VERSAILLES, France (AP) – A symphony of popping Champagne corks echoed across the Versailles Palace, as chefs from around the world celebrated the delights of French gastronomy in the first worldwide “Good France” event.
From Beijing to Rio de Janeiro to French terroir itself – over a thousand chefs across 5 continents minced steak tartars, salted foie gras and flamed creme brulees simultaneously for the Thursday night event launched by the French Foreign Ministry and master chef Alain Ducasse.
Organizers estimated that 100,000 diners took part, making it one of the biggest food events in history.
“At this very moment, the whole world has the pleasure of savoring French gastronomy,” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius declared in a toast from a Versailles banquet table.
“Gastronomy is part of French identity, as is Versailles,” he added, referring to the palace that was besieged because of food in 1789, when Marie Antoinette was famously misquoted as saying “Let them eat cake” about hungry peasants.