A major gastro-diplomatic campaign to promote French cuisine is set to bring 3,300 restaurants in 152 countries around the world together, including for the first time countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, the Maldives and the Kingdom of Lesotho. For the fourth edition of Good France -- or Gout de France in French -- thousands of chefs in France and abroad will answer the call from one of the country's biggest chef titans Alain Ducasse to celebrate French gastronomy by throwing a dinner party at embassies around the world in its honor on March 21.
Overall, it's estimated that 300,000 diners will feast on foie gras, baguettes, French cheese and wine on the same day at an event that's being called the biggest French dinner in the world.
Since its first iteration in 2015, the number of participating restaurants has more than doubled from 1,300 restaurants to 3,300.
In India, 67 restaurants – including 17 from Delhi – will participate in Good France, placing it fifth in the world in terms of the number of participating restaurants. Participation from India has been increasing steadily (48 restaurants were registered in 2015), which reflects the Indian public’s growing interest in discovering new flavours, especially French gastronomy.
With close to 89 million tourists in 2017 – including more than six lakh Indians – France is the top global tourist destination. Of these, one-third declare that their travel to France was spurred by French cuisine and its wine, especially “the gastronomic meal of the French”, which has been inscribed in the UNESCO list of intangible heritage. Apart from these food and wine-loving tourists, foreign chefs and students, too, come to France to train in French culinary techniques.
This year, chefs have also been asked to pay tribute to the late Paul Bocuse by preparing a dish inspired by the "pope of gastronomy" and "Chef of the Century," the latter title bestowed by the Culinary Institute of America. Bocuse died in January at the age of 91. Participating restaurants include some of the trendiest and most prestigious dining destinations in the world, including Mr & Mrs Bund in Shanghai; Le Coucou in New York; and Arzak in San Sebastian, Spain.
In line with chef Ducasse's culinary ethos, restaurants have been asked to create healthier, sustainable French menus than the world is pehaps used to. Restaurants have also been asked to donate five percent of proceeds to a local health or environmental charity of their choice.
Top 10 countries by number of restaurants participating
1. Poland
2. Greece
3. Brazil
4. Russia
5. India
6. Spain
7. Vietnam
8. Italy
9. UK
10. Japan
(With AFP Relaxnews inputs)
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