Lavroff launches Goût de France

SERGE LAVROFF, Ambassador of the Republic of France launched the 2018 edition of Goût de France/Good France on Monday at his St Clair residence.

Goût de France is a dinner which celebrates gastronomy worldwide and pays tribute to a vibrant, open and innovative cuisine, while remaining true to its values of sharing, pleasure, respect for good food and for the planet.

Lavroff thanked the TT restaurants that will be taking part in the event next Wednesday night.

“Our passion is for French cooking and French gastronomy. And since setting up in 2015 it has grown year after year, bigger and bigger. It is now a worldwide success story.”

Inspired by Auguste Escoffier, who launched the Dîners d’Épicure (Epicurean Dinners) initiative (the same menu, the same day, in several world cities and aimed at as many diners as possible) in 1912, Goût de France/Good France reproduces that idea to involve restaurants all around the world.

Each chef is expected to produce a French-style menu in their restaurant with a traditional French aperitif, a cold starter, a hot starter, fish or shellfish, meat or poultry, a French cheese (or cheeseboard), a chocolate dessert, French wines and digestifs, while remaining free to highlight their own culinary traditions and cultures.

Lavroff said this year some 3,300 restaurants worldwide in 152 countries will be on board, with 1,100 of those restaurants in France alone. But the next top ten countries that will celebrating Goût de France next Wednesday are Poland, Greece, Brazil, Russia, India, Spain, Italy, Vietnam, UK and Japan.

This year’s event is dedicated to the memory of the greatest French chef Paul Bocuse, who passed away January 20, at age 92, Lavroff said.

Part proceeds from the event will be given to an environmental NGO given France’s strong support for the agreement on climate changes. Participating restaurants are ZaZou Kitchen, One Woodbrook Place; Mélange, Ariapita Avenue and Aioli, Ellerslie Plaza, Maraval.