French Revolution

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But democratizing French food is not necessarily about getting rid of tradition, says Rubin. “For plants to grow, they have to have roots.” Piège agrees: “France is a country rich in culinary tradition. But we aren’t living in that past anymore; we are living in the now. What has become tradition was once the now. It’s a typical French flaw, but I think that we’re getting better at recognizing it.”

Thirty minutes after my arrival, an announcement confirms our worst fears. “There will not be enough for everyone,” says the grill cook as I stand in line (with the rain still beating down), hoping to nibble on a little kebab. As soon as I reconcile myself to the awful truth – even the tiniest of hot dogs has been gobbled up – a charitable soul slips me the address of a clandestine Le Fooding event. Without hesitating, I jump into another taxi with the precious piece of paper clenched in my hand. It’s scribbled with code words: “I like beans.”

As the taxi pushes through the glistening streets of the City of Lights, I think about Le Fooding and all its contradictions. The events may be open to all, but as soon as the public’s desire burns bright, it’s doused with the news that there’s only enough for the first arrivals. It has the lofty mission of democratizing French food, and yet only a select group of Parisians knows about these secretive nighttime affairs. French chefs step down from their thrones to prepare the commonest of foods, and while these noble representatives deem their French cuisine passé, the great palatial hotel is chosen as a theme. Le Fooding reminds me of the Surrealist movement and its penchant for turning everything on its head, only with the sincerest of intentions. For example, in a conscious nose-thumbing of the Michelin stars, those attending the Fooding 2005 awards event could only access the luxurious Lutetia by the back door, where they had to sample the sauce in the kitchen before reaching the ornate ballroom where the maître d’ announced all the dishes with the help of a loudspeaker.

After having sworn my love for beans to the doorman, I find myself in a swarm of cool people, sampling sesame cognac and delicious croque monsieurs whipped up by the inspired Inaki Aizpitarte. When I run into Alexandre Cammas, I share my impressions: “Le Fooding will never become an international movement like Slow Food because only French cuisine is elitist enough to need reforming.” He considers this for a few seconds before responding that as far as he is concerned, Le Fooding is a state of being that exists everywhere: “If my grandmother lovingly makes chicken with sauce, it’s Le Fooding. And when Jean-François Piège reinvents the hot dog in an affectionate way, that’s also Le Fooding.” Satisfied with his answer, I reach for another croque monsieur, telling myself that while Le Fooding may be all about sentimentality, it captures something larger about the sentiment of our lives. 

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