Celebrating French cuisine

Go?t de France/ Good France is a celebration of the vitality of French cuisine and brings together chefs from all over the world. It also promotes dialogue about different cultures by providing a common language: the language of food.

Before guests dug in, French Ambassador and host H?di Picquart, along with his wife Brigitte, welcomed guests. Quoting Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Picquart said: “Gastronomy is one of the pillars of French heritage. Today, our gastronomy is being exported.

It is present on all of the continents and contributes to our country’s exposure. It has its rightful place in influential diplomacy and the tourism development strategy being co-ordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.” This year’s event focused on training for the catering, hotel and tourism industries, bringing together schools and students, as 71 culinary schools from around the world participated by serving French-style dishes.

Picquart said: “From New York to Singapore and from Port-of-Spain to Sydney or Johannesburg, more than 2,000 restaurants and 150 French embassies on all five continents are participating tonight by providing dishes that celebrate all categories of restaurants –from gourmet dining to exceptional bistros.

“We have the pleasure, here in Trinidad and Tobago, to have the participation of two great chefs, Pierre-Yves Le Bihan and Moses Ruben, who, at their respective restaurants, Zazou Bistro Moderne and M?lange, are participating in this global event as they present their art and their culinary expertise.” Both restaurants served a wide variey of dishes and desserts.

Zazou Bistro Moderne’s included apertifs, marinated beef short ribs ravioli, wood mushrooms, arugula, black truffle and parmesan, reduction jus and fine herbs; marinated ahi tuna semi-crudo, lemon aioli, roasted duck breast marinated with honey and tonka bean, goat cheese mousse and green onion blinis, spiced pears & grapes pickled with mustard grains.

Across at Melange patrons’ options included petit verrines, smoked chicken with mango, coconut and cilantro salsa; stuffed fillet of salmon, bouillobaisse jus, asparagus mousset, cassava mousseline, crab acras, black caviar, lavender rack of lamb, sweet potato douphinoise, sauce paloise, foie gras espumo; warm brie, ginger citrus gastique, provencal flatbread; vanilla bean macarons, sorrel creme au beurre, olive oil and thyme ice cream, and shaved cocoa.