For years we have been lead to believe that France was the Centre of Excellence in the Gastronomic World. We were told that they believed us to be in some sort of dessert when it came to food especially in our Restaurants and Cafe’s. It would now seem that not all is well in the land that brought us the likes of Escoffier, Parmentier and Paul Bocuse.

In an poll carried out last October French consumers , estimated that barely half of restaurant meals were home-made. The Unions of Hotel Skills and Industries has suggested that 85% of restaurants secretly make use of frozen or vacuum-packed food.

It is not just the small restaurants and cafe’s that have been cutting corners but also professional chefs in smart restaurants.

Even that classic French dish, Steak Tartare, can be brought in, cut roughly to make it look like it has been hand chopped.

The French Government has recognised how important French gastronomy is, they estimate it represents 13.5% of foreign tourists expenses and that is they add value to that it will have an impact of tourism.

Therefore, if you venture over the English Channel this summer you will see a new symbol has appeared on menu’s. Its is saucepan with a lid and it tells the diner that the dish is homemade. Many restaurants have already started using the symbol but it does not become compulsory until next January.

It has lead me to wonder who has followed who. As standards of cuisine in the UK has risen over the last few years it would seems those in France have been falling. I shudder to think what Raymond Blanc, The Roux Brothers and the other world class French chef’s that have made their home’s on our shore’s think of what is happening in their home land.

Smaller menu’s, seasonal produce and fresh cooked food are the ways to control your profit. Menu’s can be adaptable, stockholding kept to a minimum, and always analysis your sales to find what is selling and what is not.