On March 19, over 1300 restaurants globally will treat dinners to a ‘French dinner’ as the world celebrates French cuisine.

The event dubbed, Goute de/Good France, will involve 150 countries. Addressing the media at the French embassy in Kigali, France’s ambassador to Rwanda - Michel Flesch – said that French embassies all over the world will be involved in the activity. "French food is a culture. It is more than gastronomy because it is recognised by UNESCO as a heritage,” he said.

The ambassador said the festival will not only be about food but about respect for the environment as well. "We have to respect nature and the soil that gives us food. We also have to respect the farmer and everyone involved in the process that gives us what we eat,” he told the press.

In a course of one week, several activities will be held globally. In Kigali, there will be an exposition of texts, videos and photography about gastronomy at Rwanda Library Services on March 16. There will also be screening of a film on March18.

The climax will be on March 21, at Hotel l’Epicurien in Kimihurura, where different professional chefs will showcase their talents. Gout de/Good France is an inspiration of Auguste Escoffier’s Epicurean Dinners (Diners d’Epicure) in 1912.

In France itself, a grand dinner will be held on March 19 for foreign ambassadors and various dignitaries in Paris at chateau de Versailles.