The art of hospitality and "l’Art de la Table"

50 Shades of Hospitality

Chantal Wittmann is an educator, a hospitality expert, a competition judge and received the MOF (Meilleur Ouvrier de France) Maître d’Hôtel award. In this podcast, Chantal gives our listeners some background information about the French MOF competitions and what this means for the people who have been given this title. Chantal has taught in some of the most prestigious hospitality institutions including Lycée Hôtelier de Strasbourg, the Glion Institute of Higher Education, the Ecole Ducasse. In addition to teaching, Chantal also teaches Master Classes around the world and has participated as a judge in dozens of competitions.

In this podcast, Chantal explains the French “Arts de la Table” or how to prepare and present food following very strict guidelines and etiquette. This tradition goes back to the time of Marie Antoinette, when the French nobility created extravagant table settings and service to impress their guests.

For anyone who has had the pleasure of eating in a French gastronomic restaurant, this art can be described as a culinary ballet. "Arts de la Table" is a French custom of refinement, elegance and rigor regarding the dining experience and it is a unique way of approaching the presentation of a meal. Finally, it creates a particular ambiance and sets the tone for the entire dining experience.

Chantal also describes the challenges she has faced in a hospitality field that is predominantly masculine. With candour and passion, she takes our listeners on an exploration of the Maître d’Hôtel profession and describes why she followed this career path. She also explains her desire to transmit the values of this important profession to younger generations so that the Arts de la Table does not become a lost art.