France combat against “reheat and serve” food in restaurants with campaign to cook from scratch.

Interesting article on pre prepared and or frozen entrees in some Paris restaurants. Our upcoming visit to Paris in October, I will try and look for the new gastronomique logo when trying out new placers to dine

Read this... http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/23/opinion/french-food-goes-down.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=c-column-top-span-region&region=c-column-top-span-region&WT.nav=c-column-top-span-region&_r=1

With reference to 'Mom & Pop' cafe-restaurants in the French countryside the 'traditiional' formula and expectations of ex-pats AND artisans, just doesn't work. It doesn't take a numeric genius to work out, it is impossible for these overworked couples to serve up quality 4 course meals, in large quantities for 13 euros a head. Take into account their overhead costs, taxes etc; the grinding numbers of opening hours they work each week, the impossibility/risks around paying for paid help;; the haphazard numbers who regularly support and attend, and boast (on these forums) of how hospitable (read desperate) their hosts are..... and you can see how preparing foods from fresh quality ingredients falls right down the priority list. (People start realising they can eat better and healthier at home, and the whole dowwnward cycle of closure speeds up.) No, customers need to have new 'rules' of the game...... much smaller menus with limited choice; a preparedness to eat, even try, slow-cooked meats and foods to traditional peasant recipes in more reasonable portions; always giving decent notice reserving at least 48 hrs in advance and a real sense of loyalty to their local (maybe even including gifts from the garden to help along. And a conscious appreciation of REAL food, not stuff that just 'looks' right. By the way, the medium-size places in France, are perhaps the worst offenders of the lot, in buying in pre-pared dishes to heat up, like 'souris d'agneau' and white fish in 'sauces'.

yes indeed.its about time they did something about it, its an industry to defend dearly. At the end we will have the really high end places doing and the mom and pop will be artificial for the tourist trap. Hopefully, this law will be enough to stop these scoundrels.