The gastronomic meal of the French : The gastronomic meal of the French is the title under which the history, originality and identity of French gastronomic meals were inscribed on the representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity on November 16, 2010 by theUNESCO. This is the first time that culinary traditions have been recorded in this list. In the same year, Mexican cuisine and the Mediterranean diet also joined the PCI list (Intangible Cultural Heritage), as well as gingerbread in northern Croatia.
Identity of the gastronomic meal of the French: The gastronomic meal of the French that UNESCO has included on its representative list includes at least four courses to celebrate the art of “eating well” and “drinking well”. An aperitif, a starter, a fish and / or meat dish accompanied by vegetables, cheese, dessert, digestive. The products must be of quality, the recipes carefully chosen in harmony with the wines and the dishes tasted with a specific gesture in terms of smell and taste must be presented on a decorated table.
History of the classification as intangible cultural heritage of humanity:
From 2006, the European Institute of Food History and Cultures (IEHCA) de Tours is at the initiative of the UNESCO project for the inclusion of the French gastronomic meal on the list of intangible cultural heritage.
During its first inauguration of the International Agricultural Show in 2008, the President of the French Republic, Nicolas Sarkozy, expressed the wish that France would submit a request for the classification of its gastronomy as the intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
The historian Julia Csergo is then made available to the Ministry of Higher Education and Research and will be scientific manager of the application file for the inscription of French culinary heritage on the representative list of intangible heritage by UNESCO (following thus the idea of the IEHCA).
The gastronomic meal of the French integrates, on November 16, 2010, thanks to an intergovernmental committee of UNESCO meeting in Nairobi in Kenya, the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. On November 19, 2010, a press conference in Tours officially announced this registration.
In February 2008, an association Law 1901 was created: the French Mission of Heritage and Food Cultures (MFPCA), domiciled at the Sorbonne and chaired by Jean-Robert Pitte, whose director is Pierre Sanner. Little is known about the actions of this association.
Criticisms of the animation of the inscription: Then, the way the French State defends this heritage is criticized, as well as the promotional use of this distinction, diverted from its raison d'être. UNESCO is threatening to remove the "gastronomic meal of the French" from the list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity.
Festivals and Cities of Gastronomy: Following this worldwide recognition, the State Secretariat for Trade, Crafts, SMEs, Tourism, Services, Liberal Professions and Consumer Affairs launches from 2011 the “Feast of Gastronomy” fixed each year on the fourth weekend of September.
As an extension of the inclusion of the gastronomic meal of the French as a world heritage, the French Government approved, on June 19, 2013, the creation of a Network of Cities of Gastronomy from 2016 for Dijon, then in 2017 Lyon and Tours, and finally, in 2019, Paris-Rungis.
See here the Calendar of gastronomic festivals by region.