Top restaurants offer a taste of France

This month, eight New Zealand restaurants will join over 1500 chefs from around the world to offer a taste of French cuisine using local produce.

The 21st of March marks Goût de France/Good France – a global celebration of French food which will see restaurants from around the world offer their take on a French menu.

Inspired by Auguste Escoffier, who launched the "Dîners d'Épicure" (Epicurean Dinners) initiative in 1912 (the same menu, on the same day, in several world cities, for as many guests as possible), Goût de France/Good France recreates this concept by involving restaurants from Dunedin, to Paris, New York, Barcelona and Tokyo.

Participating restaurants have devised gourmet menus for the occasion, each including an appetiser, starter, main course, selection of French cheeses and dessert. These will be complemented by French wines and champagnes.

Ambassador Florence Jeanblanc-Risler says she's excited to host the New Zealand stage of this event. 

"New Zealanders have long been fond enthusiasts of our French cuisine and in that way, we share the same passion for quality, excellence and refinement," she says. "With the wide selection of beautiful produce New Zealand has to offer, we are spoilt to be combining our tradition with Kiwi flavours."

The participating restaurants in New Zealand are:

•  Bracken, Dunedin (Chef – Ken O’Connell)
•  Hippopotamus Restaurant and Bar, Wellington (Chef – Laurent Loudéac)
•  Hopgood’s Restaurant, Nelson (Chef – Aaron Ballantyne)
•  Jano Bistro, Wellington (Chef – Pierre Alain Fenoux Perrot)
•  Kazuya Restaurant, Auckland (Chef – Kazuya Yamauchi)
•  Pacifica Restaurant, Napier (Chef – Jeremy Rameka)
•  The Grove, Auckland (Chef – Benjamin Bayly)
•  Whitebait, Wellington (Chef – Paul Hoather)

For more information on the restaurant's menus visit www.goodfrance.com. For booking information, contact participating restaurants.