From pioneers like Auguste Escoffier, the “King of Chefs and Chef of Kings,” to modern-day masters like Paul Bocuse and Alain Ducasse, the French aren’t only revered for gastronomy, they practically invented it. On a first-time trip to Paris, biting into the city’s best baguettes and croissants is as much on the bucket list for many as a visit to the Eiffel Tower or Louvre.
When asked what is the No. 1 dish to try in France, it’s hard to narrow down the list in a country that is responsible for so many culinary greats. Each region champions its own famed specialties: the Languedoc claims cassoulet, the slow-cooked sausage, duck, and white bean stew; Burgundy is the birthplace of escargot and beef bourguignon; and saffron-infused bouillabaisse seafood stew is a signature of Provence—namely Marseille.
After more than a decade living in France, I’ve sampled my fair share of classics, but the most surprising—and undervalued—is also among the country’s most historically significant: the savory soufflé. One of the culinary world’s finest examples of molecular gastronomy, the soufflé was invented long before Ferran Adrià popularized the chemistry-inspired style of cuisine at his now-closed El Bulli in Catalonia.
Tatyana Berkovich/Getty Images
Taking its name from the French word “souffler,” or “to blow” or “puff up,” the light-as-air dish dates back to the 18th century—and the original version was savory, stuffed with cheese or meat. Sweet soufflés dominate dessert menus today at Parisian institutions like Le Récamier by Gérard Idoux, where the Grand Marnier version is the star, or Le Grill at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo in Monaco, whose Alain Ducasse chocolate-infused soufflé is a modernized signature that’s been on the menu since opening in 1898.
But my advice for the one must-try dish while visiting France? Go savory.
This requires more effort to seek out than classics like steak frites, but you’ll quickly understand why it’s considered something of a delicacy. At aptly named Le Soufflé in the first arrondissement, near Place de la Concorde and the Tuileries, you’ll find the perfect compromise.
Savory soufflés here shift with the seasons, so in fall, they may be stuffed with caramelized pears and blue cheese, or you can combine two French classics with the beef bourguignon soufflé. A dish this decadent doesn’t need more than simple French fromage to be a success, so I’d recommend sticking with the original, pared-down version. But, for research purposes, you might as well save space for dessert and sample a sweet soufflé, too.
