By Pomélo
At a time when global cuisines, especially from Asia, the Middle East, and Scandinavia, are more talked about than ever, has French gastronomy lost its footing abroad? Quite the opposite: French food has been enjoying a renewed appeal beyond its borders in recent years.
If forks in London could speak, some of them would surely speak French. The British capital has long had a close relationship with the flavors of France. It was Frenchmen Albert and Michel Roux who earned the UK its first three Michelin stars in 1982 ("Who, before the Roux brothers, knew that chefs had names?" wrote the Evening Standard in 2020). Going even further back, the great Auguste Escoffier (1846–1935), credited with inventing the brigade system in professional kitchens and codifying French cuisine through his books, worked in London for thirty years. He even had a theory about this, which he published in Le Carnet d’Epicure, his culinary journal: "Today, as in the past, the undisputed master of French cuisine resides abroad; and it will always be so, for it is essential to uphold the supremacy of our national art beyond our borders. This is a peaceful battle that requires the constant presence of the chef at the head of his valiant legions."
It’s no coincidence that five of the six Michelin-starred restaurants in London are run by French chefs or by British chefs trained in France or showcasing French savoir-faire on their menus.
But it’s not just fine dining making waves—it’s mostly bistros, wine bars, rotisseries, and brasseries that are setting the tone these days. A quick look at Hot Dinners, the go-to website for new London restaurant openings, shows the same trend: in recent months, new venues have popped up with names like Marjorie’s, Josephine, Boulebar, Mignonette, and Marceline. Marjorie’s co-founder, Michael Searle, told the same outlet that the place was "completely influenced by wine bars in Paris’s outer arrondissements, where young chefs and restaurateurs work hard to bring a contemporary touch to French cuisine." The menu includes dishes like a liver pâté-stuffed rocher or a crab tart with crab bisque.
At Josephine, which opened two locations since March 2024 and has become a local hit, the vibe is straight from a Lyon bouchon, with dishes like camembert soufflé, Vichy carrots, rabbit with mustard, and nougat glacé—classic names rarely found across the Channel. "Since the pandemic, the biggest restaurant openings in London have had a distinctly Gallic flair," noted The Telegraph in late 2023.
According to food journalists and restaurateurs abroad, several factors explain this trend. First, diners are less inclined to take risks at the table. French cuisine, being both familiar and comforting, stands out in a world increasingly marked by political and economic instability. ("Josephine Bouchon is like a reassuring hand gently resting on your back, telling you everything will be okay," wrote The Guardian in a review.) Diners are also tired of endless tasting menus—they want options, and the repertoire of French cuisine is as deep as it gets.
As for the chefs, those who didn’t grow up with French traditions or who work far from France can allow themselves creative liberties that might make a Marseillais or Bordelais shudder—like an excellent parsley butter toast topped with snail Bolognese (Story Cellar), or moules marinières served atop a puffed-crust pizza (Maison François, where servers even offer a taste of the steak tartare for diners to confirm the seasoning).
And it’s not just in London that new French outposts are emerging. Astoria brasserie in Stockholm is a prime example—not just for its central staircase, which made headlines for its 500,000-euro price tag. The starter—raw vegetables—is served under a silver cloche in a setting that mixes rock and Belle Époque style. Elsewhere too, French charm is a major draw, from Le Veau d’Or in New York to Jean-Pierre in Hong Kong, Bar Étoile in Los Angeles, Les Ducs in Singapore, and Lucie in Toronto. All of these places opened in the past year, proving that traditional French cuisine has a bright future across all latitudes.
