Haute Cuisine Methods

If there is one gift that the French have given to the world, it’s the art of fine dining. With a long history of amazing (and still active!) cooking schools and fine gourmet chefs, the French have mastered the art of eating well.

Haute cuisine means “high cooking” in French. Also called grande cuisine, it’s a style of cooking that pays attention to detail, uses high quality ingredients and elaborate presentation. Haute cuisine found it’s beginning with the chefs that served the royalty and aristocracy.

But what exactly are some of these high cooking methods?

The way the food is served is one hallmark of high cooking. The menu and the order of the dishes as they are brought out is carefully planned and prepared. Whether it is an elaborate banquet or a simple family dinner, everything has its order and moment of enjoyment. 

This shows up in the French cooking schools too where the idea of mise en place – “everything in its place”, is practiced to make sure that the chef can cook properly and efficiently. Simple but very important cooking methods like sauteeing, braising and flambe must be practiced until perfection is achieved.

Lastly, presentation is extremely important. Often decorated with flowers, sauces or tiny tidbits, dishes are designed for the eye to enjoy first and then the palate.