French distinction conferred on food critic Rashmi Uday Singh [fr]
Ambassador of France, François Richier conferred French distinction "Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters" on food critic Rashmi Uday Singh, on the occasion of the Goût de France / Good France curtain-raiser dinner.
New Delhi, 18 March 2016
On behalf of the French government, and on the occasion of the curtain-raiser dinner to the “Goût de France / Good France” gastronomic event, H.E. Mr François Richier, Ambassador of France to India, today conferred the insignia of Chevalier des Arts et Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) on food critic Rashmi Uday Singh, at the Residence of France.
This honour came in recognition of her remarkable work as an author and discerning food critic, and her decisive contribution to the promotion of French gastronomy among the Indian public.
Rashmi Uday Singh: Six times a World Gourmand award winner, author of 37 books (including India’s first ever city restaurant guide), TV host, producer and director Rashmi Uday Singh’s French connection has been sealed in many exciting and different ways. Having majored in literature, studied law, earned a Masters in management, trained with the BBC and worked for 15 years in the Indian Revenue Service, Ms Singh continues to follow her creative muse in print and television.
She researched and authored the world’s trailblazing vegetarian guide to Paris, which won her an international award. She has shot extensively for her TV shows (for Headlines Today, ET Now) in France: from vineyards in Champagne and Côte du Rhône, the landmark George V hotel in Paris, to yachts in Monte Carlo. She took lessons while shooting in Le Cordon Bleu, and interviewed the greatest chefs, including one of the most celebrated French chefs, Paul Bocuse. In 2010, Singh was conferred the ‘Atout France Best Media Personality Award’.
The French government distinction Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters) is conferred on “persons who have distinguished themselves by their creativity in the field of art, culture and literature or for their contribution to the influence of arts in France and throughout the world.” Some noted Indian recipients of this honour in the past include Bharti Kher, Subodh Gupta, Shahrukh Khan, Pt Hariprasad Chaurasia, Aishwarya Rai, Raghu Rai, Ebrahim Alkazi, Habib Tanveer, and Upamanyu Chatterjee.
Goût de France / Good France is an initiative launched by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs – under the aegis of celebrated three-star Chef Alain Ducasse – which aims, over the space of one-of-a-kind dinner on 21st March, to salute the excellence of French cuisine and its openness to influences from all over the world.
For this second annual edition, the idea remains simple: more than 1,500 chefs across 5 continents will dish up, at the same time, a menu featuring gourmet French cuisine (aperitif and canapés, entrée, main course(s), cheese platter, dessert, and French wines and champagnes), making this a must-attend international culinary event.
Once again this year, the event will be celebrated with particular relish in India, where more than 50 restaurants have been selected across the country (48 last year), placing India among the top participating countries.
The complete list of restaurants participating in “Goût de France/Good France” in India is available on the official Good France website, along with greater details on each eatery, their contact details, and more importantly, the chefs and the French menu they are offering for this grand soirée.
This event, which is above all an event celebrating the shared enjoyment of good food and culinary discovery, offers a unique chance to savour, over the space of a dinner, the delectable taste of France in India.