In 1912 the visionary chef (and, more importantly, inventor of the Peach Melba) Auguste Escoffier strated the Les Dines d’Epicure , Epicurean Diners with the idea that one day an identical menu would be served all across the world. This year on the 21 March the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs is organising the Gout de France/ Good France festival where chefs on five continents will be making an exciting French menu, although all the chefs are showing their own menus and not an identical one.

More than fifty restaurants have been selected across India, hand picked by a committee headed by Chef Alain Ducasse. In Bangalore eight restaurants are participating in this event. The chefs are paying homage to French food and renowned French chefs, by creating a menu of their own interpretation. It might be impossible to choose from the many options.

This initiative is launched by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development with the help of the three Michelin star chef Alain Ducasse. It is not only a homage to French cuisine but also a testament to its influences and adaptability with world cuisines.

The chefs participating in the Bangalore Good France event are:

Chef Suvaranjan Banerjee, 24/7, The Lalit Ashok, Kumara Krupa High Grounds

Chef Raunak Kinger,B Cafe, Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru, Palace Road

Chef Alexandre Seince & Chef Cyril Nicolai, Cafe Noir, UB City, Vittal Mallya Road

Chef Antonio Tardi, Caprese, Shangri-La Hotel Bengaluru, Palace Road

Chef Amit Wadhawan, Le Jardin, The Oberoi, Mg Road

Chef Vittorio Greco, Ottimo, ITC Gardenia, Residency Road

Chef Kunal Kumar & Chef Sanjeev Kumar, The Square, Hotel Novotel Bengaluru Techpark, Marathahalli

Chef B Ramesh & Chef Sajin Kumar, Sunny’s Vittal Mallya Road

This is the second year that the event is being held. Each restaurant is preparing five course menu - aperitif and canapés, entrée, main course(s), cheese platter, dessert, and French wines and champagnes.

The Bangalore chefs are trying to use as many local ingredients as possible. Chef Kunal Kumar from Novotel is using Indian variety of mushrooms for his textures of mushrooms soup with mushroom tea. Chef Amit Wadhawan from The Oberoi is going bold with a braised Oxtail stew. Chef Suvaranjan Banerjee at the Lalit is going to be serving up a duck course and a Squid Ink Linguine. The chefs at Cafe Noir are doing a Fish Consume with a Hibiscus flavour and Veal Blanquette. Chef B Ramesh and Chef Sajin Kumar at Sunny’s have a Prosciutto wrapped fillet of beef. This is just a taste of what is to come.

Bon Appetit!

You can contact the restaurants and make a reservation. Diners can also win a trip to Paris through raffle contest here