism• France is the number one tourism destination in the

world • over 70 million visitors each year• Stimulates the adoption of French food when these

tourists go home

French Cuisine and Innovation• Forefront of innovation and creativity.

• Rapid changes in the consumer’s eating habits

• Global food cultures need to reassess their strengths and develop new strategies.

• The new global consumer has access to more diversity and quality than ever before:

• Improvements in global transport,• More open market policies.• Advances in biology, agriculture are enabling foods and

ingredient• increased shelf life • Year round availability• Technological advances in refrigeration and wider

adoption of sous-vide (vacuum-packed)

• The future? Science and Technology meets National Identity, Tradition and the Arts

Merci !