Lucia Luncheon

 Tours Receives UNESCO Heritage Award

(Left to Right) Gail Beske, Mpls-Tours; Jerome Chateau, French-American Chamber of Commerce; and Beth Parkhill, Mpls-Tours

Supporters of the Minneapolis-Tours Sister Cities Association (Minneapolis-Tours) and the French American Chamber of Commerce gathered at Lucia’s Restaurant in early February to celebrate United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

(UNESCO) listing of the French Gastronomic Meal as a cultural heritage, and to recognize the role of Tours, France in this award.  A five-course meal was enjoyed at Lucia’s by a gathering of about 50 gastronomic enthusiasts.

In November, UNESCO listed the French Gastronomic Meal as an element of culture and national identity.  This award recognizes and preserves the world-renowned cultural practice of the multi-course gourmet meal in France—entrée, plat, cheese, and desert, together with aperitif, wines, and liqueur.

The recognition from UNESCO was conceived and promoted by Francis Chevrier.  Chevrier is the director of the European Institute of Food History and Culture, which is a part of the University of Tours, France.  Chevrier and the Institute were instrumental in gathering support from the French people and famous French chefs to obtain this award.  In autumn 2007 he founded the Mission Française du Patrimoine et des Cultures Alimentaires, under the direction of Jean-Robert Pitte of the University of Paris, Sorbonne, in order to define the proposal and undertake all the necessary steps to win support and approval.

Eureopean Institute of History and Food              Photo Credit: Ed Coughlin        

As part of the UNESCO award, the University of Tours and the Institute were named as the organizations responsible for overseeing the effort to preserve and promote the cultural role of the French Gastronomic Meal.

The French American Chamber of Commerce (Minneapolis/St. Paul) and the Minneapolis-Tours would like to take this opportunity to recognize Francis Chevrier and the University of Tours for leading this effort.

Of course, there is nothing like appreciating a five-course meal at Lucia’s to recognize this French accomplishment: Platter of crudites with Brittany sea salt, soupe du jour, choice of beef bourguignon or poached fish, mixed greens salad, cheese, warm apple tart, coffee and tea.

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Blog Courtesy of Bob Corrick, Minneapolis-Tours Sister Cities Board Member