French Ambassador Sylvie Bermann hosted a reception at the French Residence on 6 March to introduce Goût de France/Good France 2017 in the presence of this year's participating chefs and the press.

After two successful editions, Goût de France/Good France, an initiative supported by Alain Ducasse and the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is back with 2,000 participating restaurants worldwide and 50 restaurants across the UK.

On 21 March 2017, dinners served simultaneously in participating restaurants will highlight the merits of French cuisine, its capacity for innovation, and its values: sharing, enjoyment and respect for high-quality, environmentally-responsible food.

Ambassador Sylvie Bermann will host a dinner at her residence on the same night. The dinner will be prepared by Buckingham Palace's Royal Chef Mark Flanagan, former MasterChef judge and French chef Amandine Chaignot and the French residence chef Gilles Quillot.

In addition to 21 March, the French embassy has worked hard to develop many other gastronomic activities.

On 2 February a partnership was launched between the French Embassy and the charity Chefs Adopt a School. French and British chefs will visit bilingual schools together, to raise awareness among school children about healthy eating.

On 7 March the Ambassador will visit Ecole Marie d'Orliac with chef Amandine Chaignot and Sara Howard of the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts. On the eve of International Women's Day, it will be an opportunity to show the children that being a chef isn't just for men.

On 9 March, the Ambassador will visit the University of West London for a “pre-Goût de France” dinner at the University's award-winning Pillars restaurant, with food prepared by students from London Geller College of Hospitality and Tourism – which will be an opportunity to highlight the importance of professional training and education.

The restaurants and chefs participating in this year's Goût de France are truly diverse with many British chefs taking part, and a wide range of restaurants from newly opened Bistros to some of the most renowned restaurants in the world.

This year's participants will also include four restaurants located in British prisons and run by The Clink Charity. Celebrated French chef Pascal Aussignac will be assisting them in preparing their menus for the big night.

Quotes by Ambassador Sylvie Bermann:
“Goût de France isn't only about French cuisine, but also about the mix of cultures and how British and French chefs can influence one another.”  

“Each chef in his and her own way, contributes to France's influence, or the influence of French culture in the UK, and I'd like to thank them for that. Some show the essential contribution European immigrants can make to this country. Could we survive a day in London without all the foreign chefs?”

Videos:
Everything you need to know about Goût de France 2017: https://youtu.be/TMK0xzK14rk
Greg Marchand from Frenchie Covent Garden talks about his Good France: https://youtu.be/c9Kuxr8Rsec
Chef Walter Ishizuka previews Good France 2017: https://youtu.be/uJZEdtRiROg

Photos:

Photos of Goût de France launch event on 6 March celebrating the 50+ chefs: https://flic.kr/s/aHskQmrusA

Links:

-Goût de France/Good France website in English: http://us.france.fr/en/goodfrance2017

-Goût de France/Good France press corner: http://us.france.fr/en/goodfrance2017/rubric/112741/press-corner-0

Participating restaurants in the UK:

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, Chef Jean-Philippe Blondet, London

Augustine Kitchen, Chef Franck Raymond, London

Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Chef Raymond Blanc, OBE, Oxfordshire

Bia bistrot, Chefs Roisin Llorente & Matthias Llorente, Edinburgh

Boulestin, Chef Elliot Spurdle, London

Brasserie Joel, Chef Walter Ishizuka, London

Brasserie Les Amis, Chef Peter McGrail, Edinburgh

Café boheme, Chef John Pattillo, Aberdeen

Cépages Wine Bistro, Chef Dan Cohen, London

Cigalon, Chef Julien Carlon, London

Club Gascon, Chef Pascal Aussignac, London

Comptoir Gascon, Chef Valentin Verdenet, London

Frenchie Covent Garden, Chef Greg Marchand, London

Gauthier Soho, Chef Alexis Gauthier, London

Kona, Chef David Tilly, London

La Bonne Auberge, Chef Gerry Sharkey, Glasgow

La Dame de Pic London - Four Seasons, Chefs Benjamin Brial, London

La Gourmandina, Chef Giulia Mastrorocco, London

L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Chef Jeremy Page, London

Lazenby's on York Place, Chef Simon Lazenby, Scarborough

Le Garrick, Chef Charles Lepelletier, London

Le petit Nantais, Chef Jean-Philippe Gravier, East Molesey

Le Roi Fou, Chef Henry Jerome, Edinburgh

L'Escargot, Chef James Tyrrell, London

Les Douceurs de la Tentation, Chef Dimitra Agapidis, London

Maison bleue, Chef Pascal Canevet, Bury St Edmunds

Mamie's, Chef Aymeric Peurois, London

Mosimann's, Chef Federico Pinelli, London

Number One, Chef Brian Grigor, Edinburgh

One-O-One Restaurant, Chef Pascal Proyart, London

Papillon, Chef Alexandros Porfyris, London

Patisserie Maxime, Chef Cyril Barthelme, Edinburgh

Petit Pois Bistro, Chef Chris Smith, London

Petite Terre, Chef Jean-Christphe Martinez, London

Pillars University of West London, Chefs Michael Coaker & Nathan Vasanthan, Ealing

Plateau, Chef Can Cropper, Brighton

Restaurant Martin Wishart, Chef Martin Wishart, Edinburgh

Rivea London, Chef Alexandre Nicolas, London

Sofitel St James Hotel London, Michael Buard, London

Taste, Chef Paul Clark, Cumbernauld

The Art School Restaurant, Chef Paul Askew, Liverpool

The Balcon London, Chef Michael Buard, London

The Clarendon Hotel, Chef Lionel Strub, Hebden

The Escoffier, Chef Stephen West, Bournemouth

The Greenhouse, Chef Arnaud Bignon, London

The Grill at The Dorchester, Chef Christophe Marleix, London

The Tokenhouse, Chef Paul Weller, London

Toulouse Lautrec, Chef Florent Regent, London

The Clink Restaurant, Paul Clarkson, Kerry Rickett, Sebastien Vanoni & Brendan Gough, London, Wilmslow, Cardiff & Surrey

Contacts:

Paul Salvaire I paul.salvaire@diplomatie.gouv.fr I +44 (0)20 7073 1018

Elizabeth Holbourne I elizabeth.holbourne@diplomatie.gouv.fr I +44 (0)20 7073 1028