London – It has given the world haute cuisine and the Michelin Guide.
But it seems that culinary standards are slipping in the land of Le Cordon Bleu.
Almost three quarters of French chefs order dishes from a factory and reheat them in a microwave, according to a top Parisian restaurateur.
The claim by Xavier Denamur, who runs five bistros in Paris, has rocked the French culinary establishment.
He even went as far as to describe the world’s gastronomic capital as the culinary equivalent of a low-cost airline.
Mr Denamur revealed the trade secrets in his book ‘Et si on se mettait enfin à table’ (‘And If We Sat Down To Eat at Last’).
In it, he claims that seven out of ten dishes from French brasseries, bistros and cafes are in fact made in a factory and re-heated in the kitchen.
‘The microwave has become a chef’s best friend,’ he told The Times.
Mr Denamur explains that most chefs simply order cut-price frozen meals from large suppliers before selling them on.
Even Cassoulet – south-west France’s signature dish – comes pre-packaged to be sold by French restaurants who pride themselves on their traditional authenticity.
Unesco has deemed France’s ‘gastronomic meal’ a world treasure, and every year the country attracts more tourists than any other nation.
But last year, the country did not get a single entry in to the top ten of the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards.
Daily Mail