On Monday, March 21, eleven dinners were held simultaneously in Ghana to celebrate French gastronomy, as a part of the Goût de France / Good France worldwide event.
A statement issued by the French Embassy in Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday said 10 restaurants in four cities in Ghana served a French dinner, while an exclusive dinner was also held at the Residence of France in Accra in the presence of President John Dramani Mahama and Lady Lordina.
It said among the distinguished guests at the dinner hosted by Ambassador of France to Ghana at the Residence on the evening of Monday, March 21, were President John Dramani Mahama and his spouse Lady Lordina, former President John Agyekum Kufuor, Ms Hanna Tetteh, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, Minister of Trade and Industry, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, Minister of Education, and Mrs Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts.
It said over 100 high-level guests coming from Ghanaian political, economic, academic and cultural worlds enjoyed the five-course menu prepared by the French Chef Nicolas Nguyen Van Hai, from the famous restaurant Chapeau Fin in Bordeaux who flew to Accra especially for this occasion.
The statement said wine from the same region and champagne were also served.
It noted that this event with an invited guest chef from Bordeaux, France falls in line with the follow up to the visits of the Bordeaux delegation to Accra in Last February to explore cooperation with Ghana, upon invitation from President Mahama during his previous bi-lateral visit to France last year.
It said in Ghana, the participating restaurants were based in Accra with Bistro 22, Chapter One (Villa Monticello), Le Tandem, Papillon (Kempinski), Sankofa (Movenpick) and The Orangery; in Takoradi with Euphoria (Protea Hotels) and The Pub; in Akosombo with The Royal Senchi Hotel; and in Kumasi with The View.
It said a numerous and curious gourmet public filled the restaurants’ tables to savor the exclusive French-inspired menus that had been created especially for this occasion.
“Each chef offered a menu “à la française” in his/her restaurant with a traditional French aperitif, a cold starter, a hot starter, fish or shellfish, meat or poultry, a French cheese (or cheeseboard), a dessert, French wines and digestifs.
“The chefs were also free to highlight their own culinary traditions and cultures and of course to use local products,” it stated.
It said this event gave an opportunity to Ghanaian Gourmets to enjoy French food and wine here in Ghana, where there is an increased interest in French cuisine.
The statement said their support and positive feedback is a proof that for next edition, there would be an even bigger participation.
It said this second edition of the Goût de France/Good France event was organized on the initiative of Chef Alain Ducasse and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Development.
It said in 150 countries around the world, restaurants and embassies offered 1500 dinners to celebrate the French Gastronomy, listed by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage and tempted the public to savour a French dinner.
“In each participating restaurant, the event paid tribute to a vibrant, open and innovative cuisine, while remaining true to its values of sharing, pleasure, and respect for good food and for the planet.
“Chefs from around the world took advantage of French gastronomy’s assets to express their talent and expertise, and, with 85 per cent of the chefs participating being foreigners, the menu displayed a rich diversity, promoting local specialties and openness to the outside world,” the statement said.
“Now, more than ever, gastronomy is a leading aspect of France and its culture,” it added.
The statement said it was an opportunity to share with Ghana the values that the French cuisine represents: conviviality, respect for our planet and its resources, and cultural openness.
Source: GNA