The Changing Face of French Cuisine
Arguably more than any other culture, the French revere and are revered for their cuisine. But the culture around food in France is changing, and some think not for the better. A stagnating global economy is one of the reasons to blame, as the number of people who are willing and able to afford a nice dinner at a high-end French restaurant has decreased. A slow economy means less tourism, and food tourism accounts for up to 40% of French tourism, according to Daniel Fasquelle, a French lawmaker and vocal advocate for the protection of the culture of French cuisine.
But there’s another factor at work besides slow economic times in France, and it has to do with a significant shift in French work culture. While as recently as two decades ago lunch breaks were 90 minute affairs, today the average lunch break is only 22 minutes, leaving little time for leisurely eating. In 2011, expenditures on fast food surpassed those on traditional restaurant fare for the first time. However, these figures don’t just include traditional fast food like burger joints. French bakeries are finding a new niche with quick, good quality lunch meals, but some have to sacrifice one of the three producers in a traditional french bakery (bread, pastries, croissants) in order to pick up lunch.
As bakeries and other fast food gain a bigger market share, traditional high-end restaurants are feeling the pinch, and many are serving frozen and pre-prepared foods to save time and money. This in turn caused a significant disturbance in France when it was discovered that so-called high-end restaurants were using not-so-high-end ingredients. Lawmakers are attempting to implement stricter laws to protect the integrity of French food, for example, by requiring restaurants to state on the menu which items are made from scratch. French lobbying resulted in UNESCO putting French cuisine on its World Heritage List in 2010, declaring it as an “intangible cultural heritage of humanity.” While French food culture may continue to change, one thing’s for certain: the French will always care a lot about their cuisine.
Regions Restaurant is the on going creation of restauranteur Craig Rinkerman (Owner) & Chef/Owner Rob Rehmert. We focus on offering diners a variety of Small and Big plates from several different regions of cuisine. These Regions of focus include Maryland, Asian, Cajun, Italian, French, Southwest & Classic American comfort food. Each night, diners can choose from Small & Big plates from a variety of cuisines, along with seasonal specials. This allows diners to sample the menu “Tapas” style with small plates & appetizers. Enjoy a burger or salad off the lite fare menu, or choose a “Big Plate” entrée or special. Whatever plate or cuisine you choose, it is our goal to use the freshest, local ingredients to produce the highest quality product!
Regions also servces Brunch on Sunday’s from 10 till 3 p.m., featuring items such as Crab Eggs Benedict, Cinnamon French Toast crunch and our famous Scrapple Apple Sandwich. Burgers, sandwiches and salads are also offered to complete your mid day meal.
If you have any questions about Maryland Cuisine at Regions Restaurant, or if you are interested in booking Regions, please use the “Contact Us” form on RegionsRestaurant.com or call (410) 788-0075. You can also find Regions Restaurant on Facebook and Twitter.
Location: 803-805 Frederick Rd. Catonsville, MD. 21228
Source
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/french-idea-restaurant-changes-so-does-law http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-schler/food-laws-in-france_b_1208444.html