A picnic in the sun, right on the esplanade of the new National library (la bibliothèque nationale de France), may sound nice enough but if I tell you that on top of that the food was provided by a bunch of famous chefs and that the entrance fee was only 5 euros you will probably understand why this unusual picnic - organized by Alexandre Cammas and Emmanuel Rubin, two restaurant critics and founders of Le fooding movement - attracted so many people. And all this for a good cause: all the money goes to Action contre la faim (action against hunger).
Ah, to be in Paris at dinner time.
ReplyDeleteAnd who won't pay 5 euros for fab food cooked by famous chefs, especially if the proceeds go to charity? Did you partake, Eric?
ReplyDeleteI did not Alexa, because the line was probably one hour long (OK? an hour is not a length unit, but you see what I mean!) So I took a couple of photos and... went to... Quick burgers LOL!
ReplyDeleteYes, I do, and I might not have waited either. But, Quick Burgers?? Vraiment, c'est pas Francais, ca! (or at least it shouldn't be)
ReplyDeleteSo, can you get a Quick Burger (with fries and a soda) for less than 5 Euros?
ReplyDeleteI was in Regent's Park today for the « Taste Festival ». A giant (really GIANT, with thousands participants) picnic with 40 famous chefs (o/w Le Gavroche, China Tang, Café anglais, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon)... It was slightly more than 5 euros though (Londres oblige!), and not sure about donations to charity...
ReplyDeleteVery nice photo by the way Eric.
http://brohardphotography.blogspot.com
Indeed, Eric, meant to say that the photo is fab. The chef almost looks like he's in one of the pots! You somehow always manage to find the perfect angle, composition, witty take on what you're shooting.
ReplyDeleteThe best I could do was dinner with the French American Chamber of Commerce here on Friday: at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. Pas mal, and I didn't have to wait in line!
ReplyDeleteWhat a worthy cause. The young chef does look like he is popping out of the pot...et voila! You mentioned burgers, Eric. One of my good friends, trained at the CIA (that is the Culinary Institute of America) makes these amazing meals but for his own choice of foods...it's always a burger. Go figure!
ReplyDeleteI don't suppose they had any leftovers.
ReplyDeleteInteresting that the guy has a black chef's toque and uniform. Perhaps that is a pot of squid ink pasta (my online translator has this as pâtes d'encre de calmar) that he is emerging from.
Nice photo. It imparts the flavor of chefs and cooking in a simple, microcosmic way.
Actually David I had a burger and a salad - and a diet coke - for 7 euros. Not that bad...
ReplyDeleteQuick Burger is not French Alexa, but close: it's belgium!
Loïc> Actually your picnic in Regent's park sounds much better than ours. ;~)
Eric, must admit that my fave place to eat here in Brooklyn is a French bar/restaurant called Bar Tabac, and they make the world's best burgers! And their frites rival the ones I've had in Belgium. Hey, maybe your meal was just as good as what they were serving at the bibliotheque?
ReplyDeleteYou all sound great today talking about food. I thought the same thing about the chef in the pot. hahahaha I just came back from a Vietnamese restaurant where I had frogs legs. Old time French food -- I don't see it on many menus anymore. However, in Vietnam there are a lot of fancy French restaurants. No, I'm not in Vietnam -- I'm in San Francisco, we are across the pond. BTW, I would have waited in line for this event. I really don't each much -- maybe once a day. However, I know there are many people who go without a meal a day. I am so lucky.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a witty composition - the chef looks like a genie just as he escapes from his pot prison!
ReplyDeleteNow I'd like to know, Eric, what were your three wishes?
Eric, Coincidence -- I had hamburger (no bread) and mashed potatoe (puree de pommes de terre) yesterday -- my one meal of the day (and I did not finish it). I made Biftech Hache a la Lyonnaise (ground beef with onions and herbs -- Thyme) ground from Omaha steak. Julia Child said that "Shock is the reaction of some Americans we have encountered who learn that the real French people living in France eat hamburgers." Later on I did have a few slices of cheese :-)
ReplyDeleteI really love this photo! And I also love the comment about the genie emerging from the pot. Very clever angle.
ReplyDeleteWe have a similar event here, where celebrity chefs prepare a luncheon that is several courses of their signature dishes and the funds raised benefit the Weekend Meals on Wheels program...essentially bringing meals to senior citizens and other shut-ins seven days a week instead of the usual five. It is a little more than 5 Euro though, even considering the exchange ; )
I really love this photo! And I also love the comment about the genie emerging from the pot. Very clever angle.
ReplyDeleteWe have a similar event here, where celebrity chefs prepare a luncheon that is several courses of their signature dishes and the funds raised benefit the Weekend Meals on Wheels program...essentially bringing meals to senior citizens and other shut-ins seven days a week instead of the usual five. It is a little more than 5 Euro though, even considering the exchange ; )
Excellente composition!! We had this here too and the line was crazy. But I wonder if the proceeds were going to such a good cause. Hmmm...
ReplyDeleteCan't you just hear, "Qu'est-ce que vous desirez?" Awesome angle, Eric!! You always find the best one, it seems.
ReplyDeleteI just had a food discussion with a friend tonight about all the wonderful things that were at a wedding yesterday. It amde me hungry to listen and this makes me hungry to read! I'm a "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" kind of girl and it usually consists of a cafe au lait and a croissant now that I've been visiting the PDP for a while!
Such an influence you are, Eric! Happy breakfast everyone!
What a fun place to have a cook-out. I'm very curious to know what was inside of these pots...
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of me (sans chef hat noir) this early morning while I used a similar looking pot to make pasta primavera for my book club - yum...
Eric, do they have Diet Coke now in Paris???? It's always been Coca-Cola Light (which tastes like Diet Pepsi (yuk)) when I've been there.
Wonderful photo! Looks like the chef was the meal.
ReplyDeleteA 5-Euro picnic with food by famous French chefs -- reason #7,853,928b why I wish I were in Paris right now.
ReplyDeleteFun photo, Eric!
Lois...[thumbs up]I love Omaha steak, and the frog legs aren't bad either. Yeah, they do kind of, sort of, taste like, like...ah...CHICKEN wings! They're just harder to catch as they are prone to jump if not cooked properly.
ReplyDeleteThat is one great shot. Chef in a pot! As I've mentioned before, I found French cooking to be a little too rich for me. You French are so daring in your tastes. But he does look tempting...
ReplyDeleteAction against hunger - what a great initiative for a good cause.
ReplyDeleteYour photo is great in all it's simplicity, Eric.
At first I thought it was a Russian Cossack playing the drums - but I got wiser.
I would have stayed in that line to get the good food. Burgers - Eric, honestly.... :( LOL.
Great photo! And for such a worthy cause. Wish I could have been there for dinner...
ReplyDeleteThere is an annual event in Boise called "A Chef's Affaire", which features a gourmet dinner and cooking demonstrations by area chefs. It costs far more than the U.S. equivalent of 5 euros, but then it's a fundraiser for the local food bank.
Bettina, in my haste, I read 'action against burger' instead of what you wrote (three first words of your post!!). With the end part of your comment, I think it could have worked too!! ;)
ReplyDeleteWhat's cooking today, Chef? I am... Very clever composition, that.
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a great site, Eric! You can actually take a virtual tour of the library
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bnf.fr/visitefmitterrand/index.htm
right here. When the virtual tour is over, you have more multi-media choices. Enjoy. It's in French, by the way.
any way the shoot make me laughing thanks
ReplyDeleteI was shocked... nice pic.
ReplyDeleteAh. It would be nice to be there to enjoy and 'queue' and the food.
ReplyDeleteThe people queuing up must be getting hungrier by the minute when they smell the food.
The photo makes you wonder.. You all cook humans? LOL...
Coltrane, I'm still laughing -- "to jump". Yes, I think they taste like chicken wings too. However, they usually saute them in garlic, lime and/or lemon -- so that gives them a distinctive flavor.
ReplyDeletePetrea, "But he does look tempting" OMG!!! You never cease to surprise me.
the picture elements and moment are fascinating. reading the text, hmmm and the foods ... sound yummy ... should go there someday.
ReplyDeletegreetings from the city of Bandung, Indonesia.
By the way, quick word - I'm in a training all day today - a little bird told me it's Guille's birthday today. She must me in Switzerland today though...
ReplyDeleteThe cook (or waiter more probably) seems to be a "pope" (Heu... in French I would have said "Orthodox priest"), the black, the tall hat, very sober, simple.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that the money is given to Action contre la Faim makes the event even better.
Tsss you should have waited Eric! But you prefered a FAST food restaurant, so one hour to wait was probably too long for you. ;)
Thanks Eric for the wishes. I'm back from Switzerland for one hour now. I wanted to visit PDP as usual, didn't want to be the queen of the day (it's okay, don't worry), but tu as vendu la mèche! :)Have a good day all!
Hehe it was me. Of course.
ReplyDeleteI didn't visit PDP during 3 days, see the result...I forgot to sign in...
I didn't visit for a couple of days either, Guille! People will think we jetted off somewhere for a girly weekend shopping, chatting, reading and drinking coffees! Happy Birthday, dear Guille. xxx i hope you enjoy the evening. Doing anything special?
ReplyDeleteRight now Lynn, nothing special!
ReplyDeleteLater, yeah. I will have dinner with a friend and then have drink(s) in a bar where I'll meet other friends. My big bday party is planned for Saturday night.
Shhhh don't speak about our girly weekend Lynn, we had fun but I don't want the other girls to be jealous, you know.
Happy birthday, Guille and also.... Joyeux anniversaire!!!!
ReplyDeleteHave a very nice day with many great surprises (I guess you'll have many!!!!).
Quel bel âge en plus...;) WOOOW!!!! Champagne!
Bises.
Guille...to another June birthday, I salute you! Have a merry time, but not too merry (if you know what I mean)! :-)
ReplyDeleteBonne anniversaire, Guille! I hope your trip was lovely. You have much fun to look forward to--tonight, a party Saturday, and life in Paris! Woo!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first time I've seen a chef in black!
ReplyDeleteColtrane, happy birthday to you too! (I read the previous comments)
ReplyDeleteMerry, too merry...since the "happy hours" are still current, I can't swear. ;)
Petrea, I almost forgot the life in Paris LOOOOL. Thank you, and yes I had a lovely weekend. :)
Hilda is right, a chef in black? That's why to me he is more a clergyman!
its true that a human must be sacrifised in order to feed society. a casharole is enough foe your nice theme :-)
ReplyDeleteGuille & Coltrane HAPPY BIRTHDAY to both of you ;) I hope you'll have a lovely day !
ReplyDeleteLOL Corinne. I'm with you on action against burgers and all kind of junk foods.
Eric,
ReplyDeleteFirst, compliments on this brilliant photo. It's got the appeal of a minimalist painting. I love the elements and your composition.
This event is similar to A Bite of Seattle, very popular event which showcases the varieties of restaurants here.
Second, where did that burger habit come from? Hopefully they are more healthful than the American style fast food fare. ;^)
-Kim
Seattle Daily Photo
Eric - I love this shot - it also looked at first like a priest to me, very meditative. Its completely engaging and almost geometric. Really great composition and feeling.
ReplyDeleteColtrane and Guille, happy birthday to you both.
That photo is funny. I had plans to go to Le fooding but thought Mr. Phx the vegetarian wouldn't like it. So mad now we didn't go, as I also wanted to check out the BNF, and le parc Bercy, and to think I might have spotted YOU, Eric!
ReplyDeleteI cooked, for the first time here in almost 3weeks, and afterwords said, "did it taste delicious because of the fresh products from the market,the fact that we are in Paris or that I cooked well?" Mr. PHX said all three. That answer was good for our marriage.
PS A most happy birthday GUILLE!!!!
ReplyDeleteHe looks like he belongs in yesterday's photo with the V.M.
ReplyDeletePetrea I loved your comment!
Happy Birthday to Guille.
He looks like he belongs in yesterday's photo with the V.M.
ReplyDeletePetrea I loved your comment!
Happy Birthday to Guille.
Oops!! Sorry!!! That's what I get for being impatient and commenting while at work.
ReplyDeletePhx : 'That answer was good for our marriage' LOOOL!! But there is no doubt Mr Phx is in love for many better reasons! ;)
ReplyDeleteBettina, yeah!!!!
And Coltrane, happy birthday to you as I forgot to tell it before ;)
PHX - three weeks in Paris must be good for the marriage, too! Ooh la la!
ReplyDeleteGuille and Coltrane -- Bonne anniversaire to both of you! Hope you'll celebrate big-time.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is a photo of Father Foodie, from the church of the Heavenly Hamburger.
Happy Birthday Guille!
ReplyDeleteDon't you just love birthdays! Thanks again to all the well wishers! You are the "A" Team! I'm sure Guille will have a fun week now that exams are behind her. TIME TO PARTY!
ReplyDeletehe he ok then Guille... i won't tell...especially the part around the fountain huh?,....what a giggle THAT was!
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday, Guille! Eric should have photographed you a cake or something! ;)
ReplyDeleteMMMmmmmmm!! Looks life Chef Bisque for dinner! hahaha I love how you framed this guy in the pot Eric! :)
ReplyDeleteso funny picture it looks like the guy is inside cooking pot anyway woow now i want to do a picnic with my family
ReplyDelete