What French Cuisine really is - not fancy but faithful

French cuisine is often mistaken for something elaborate or intimidating. White tablecloths, complicated techniques, plates meant to impress more than to nourish.

In reality, it is none of these things. Yes, some chefs have been recreating our traditional recipes into “fusion cuisine” but this is not the Authentic French Cuisine. I am not saying than one is better than another here, I want to stress what is a real French family dish.

French cuisine is faithful, faithful to ingredients, to seasons, to people.

It is build on repetition, patience and care rather than novelty.

The same dishes are put on the tables because they have earned their place, they have been cooked, eaten, adjusted and loved over time.

They bring comfort, reliability and memory.

Creativity exists, but it doesn’t need to reinvent the plate every time to prove itself.

A its heart, French cooking is about knowing when to stop. Choosing a few good ingredients and allowing them to speak without excess.

Not adding more for the sake of doing more.

Trusting the balance instead of intensity.

This kind of cooking begins way before the pan reaches the stove. It starts with finding the right ingredient, saying no to something that is not in season.

Sometimes, accepting that quality requires effort, planning, driving 70 miles to get to the right ingredient, not using a shortcut…I usually say that French cuisine doesn’t allow shortcuts.

Well, some recipes have evolved and fewer steps can be made to reach the same result, but you won’t find a lot of them that do not require time to rest to bring more flavors to the dish.

Authenticity is rare nowadays, not because it is complicated but because it asks for consistency.

This is what I am doing during our Les Soirées Gourmandes evenings on a Friday’s and Saturdays from 5 to 8pm - this evenings allow me to recreate family recipes, comforting dishes I grew up with - prepared by my Grand-mother and after her, my mother.

I wish you could eat my mother’s food, her cooking is as good or better than what you can find in a restaurant.

Nothing is meant to impress. Everything is meant to feel right.

French cuisine was never meant to be exceptional dishes reserved only for special occasions.

It is everyday food. Food you can eat often. Food that comforts rather than surprises.

French cuisine, as we understand it, is not about showing skills. It is about showing care.