[antares]

I'm not a cook by any means, so that's why I'm asking this

I've heard that French Chefs are the best, and they invented fine cuisine

and they're snobby too, I've heard them call Italian food "peasant food" and laugh at Korea for having fermented cabbage (Kim Chee) as their national dish

there's this popular female Korean chef in Hawaii (I forget the name of her restaurant at this moment), but she went to France to study fine cooking, so I'm wondering if it's true about the French

so what's up with the French?

is it true that they're the best??

[ShadowMax76]

o0' not sure, but in the meanwhile of a proper answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zwNazFg_-Y

[j_boog]

never knew this... and i don't know what chef you're talking about either

[Tennyo]

Because French cuisine created all of the techniques for what is considered 'fine' dining. When you hear people who trained at school they will say that they were trained in classic, French techniques because that requires a great amount of skill. I watch a lot of Top Chef and stuff, so there is definitely a hierarchy if you are trained or not trained. They are the top of the food chain so to speak

They pride themselves on great technique, and not overpowering ingredients with too much but letting them sing with their natural flavors. They also know how to make anything with everything. They do not waste food, and use all parts of everything to create something! They appreciate food and do not overprocess things like we do in America. Like the book Why French Women are So Skinny or something it's because they take their time with food to appreciate it slowly.

Also, the French in general tend to be snobby anyway, not just chefs. There was a recent poll about the worst tourists and it was the French because they think they are better than everyone. This is not a generalization nor racist comment!

Personally, I've visited Paris and I do admit I had the best roasted chicken and the best tuna sandwich (made by a random street cart vendor no less) in my life there. But I like all cuisines so I don't discriminate

[antares]

Because French cuisine created all of the techniques for what is considered 'fine' dining. When you hear people who trained at school they will say that they were trained in classic, French techniques because that requires a great amount of skill. I watch a lot of Top Chef and stuff, so there is definitely a hierarchy if you are trained or not trained. They are the top of the food chain so to speak

They pride themselves on great technique, and not overpowering ingredients with too much but letting them sing with their natural flavors. They also know how to make anything with everything. They do not waste food, and use all parts of everything to create something! They appreciate food and do not overprocess things like we do in America. Like the book Why French Women are So Skinny or something it's because they take their time with food to appreciate it slowly.

Also, the French in general tend to be snobby anyway, not just chefs. There was a recent poll about the worst tourists and it was the French because they think they are better than everyone. This is not a generalization nor racist comment!

Personally, I've visited Paris and I do admit I had the best roasted chicken and the best tuna sandwich (made by a random street cart vendor no less) in my life there. But I like all cuisines so I don't discriminate

so it's true then....

even Disney perpetuates that,
I remember in the movie "Ratatouie", it's said that the best chefs in the world are in France, and the best chefs in France are in Paris

[ickboo]

HAHA! This reminds of that the episode of TOP CHEF MASTERS where French Chef Ludo was on.
He kept brushing off the other chefs trying to help him. He accused Rick Bayless for copying his idea of Mexican food (LOOOLLL). and then he topped it off by saying 'I will beat them with my quesadilla'. LOL.

[antares]

never knew this... and i don't know what chef you're talking about either

I remember seeing an article that was either in the Honolulu Advertiser or Star-Bulletin about her a couple of years ago, but I can't remember her name which would help with the restaurant name, because part of her name was in the restaruant name..I think

anyway the thing that puzzled me about the article, was that she was Korean and she was going to France to study fine dining. I was thinking "what the heck does France have to do with Korean food?"

but I have two friends in culinary school and they have said that you get way more credibility if you have studied cooking in France, so maybe that's why she went there

[courtneyy]

i'm not too sure, but i've seen bobby flay at his most arrogant... -___-''

i think maybe it's just a stereotype for them being snobby.
but they are supposed to be very good at culinary stuff.

[roguechinadoll]

Maybe French chefs are the best at making French cuisine but I'd still take an Asian meal over a French one anyday. There are gourmet chefs in ever type of cuisine who have their own special techniques which are specially suited to make the best tasting dishes for their type of food. Saying French chefs are the best chefs in the world would be like saying French painters are the best painters in the world. In cooking and painting there are grades, but there are varying styles that aren't comparable and taste ultimately is subjective.

[antares]

Maybe French chefs are the best at making French cuisine but I'd still take an Asian meal over a French one anyday. There are gourmet chefs in ever type of cuisine who have their own special techniques which are specially suited to make the best tasting dishes for their type of food. Saying French chefs are the best chefs in the world would be like saying French painters are the best painters in the world. In cooking and painting there are grades, but there are varying styles that aren't comparable and taste ultimately is subjective.

sure taste is subjective

but I have a couple of friends in culinary school and they said that you have a higher status among chefs if you go to France to study, and they are both Japanese, so it's not like they're French and saying that because they're French

they tried to explain it to me, but I didn't quite understand their culinary jargon

they said something about the French invented superior cooking techniques which can apply to all countries' cuisine or something like that

[Meenuh]

sure taste is subjective

but I have a couple of friends in culinary school and they said that you have a higher status among chefs if you go to France to study, and they are both Japanese, so it's not like they're French and saying that because they're French

they tried to explain it to me, but I didn't quite understand their culinary jargon

they said something about the French invented superior cooking techniques which can apply to all countries' cuisine or something like that

I dunno but if I want traditional korean food I sure as hell don't want it from someone that studied food in France. Eff that. Besides, i've always found that those hole in the wall type places taste a lot better/satisfying than expensive fine dining type places but that's just me.

I've heard a lot of people say that the french are arrogant but I guess that would be a bit of a stereotype.

[Regina Rae]

French chefs like to think they're the best.

They are not.

[infinity]

I heard that it was an italian who went to france to teach them how to cook, because they sucked.
I believe it's historically correct, but you can correct me if I'm wrong.
EDIT---
Oh, but don't get me wrong! I enjoy both Italian and French cuisine, along with various asian cuisines.
Even if the italians taught them how to cook, the french have evolved it to a level where they can call it their own. =)

[antares]

Because French cuisine created all of the techniques for what is considered 'fine' dining. When you hear people who trained at school they will say that they were trained in classic, French techniques because that requires a great amount of skill. I watch a lot of Top Chef and stuff, so there is definitely a hierarchy if you are trained or not trained. They are the top of the food chain so to speak

They pride themselves on great technique, and not overpowering ingredients with too much but letting them sing with their natural flavors. They also know how to make anything with everything. They do not waste food, and use all parts of everything to create something! They appreciate food and do not overprocess things like we do in America. Like the book Why French Women are So Skinny or something it's because they take their time with food to appreciate it slowly.

Also, the French in general tend to be snobby anyway, not just chefs. There was a recent poll about the worst tourists and it was the French because they think they are better than everyone. This is not a generalization nor racist comment!

Personally, I've visited Paris and I do admit I had the best roasted chicken and the best tuna sandwich (made by a random street cart vendor no less) in my life there. But I like all cuisines so I don't discriminate

I thought French cuisines is French fries!! LOL

But seriously, I wasn't even sure what French food is. I mean Italian is like lasagna, Mexican is like enchiladas, but I'm not sure what French is

[kiut_me]

I thought French cuisines is French fries!! LOL

But seriously, I wasn't even sure what French food is. I mean Italian is like lasagna, Mexican is like enchiladas, but I'm not sure what French is

cream puffs, macaroons, eclairs are some! hehe i love them xD

[YoMi~]

definately not!

if you have seen some of the stuff asian chefs produce, it'll blow you away, seriously cooking food now has become ridiculous O_O

[antares]

definately not!

if you have seen some of the stuff asian chefs produce, it'll blow you away, seriously cooking food now has become ridiculous O_O

one would think asian cuisine has nothing to do with the French or Western cooking in general, but my culinary friends said that French influence/techniques is big in Thai, Vietnamese cuisine and other asian countries

I said "what?! how can that be?"
and they said, "think about it, the French had huge influence around the world during colonization,
Before the Vietnam War, guess who was in Vietnam?? before getting kicked out?
It was the French."
They even told me that Japanese tempura is taken from the Portuguese

[Han's_Desire]

French food were good in both taste buds and the eyes. I say, it's one of the best but not the bestest, if you know what i mean.

[antares]

French food were good in both taste buds and the eyes. I say, it's one of the best but not the bestest, if you know what i mean.

never thought about the visual side of it, but yeah, I guess that counts too, ya know, the old green eggs and ham thingy

[MarineGreen]

They may be proficient in cooking, in war they suck and the french foreign legion is all they got.