discussion outline

R’manda Strather Professor Christina Koenig SPCH 1311 4W06 1: Introduction To Communication December 4th, 2021

Group Culture Individual Outline

Food is a huge staple in everyone’s life. Not only do we use food to survive, but we also use food to connect with one another and express ourselves. French society uses food to communicate an appreciation and respect for artistry, formality, and unity.

First, I will talk about how French society uses food to communicate artistry. At a very young age, the French are taught to honor and appreciate artistry and to also be patient with anything that they pursue in order to produce quality work. This appreciation for artistry is carried well into adulthood and is reflected in areas such as food. Before preparing meals, chefs venture out to specific markets to carefully pick ingredients that they will use in their upcoming meals. France’s most popular market, Rungis, is home to the freshest and highest quality products that could be offered to chefs. According to an online tour guide developed by Philippe Bardet in 2006 and accessed on November 22nd, 2021, Rungis is so exclusive that it is only open between the hours of midnight and 7 a.m. It is also not open to regulars, and you have to possess a commercial card in order to enter the market. The market is so exclusive because french cuisine is considered a serious art form for chefs. While inspecting these ingredients, chefs ask in-depth questions to the vendors about the produce, spices, and/or meat such as where it was grown and how long it was grown for. Chefs do this to make sure that they are gathering high quality ingredients in order to produce a high quality meal. Failure to produce a high quality meal can translate to not having a respect for French artistry, which can come off as disrespect towards French culture.

Now I will talk about how formality is communicated through the use of food in French society. Attention to formal detail may come off as “rude” or as harsh criticism to foreigners, but the French consider such attention to detail as a necessary part of life. Formality is highly valued throughout French society and is expected in all areas of life, especially when it comes to French cuisine. In restaurants, it is always expected to greet your waiter. Waiters do not hover over customers, instead they give them space to look over their menu. When customers decide on an item, they are expected to close their menu and place it on the table. Then, and only then, will the waiter approach the customer to take note of the food item. This simple act expresses formality because the waiter gives the customer personal space and time to decide, without feeling pressured. Dinner attendees are also expected to eat their meals with both a knife and a fork, and to keep both hands on the table as a sign of respect. Alex Ledsom, a French journalist for Culture Trip, published an advice blog that could help a foreigner survive a French dinner on their website in February of 2018, accessed on November 22nd, 2021. Within this blog she provides a very important tip stating “You might find some people aren’t as strict or formal, but always follow the host’s lead. If they do

something a little less formal, then you can too.” Not following the French’s etiquette rules could signal informality and result in feelings of disrespect towards the French.

Finally, I will talk about how unity is communicated through the use of food in French society. The French, although an individualistic society, greatly values personal relationships and time with one another. This is especially reflected in French meals. Because the French only have a 35-hour work week, this leaves more time to spend with family and friends. Informal French dinners outside of restaurants usually involve family and friends within the kitchen. This simple act creates close-knit bonds while cooking intimate meals. Another example of how the French use food to communicate unity is by carrying out the simple act of holding a plate of food while their neighbor is putting it on their plate. This simple gesture promotes unity because the individual is taking the stress off of their neighborhood by lending a helping hand.

Works Cited

Bardet, Philippe. “FXcuisine.com.” A Visit To Rungis, The World's Biggest Food Market, 2006, http://fxcuisine.com/Default.asp?language=2&Display=32&resolution=print.

Ledsom, Alex. “Food Etiquette for Surviving a French Dinner.” Culture Trip, The Culture Trip, 7 Feb. 2018, https://theculturetrip.com/europe/france/articles/food-etiquette-surviving-french-dinner/ .