First organized by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and French chef Alain Ducasse in 2015 as a celebration of the best of French gastronomy and responsible cuisine, Goût de France/Good France returns all over the world and in the Philippines from Oct. 14 to 22, with the aim of helping the F&B sector bounce back from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as promoting healthy eating and sustainable practices in the culinary profession.
CELEBRATING FRENCH CUISINE
This year, Goût de France features eight chefs in the Philippines who will be serving specially-curated traditional French menus (following the order of starter, main course, cheeses, dessert, accompanied by French wines and spirits) in their respective restaurants from Oct. 14 to 22:
- Chef Marc Aubry, Brasserie Sagana (Taguig City)
- Chef Sau del Rosario, Cafe Fleur (Makati City)
- Chef Alain Raye, Dr. Wine Manila (Makati City)
- Chef Janus Florencio, Mirèio (Makati City)
- Chef Miko Calo, Metronome (Makati City)
- Chef Robert Lilja, Pardon My French (Makati City)
- Chef Patrice Freuslon, Society Lounge (Makati City)
Previously based in Baguio City, French chef Didier Derouet will also be offering a special menu on Oct. 21 as part of the virtual Les Jeudis culturels/Cultural Thursdays organized by the French Embassy and by the Alliance française de Manille.
Each menu, inspired by the ingredients and flavors of France’s Centre-Val de Loire region, was crafted to demonstrate the richness of French gastronomy, responsible cuisine, and may highlight local culinary traditions in the Philippines. Restaurants were also encouraged to offer menus with reduced levels of fat, sugar and salt, and with vegetables and grains.
The public is invited to experience French culinary tradition and expertise by dining in or ordering from any of the participating Gout de France/Good France restaurants throughout the duration of the campaign. To reserve a table or place an order, please directly contact the restaurants.
For more information on Goût de France and on the participating restaurants and their respective menus, visit https://bit.ly/GoutdeFrancePH2021
FRENCH CUISINE, CLASSICAL MUSIC
This month’s online Cultural Thursday will feature a cooking class led by Chef Didier Derouet, followed by a French classical music concert by pianist Giuseppe Andre Diestro and cellist Alejandro Consolacion II.
The virtual event will be streamed live on the Facebook page of the Embassy of France on Thursday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m.: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH
FAVORITE FRENCH FOOD MOMENT
As part of Goût de France, the Alliance française de Manille (AFM), in partnership with the Embassy of France and Le Cellier French Wine Selections, presents an online video contest for all adult French food lovers. To enter, participants are invited to post a creative 1-minute video on their Facebook profile to share their favorite French food and the most ideal moment or setting to enjoy it.
The grand prize will be a special, intimate French candlelit four-course dinner for two and a private screening of a French film at the Alliance française de Manille in Makati City.
The deadline for entries is on Oct. 20 at 12 noon. For the full contest guidelines, visit the Facebook page of the Alliance française de Manille: https://www.facebook.com/alliancefrancaisedemanille
CUISINES WEBINAR & LIVE COOKING
This month, the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines (CCIFP) presents “Behind the Cuisines,” a two-day virtual event that aims to explore the current situation of the F&B industry in the Philippines, as well as support French and Filipino food retailers and distributors, restaurateurs, and local farmers who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Behind the Cuisines” features a webinar on the theme “The Changing Phases of the Food and Beverage Industry: Defining the New Food Normal” (by registration) on Oct. 22 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., followed by a live cooking segment “A Fusion of French and Filipino Flavors” hosted by Erwan Heussaff on Oct. 23, from 2 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. live on the Facebook page of the CCIFP: https://www.facebook.com/frenchchamberphilippines
“Behind the Cuisines” is a free event. Register to the webinar and/or support local farmers through the CCIFP’s partner beneficiary, AGREA, via the following link: https://app.glueup.com/event/behind-the-cuisines-40061/
The 6th edition of Goût de France / Good France in the Philippines is organized by the Embassy of France to the Philippines, in partnership with the Alliance française de Manille and the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines.
