France is touted as the haven for food and great wine, of course being the second-largest wine producer in the world. The perfect pairings of wine and food will surely provide an unparalleled experience for a gastronomic adventure that would delight one’s palate and senses.

Truly, the French Cuisine is undoubtedly the most admired food in the world because of the palpable reflection of culture, tradition, sophistication, notwithstanding the French love for food, captures the picture and palate perfect experience of everyone wants to have a heavenly experience.

Knowing the contribution of French Cuisine to Western cuisines, Goût de France / Good France returns all over the world and in the Philippines from October 14 to 22, 2021, 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 and eco-friendly practices in the culinary profession.

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, this year’s 6th Goût de France in the Philippines is organized by 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.

Celebrating French cuisine in the Philippines

This year, Goût de France features eight chefs in the Philippines who will be offering a specially-curated traditional French menu (following the order of starter, main course, cheeses, dessert, accompanied by French wines and spirits) in their respective restaurants from October 14 to 22, 2021 and herd are the 8 Illustrious chefs and their menu who join the global ‘Goût de France’ celebration in the Philippines:

Previously based in Baguio City, French chef Didier Derouet will also be offering a special menu on October 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

Cultural Thursdays puts the spotlight on French cuisine and classical music

This month’s online Cultural Thursday will feature a cooking class led by Chef Didier Derouet, followed by a French classical music repertoire 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, October 21, 7:00 PM: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH

My Favorite French Food Moment Contest

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 4-course dinner for 2 and a private screening of a French film at the Alliance française de Manille in Makati City.

The deadline for entries is on October 20, 2021, 12:00nn. For the full contest guidelines, visit the Facebook page of the Alliance française de Manille: https://www.facebook.com/alliancefrancaisedemanille

Behind the Cuisines webinar and 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 October 22, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM, followed by a live cooking segment “A Fusion of French and Filipino Flavors” hosted by Erwan Heussaff on October 23, 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM 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/

In the context of this global health crisis that has led to the implementation of confinement measures in the country, the Embassy of France continues its commitment to cultural diplomacy and adapts to this “new normal” by migrating its cultural programs to digital platforms.

Since 2018, “Cultural Thursdays” has been a highly anticipated monthly event that has featured performances from highly-acclaimed French and Filipino artists, including award-winning French guitarist Thibault Cauvin, French jazz recording artist Tricia Evy, French classical pianist and composer Maxime Zecchini, Filipina soprano Rachelle Gerodias and Korean baritone Park Byeong-In, and the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.

The new Cultural Thursdays will be launched online for the first time with “Après un rêve” (“After a Dream”) – a French classical music concert featuring cellist Kyongmin Nam and pianist Dingdong Fiel, who will perform renditions of works by French masters, including Gabriel Fauré, Claude Debussy, and Claude Bolling.

“Our embassy recognizes the importance of adapting to the current situation and continuing our cultural advocacy using online platforms,” said Marc Piton, the French Embassy’s new Counsellor for Cooperation and Cultural Affairs who arrived in Manila last September.

“In this time of confinement and uncertainty, we find comfort in culture. We hope that by relaunching Cultural Thursdays virtually, we would be able to reach new audiences and allow them to discover French music, appreciate Filipino talents, and enjoy a break from this difficult period, especially for those working tirelessly in the frontlines” he added.

This inaugural event will be aired for free on November 26, 8:00 PM through the Facebook page of the Embassy of France: www.facebook.com/FrenchEmbassyPH.

A French Dinner for a Cause

The Cultural Thursdays experience is best enjoyed with French cuisine. This concert is organized in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines and The Tasting Club, which will be offering a “Dinner For A Cause” for the benefit of the Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y), a French-Philippine NGO dedicated to the professional and social integration of young adults living in extreme poverty and exclusion in the Philippines.

The Tasting Club presents a traditional French pairing menu featuring Beef Burgundy, Roasted Potatoes and Carrots, Chocolate Mousse Verrine, paired with a fine red wine from Burgundy (AOC Santenay) delivered straight to your doorstep for PHP 1,200 (delivery fee not included), with 10% of proceeds to be donated to LP4Y. The Tasting Club will also be hosting a virtual degustation prior to the concert at 7:00 PM.

Order form and virtual degustation registration link: https://forms.gle/rRat2UrUnqPu9cB59

“Les Jeudis Culturels” (“Cultural Thursdays”) is organized by the Embassy of France to the Philippines and by the Alliance Française de Manille, in partnership with the French Chamber of Commerce and Industry in the Philippines, The Tasting Club, LP4Y, Manila Pianos, and Mr. Richard Sy-Facunda – the artistic director and resident recordist of the Manila Pianos Artist Series.

In as much as Les Jeudis Culturels (Cultural Thursdays) would have presented a live performance featuring a French artist to celebrate the centenary of the birth of the acclaimed French writer, poet and musician Boris Vian, this would not be possible due to the global pandemic.

Boris Vian was a multi-talented artist: writer, poet, singer, musician, theater director, jazz aficionado. The theater group of the Comédie Française pays tribute to his many talents in a Cabaret directed by Serge Bagdassarian, set in the 1950s highlighting the works of the “Prince of St. Germain des Près“, the unconditional lover of jazz.

For the time being, enjoy this beautiful musical performance by the Comédie Française in honor of this man of many talents and the show for free via the on France.tv or on Youtube.

Apart from this, there are also, the “Stay Home Edition” of MyFrenchFilmFestival.com is extended until May 25, 2020!

The Embassy of France Manila together with their partners are delighted to announce that a selection of 20 feature-length films from the past 10 editions of the festival will be added to this special edition.

These films would certainly provide solace, distraction, and entertainment during this period and in the weeks to come.

For more details, visit https://www.myfrenchfilmfestival.com/en/