French Haute Cuisine: Dead or Alive?

[John Talbott]

It's also interesting to realise that what people look at, is fame through media. Who the heck is Cyril Ligniac? .......

I firmly believe that the people who have been surveyed know these guys simply because of the media coverage they get. Some chefs are obviously more media-friendly than others...

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I couldn't agree more; I think that without "Oui Chef," Cyril Lignac would be one more fairly common guy and we all know examples of persons elevated by the media to star status when their cooking is pathetic.

All the critics who've written books recently talk about the symbiotic need of chefs for critics and vv; without publicity one has no business, without chefs the other has no profession.

[Ptipois]

Well... not wanting to play the devil's advocate here but I know quite some people (family, friends, acquaintances) who have been indulging "haute cuisine". That would be a restaurant with 2 or 3 Michelin stars. It certainly does not mean they "know" haute cuisine well but would have experienced it. These people are not rich and have made a substantial effort to afford this food/restaurant.

I think France is a country where a worker will have potentially eaten at, say Troisgros, once in his lifetime. At least, there'd have been more chances for this French worker than his British, German or American counterpart...

But of course, I'm not discussing how this is evolving and what the future might be.

Cheers

Mike

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There are indeed some people in France who, while they wouldn't dream of affording two- or three-star restaurants on a monthly basis, will go to great lengths to be able to visit, say, Troisgros once in a lifetime or one or two-star places once in a year. This is part of the French respect for cuisine gastronomique. People who set their priorities this way do exist. But they are by no means a general case. Most of them see "haute cuisine" through a haze of legend, or through the image conveyed by the media and publishing. Many do not know what it tastes like (and I've known some of them not to like it once they taste it). Not everybody is impressed by it.

[winemike]

I couldn't agree more; I think that without "Oui Chef," Cyril Lignac would be one more fairly common guy and we all know examples of persons elevated by the media to star status when their cooking is pathetic.

All the critics who've written books recently talk about the symbiotic need of chefs for critics and vv; without publicity one has no business, without chefs the other has no profession.

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Yes indeed. The media are playing a considerable role in promoting certain chefs vs others. And the "media" dimension of some chefs, have -undoubtedly- helped them to reach "star" status. I don't want to start any argument here, so won't name any chef, but I believe that the star system has also enabled/helped some chefs to get 2/3 Michelin stars when the cooking was not quite up there. But of course, that's just my opinion...

Re. TV chefs, suffice to say that Maite (who does not remember her famous fish head chopping ) does have a background in marketing/communication. Not quite in cooking.

Then again, does it matter that much in a TV show?!...

Bam!

[winemike]

There are indeed some people in France who, while they wouldn't dream of affording two- or three-star restaurants on a monthly basis, will go to great lengths to be able to visit, say, Troisgros once in a lifetime or one or two-star places once in a year. This is part of the French respect for cuisine gastronomique. People who set their priorities this way do exist. But they are by no means a general case. Most of them see "haute cuisine" through a haze of legend, or through the image conveyed by the media and publishing. Many do not know what it tastes like (and I've known some of them not to like it once they taste it). Not everybody is impressed by it.

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I do completely agree with this.

And also, quite some people I know, who do visit such "haute cuisine" restaurants (read: 2/3 Michelin stars) don't actually care/understand the cooking. It's the glassware, the service, the setting that impresses them...

Nevertheless, there is more "interest" in haute cuisine in France in general than there is in other countries - in my experience. I've lived several years in North America where "haute cuisine" is to almost no-one's interest. People just don't care about it. In the UK, it's a trend/fashion but not something which will make the news... And in Germany (where I currently reside), no-one cares.

I agree that it does not make the French more aware of what "haute cuisine" actually is - when in the plate. But the interest has been there for longer and splurging in restaurants more of an admitted "splurge" than elsewhere. So, comparatively, I think there's more awareness or interest. But as you rightly point out, the vast majority of people don't care/know much about it. Holding a French passport is certainly not giving any advantage in understanding cooking either.

[Felice]

There are indeed some people in France who, while they wouldn't dream of affording two- or three-star restaurants on a monthly basis, will go to great lengths to be able to visit, say, Troisgros once in a lifetime or one or two-star places once in a year. This is part of the French respect for cuisine gastronomique.

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This has been my experience as well. I have several French friends of somewhat modest means who have been to starred restaurants. From what I have observed, great cuisine (though perhaps not haute cuisine) is very important to French people at all economic levels and is not something reserved for the rich. This was obvious to me one Christmas when I dined at my then boyfriend's family's house and the father was a police officer with a very modest salary. This did not prevent them from having several bottles of premier cru bordeaux, foie gras, oysters, and smoked salmon from one of the best stores in Paris for dinner.