Michel Guérard on French Cuisine

In this interview, Michel Guérard elaborates his ideas on the education and training of chefs for a future when cuisine will be increasingly focused on health and cooks will need to know more about the relationships between food and disease prevention. At the same time, nutritionists will need to develop a better understanding of cooking. Guérard disagrees with commentators, such as Michael Steinberger, who conclude that French cuisine is in decline; in his view, this conclusion is exaggerated and the quality of products such as cheese and wine has actually improved. He expresses optimism for the future of French cuisine, which he believes will be a simple and honest “cuisine naturaliste.”