The Wall Street Journal reported on a study by GfK Custom Research Worldwide suggesting that French cuisine is past its prime…or at least, in a little bit of a decline. “Of everyone surveyed,,” the WSJ wrote, “19% gave a Gallic shrug to the cuisine that has produced frog's legs and force-fed geese; the French themselves agreed, with 22% saying their own cuisine doesn't live up to its reputation.”
However, it wasn’t just French cuisine taking the hit. Both Italian and Chinese food were rated by consumers worldwide as overrated.
But it is French cuisine that seems to be taking it on the chin the hardest, in part because the whole notion of French food is marinated in tradition and excellence – not to mention some really rich sauces. That, of course, may be part of the problem. Not only is French food not necessarily considered hip, it is increasingly difficult in a shrinking world to define what, exactly, French food is.
And making things even tougher on French food is the fact that there is a certain amount of Francophobia in other parts of the world.
However, it wasn’t just French cuisine taking the hit. Both Italian and Chinese food were rated by consumers worldwide as overrated.
But it is French cuisine that seems to be taking it on the chin the hardest, in part because the whole notion of French food is marinated in tradition and excellence – not to mention some really rich sauces. That, of course, may be part of the problem. Not only is French food not necessarily considered hip, it is increasingly difficult in a shrinking world to define what, exactly, French food is.
And making things even tougher on French food is the fact that there is a certain amount of Francophobia in other parts of the world.
- KC's View:
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Cycles occur. French food will someday be back in style, and will emerge with a roar, not a whimper.
We don’t really believe in these surveys, anyway. We’re going to be in Paris in a few weeks, attending (and speaking at) the annual CIES Food Safety Conference…and it will be our journalistic duty to report back to you on the foods and wines we consume.
Dirty job. But somebody has to do it.
