What is the Week of Tastes?

Nineteen years ago, a French food writer and television personality, Jean-Luc Petitrenaud realized that French children were losing touch with one of their country’s greatest treasures, food. He initiated a programme called La Semaine du Gout, or Week of Tastes to educate school children about the tastes and origins of “la cuisine française.” He gathered chefs and all kinds of food producers, and brought them into their neighbourhood schools to teach children about the world of taste.

Today, nineteen years on, thousands of school children in all communities across France have learnt about taste through lessons and events involving blind tastings, cooking classes, demonstrations and field trips.

Whether you are a Michelin starred chef, a goat cheese maker or a bee keeper in a far corner of the French countryside, you can participate in educating your community during the Week of Tastes.

Recently I travelled to France on a grant established by the late Francophile and chef Julia Child, to learn about the Week of Tastes with the intention of establishing a similar programme for Australia.

I saw a country committed to maintaining its food heritage through educating its young while recognizing the diverse knowledge and expertise of its farmers, chefs and various food producers.

So successful was this programme that both Switzerland and Belgium also began hosting national Week of Tastes.

Australia is soon to follow in their footsteps.