the essential
He left the kitchens of the Elysée to become French ambassador to Emmanuel Macron. The “mister gastronomy” is the guest of the Lot of flavors festival in Cahors, from June 27 to 30.
What is your mission as France’s ambassador for gastronomy?
I was appointed more than three years ago as personal representative of the President of the Republic on all subjects of gastronomy, hunters, fishermen, food artisans, winegrowers, cheesemakers, distributors… I works on tourist and economic attractiveness. It is to promote our products and our appellations, to support those involved in the world of gastronomy. Let Quercy lamb, Rocamadour, walnuts, melons, Cahors wine shine by example… All these good local products which make up the Lot and which I have served many times at the Elysée.
Isn’t that a little too technocratic for your taste?
No, a technocrat was not needed for this position. We needed someone who could be heard and understood, who knew the people in this sector. It is for these reasons that I was chosen by Emmanuel Macron. My role is not to take the place of a minister or a prefect but to act as a link between the farmer and the higher echelons of the State, to create a link.
Were you mobilized during the agricultural crisis?
I stayed as close as possible to the farmers to understand and analyze how to best help them. I have always said that a cook knows what he owes the farmer. If gastronomy were a sports team, agriculture would be the captain. We have the best terroir in the world, over such a short distance, with so much diversity and know-how. We do not raise Quercy lamb like that of Mont Saint-Michel.
And don’t you miss cooking too much?
No, I did it for thirty years, 7 days a week. It’s a choice I made. But the few times I’m at home, I still enjoy doing something. I start from the principle that every French person should cook well. Food education is a real issue. I was just this morning with the youth delegate in Matignon. The idea is to make students better consumers. Furthermore, the environmental impact in our food is the primary source of pollution in the world. I campaign for food and gastronomy classes at school. It is not enough to say that we will have balanced meals in the canteen. Putting a tomato plant in all schools would already be a good start. Common sense.
So for Lot of flavors, you will not be in the kitchen but at the table…
Yes and above all I hope to enjoy myself! This is the time for me as an ambassador to meet cooks, pastry chefs, cheese makers, consumers but also elected officials. Those who can change things on the food and environmental lever. It’s always a special moment. Many issues are divisive at the moment but everyone agrees when it comes to coming together around the table. This is an opportunity to shed a little light.
