History and traditions
France gave restaurant cooking its vocabulary: the menu, the chef, the sauce. Alongside grand dining there is the bistro, with slow braises and onion soup, and the bakery, with layered butter pastry. Wine is part of the meal, and each region has its own.
Food economy and industry
Food and wine are among France's biggest exports and a core part of its tourism. Bakers, pastry chefs and cooks train through formal apprenticeships. Protected regional names govern how wines and cheeses are made, and rare vintages are traded internationally at auction.