Ninth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

My paper explores the cultural hegemony of French cuisine in visual media, particularly in the show Chef’s Table: France as well as in print media like French Women Don’t Get Fat and Julia Child’s classic Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I briefly trace the history of French cuisine as a codified, written body of knowledge from the 14th century through to today, connecting this written history with the professionalization of chefs. The latter is still heavily informed by French notions of sauces, cooking techniques, and flavor combinations. I go on to discuss Netflix’s documentary acquisitions, in particular, Chef’s Table: France, which I analyze for its representation of the world of haute cuisine. Finally, I evaluate how the show carries out its mission of demonstrating the evolution of French cuisine and the problematic representations of French culture and cooking in the show.