For those who consider themselves proud “meatatarians,” don’t run for the hills just yet, but do read closely.
It is no secret that French cuisine is known for all things tender and bloody—from foie gras to beef tartare, les françaislove their meat.
Alain Ducasse, perhaps France’s greatest living chef and a man who has received more Michelin stars than any other chef in the world, however, is breaking away from traditional French cuisine.
“The planet has increasingly rare resources, so we have to consume more ethically, more fairly,” Ducasse told the AFP. His newly renovated restaurant at the Plaza Athénée hotel in Paris has reopened with a menu that has eliminated almost all meats in exchange for organic stalwarts, such as fish, seafood, bulgur wheat, and quinoa.
Ducasse’s new approach to cuisine has, what he calls, a certain “naturalité,” which promises to focus on “fish, cereal, and vegetables…presented in an exceptional way.”
French newspapers haven’t shied away from pointing out that Ducasse’s more meager ingredients won’t be going for meager prices. The chef might have some difficulty justifying the US $500 (AED/SAR 1,800) per head price tag, considering that most organic cuisine can be found at your local eatery for a paltry sum.
Bon appétit!
