Bid for Recognition of French Cuisine Sparks International Food Fight

LONDON — Which country deserves special recognition of its cuisine? France? Or perhaps Italy? And what about American barbecue?

French President Nicolas Sarkozy's recent assertion that France should become the first country to have its cuisine recognized as an "intangible" cultural treasure on the United Nations' world heritage list has Italians, in particular, seething.

CLAUDE PARIS/AP Photo (enlarge photo) French chef Gerald Passedat, owner of the restaurant Le Petit Nice, works in his restaurant's kitchen, in Marseille, southern France, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2008. CLAUDE PARIS/AP Photo (enlarge photo) Le Grand Vefour restaurant in Paris, a two-century-old Paris institution whose famous guests have included the Emperor Napoleon and writer Victor Hugo, lost its coveted third Michelin star on Monday, March 3, 2008.

It also has Americans suggesting that slowly grilled meat should receive similar recognition.

Greg Bass, a spokesman for the Central Texas BBQ Association in Austin, Texas, said he wholeheartedly agrees that cuisine is culture and supports the recognition of cooking styles by the United Nations.

"Perhaps after Italy, France, and Mexico break through this barrier, we could consider putting southern American barbecue on the table," he said. "Although humans have been cooking meat in some form or fashion since the taming of fire, in the American South it has truly become an art form."

In a speech to farmers at a Paris agricultural show, Sarkozy said France would lobby hard for his country's cuisine to be added to the U.N. Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization's list of "intangible" cultural treasures, calling French cuisine "the best gastronomy in the world."

A bid that's supported by some of France's top chefs likely will be presented later this year or in early 2009.

But Carlo Petrini, head of the Italian-based Slow Food movement — founded to combat fast food — said that every country has its own gastronomic tradition.

"Yes, French cuisine has made a very important contribution to the world of gastronomy, but it is not fair to say it is the only cuisine that is important, nor is it fair to say that one country's food is better than another's," he said.

The Italian farmers' association Coldiretti told Reuters that "with 166 food specialties recognized by the European Union, Italy clearly beats France, in second place with 156."

UNESCO, perhaps best known for keeping a list of World Heritage Sites, in 2003 adopted a Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The treaty is designed to preserve traditions — everything from dances to crafts — in danger of dying out. Not only would traditions cited under the treaty receive international recognition, they'd also be eligible for special U.N. grants.

Before the treaty came into existence, a request from Mexico to have its cuisine recognized by UNESCO under the agency's "proclamations" on intangible cultural heritage was turned down.

Howard Hillman, the New York-based editor and publisher of www.hillmanwonders.com, a travel site that ranks the 100 wonders of the world in addition to the world's best cuisines, said he believes it's a good idea for UNESCO to work to preserve cuisines.

"Although France's regional cuisines are blurring, the sad reality is that virtually all the cuisines on Earth are also endangered," he said. "I hope that UNESCO some day will make people more aware of how national and regional cuisines around the globe are being bastardized."

Incidentally, Hillman's list of top 10 world cuisines ranks French cuisine No. 2 and Italian cuisine No. 3. Topping the list is Chinese food.