Be Part Of The Biggest French Dinner In The World This March 21

Goût de France (or Good France) is upon us again for its 4th edition since one of France’s most celebrated chefs, Alain Ducasse, helped launch this grand one-day affair in 2015. An initiative of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, this annual event is spread globally, organized by the various French embassies as a tribute to the excellence of French cuisine and its ability to unite people around common values of sharing and enjoyment.

This March 21, 18 chefs from the Philippines will be serving special French-inspired dinner menus all around the Philippines in celebration of French cuisine. Goût de France is inspired by the “Epicurean Dinners” of one of France’s culinary legends, Auguste Escoffier: to serve the same menu, on the same day, in several cities, for as many guests as possible.

French Ambassador Nicolas Galey (center) with the participating chefs and restaurateurs of Goût de France

 

Officially opening the event last March 6 was the French Ambassador to the Philippines, Nicolas Galey, in Enderun Colleges inside McKinley Hill. In his speech, he addressed the popular misconception that French food is intimidating and only serves the upscale market. He said that that’s not the case at all.

 

H.E. Ambassador Nicolas Galey of France

 

“French cuisine is more than just wine and cheese. It is about the precision of techniques, the freshness of ingredients, and the value of sharing a meal. There is so much that Filipinos can discover about French culinary traditions, and this is what Goût de France aims to offer. We want to make French food more accessible to Filipinos,” said the Ambassador.

An international committee of chefs led by Alain Ducasse selected chefs from all over the world, including the Philippines, to cook a French dinner to be served in their respective establishments. The menus must follow a traditional French meal—an aperitif with finger food, a starter, one or two main courses, a cheese platter, and dessert—accompanied by French wines and spirits, of course!

During the launch, several of the participating chefs served samples of the dishes they will be offering in their restaurants on March 21.

 

Chef Jessie Sincioco of Chef Jessie Rockwell Club preparing Escargot Bourguignonne in individual tart shells

 

Escargot Bourguignonne, Chef Jessie Rockwell Club

 

Gougères or French cheese puffs from Chef Jessie Rockwell Club

 

French Sisig by Chef Justin Baradas of Restaurant 101

 

Scallop, green asparagus, beetroot, Brittany sauce, black caviar by Chef Jonathan Bouthiaux of Samira Restaurant

 

Chef Julien Cosse preparing his 36-hour braised beef cheeks with paprika, short jus, wild mushroom fricassee, and roasted old vegetables casserole

 

Foie gras with forest mushroom in filo, golden calvados apple, and port wine jus from Chef Martin Kaspar of L’Entrecôte

 

Chef Kevin Endaya of Lemuria with French Ambassador Nicolas Galey

 

Adlai risotto with wild mushrooms, topped with organic Pamora farm chicken braised in red wine with shimeji mushrooms from Lemuria

 

Fresh mango and Don Papa Rum cream mille-feuilles with sauce from Sagana Epicerie & Bistro

 

French-trained chef Miko Calo will be hosting a by-invitation-only Goût de France dinner at the Ambassador’s residence

 

On March 21, you can sample the special one-day-only menus created by the following participating chefs:

• Michel Herbert (Le Bistro d’Agathe, Makati City)
• Jessie Sincioco (Chef Jessie Rockwell Club, Makati City)
• Katrina Kuhn-Alcantara (CDP Global Table, Makati City)
• David Olyver Virrey (Eiffel Kubo, Bukidnon)
• Victor Magsaysay (Elbert’s Steak Room, Makati City)
• Martin Kaspar (L’Entrecôte, BGC)
• Joshua Mara (Gourmet Bar, Novotel Manila, Quezon City)
• Kevin Endaya (Lemuria, Quezon City)
• Robert Lilja (Maria Luisa’s Garden Room, Makati City)
• Clement Damotte (La Mère Poulard Manila, BGC)
• Dino Ferrari (Paris Delice, Makati City)
• Michael Aspiras (Le Petit Soufflé, Makati City)
• Justin Baradas (Restaurant 101, Enderun Colleges, BGC)
• Marc Aubry (Sagana Epicerie and Bistro, BGC)
• Jonathan Bouthiaux (Samira, Tagaytay City)
• Julien Cosse (Spiral, Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila, Pasay City)
• Pierre Cornelis (Vatel Restaurant Manila)
• Richard Amado (La Vie Parisienne, Cebu City)

 

 

To know more about Goût de France, visit www.phambafrance.org or the official Facebook page of the French Embassy: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyManila

 

Photos by Chris Clemente