The So French So good campaign, developed to promote French gastronomy in Dubai, kicked off on Tuesday with a meeting of industry professionals and a showcase of France’s finest imports.
Dominique Chevallier-Wixler, director of the Alliance Française Dubai, opened the night with a speech where she expressed her desire to bring French tradition, culture and understanding to families living in Dubai.
She also hoped to see the start up of French markets, where suppliers of produce like French apples and truffles can share space with Middle Eastern suppliers.
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“We started to work on this project after July 14, 2011, French National Day, in conjunction with the French general consulate and the Economic Commission, Chevallier-Wixler explained.
“Dubai is an open market and French companies have their place here, they just need to be a little bit more exposed. You have very famous brands with an incredible capacity to communicate, but you have someone like [this independent] oyster supplier who now supplies French oysters to 30-40% of the five-star hotels in Dubai.
“The gastronomy scene in Dubai has dramatically developed. You’ll find a lot of gourmet shops here, and not only French ones. You can find more and more access to gourmet food, and lots of restaurants are running workshops – they not only teach people how to cook, but will hopefully teach people about culture, sharing, and family values.
Chevallier-Wixler went on to explain that this was just the start of a host of events, linking French food to art and culture, that the Alliance Française will be putting on over the next few months.
The event, which was organised by the Alliance Française of Dubai and the French Trade Commission, Ubifrance, was held at the Sofitel Dubai Jumeirah Beach.
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