The Hindu Business Line : Bon apetit!

The award ceremony of the annual French Food Spirit awards, instituted by the French Federation of Food and Drink Industries, had an exotic Indian flavour to it this year with Pune-based foodie and food entrepreneur Karen Anand walking away with the 2006 award for the promotion of French cuisine traditions in India. Among the four people chosen for the award was the well-known Russian orchestra conductor Alaxandre Smelianskiy, who got the special jury award for his popular French bistro in Moscow.

Karen, who picked up the finer nuances of French cooking during her student days in Paris and later while training at a Michelin-star rated restaurant, says that what she loves about French cuisine traditions is their complete commitment to food quality and taste. And their determination to stick to elegantly tossed up meals, howsoever simply, in a world that has succumbed to fast-food counters and coke.

"Sitting down and eating slowly, with ceremony, is a way of life with the French. And even a cabinet minister would probably shop for his own peaches or wine. Food transcends classes in the country and every household will have a green salad, freshly prepared dressing on it, a main course, and dessert or cheese every day. And yes, they all drink wine, not coke," says Karen.

Back from the award ceremony, Karen is excited about the tremendous enthusiasm and interest about India in France, be it in fashionable Paris or the breathtakingly beautiful champagne valley where she met Remi Krug, Chairman of Remi Krug, one of the top three champagne-makers of the world. "He came here in 1997 to launch the champagne but was disappointed since there was not enough volumes here. But this time, he is excited since the Indian market has changed so significantly since then. Remi Krug will be here by March next," she says.

As will a clutch of other businesses from the country which has created a special niche for itself in the culinary world. Karen says that everywhere she went, including a visit to the French Food and Wine Fair held there recently, she was asked hundreds of questions about the market opportunities in India. SIAL, which organises food and wine fairs in Shanghai, Montreal and other places, is examining the possibility of organising a similar event in India. A delegation of government officials is scheduled to arrive next month to discuss with the Indian government the possibility of reducing duties on food and wine imports.

Raising a toast of her favourite Remi Krug champagne with friends, even as she recovers from the excitement of the award and the trip to France, Karen says that while the award itself was a complete surprise, what made it fulfilling was the fact that earlier recipients include celebrated American food writer Patricia Wells, whom she considers her guru and someone who in some ways encouraged her to take up French food with passion.

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