Did you know ?
Marie-Antoine–alias Antonin– Carême (1784-1833) was a cook and gastronomic theorist under Napoleon I. First to be called ‘chef’, he was also known as the “king of chefs and the chef of kings”.
When you lay a table à la française , each guest is given three glasses: from left to right, the white wine glass, the red wine glass and the water glass.
According to a study by the ADEME (French Environmental and Energy Management Agency), 89% of consumers eat organic products at least occasionally.
At a gastronomic meal, place settings à la française should have the forks placed tines down, the spoons backs up and knives turned towards the plate.
To avoid a silverware faux pas, remember that a fork with a cutting edge–and not a teaspoon–is always used for dessert during a gastronomic meal.