First Restaurant Week launching throughout France in June

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Following the example of New York City Restaurant Week, 700 restaurants throughout France will serve menus at a fixed price of between 20 and 35 euros June 7-13. Several chains and bistros will take part as well as internationally renowned chefs such as Paul Bocuse, Hélène Darroze and Pierre Gagnaire.

Alain Ducasse's enterprise, the international chef's company that's launching the event, stated that this idea stemed from the New York Restaurant Week launched in 1992 (already copied in Dublin, Madrid, London…). It is aimed at encouraging people in France to eat out after a bleak year for restaurant owners in 2009.

For this first edition, renowned chefs as well as restaurant chains such as Groupe Flo (Bistro Romain, Brasseries Flo), will offer a fixed price menu for lunch and dinner (maximum €20.10 for lunch, €35 for dinner, beverage not included) along with their other menus.

Star chefs associated with this tasting opportunity in France include Yannick Alléno, Paul Bocuse, Hélène Darroze, Pierre Gagnaire, Anne-Sophie Pic, Jacques and Laurent Pourcel, Joël Robuchon and Michel Troisgros, however, don't expect to go to their Michelin-starred restaurants for such a bargain price, but rather to their bistro addresses.

Advanced booking is recommended via the event's website (in French): www.tousaurestaurant.com

This event is scheduled to take place every year around the same time, unlike New York's bi-annual Restaurant Week organized in winter and summer, with next one coming up in July (http://www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek).

Comparable restaurant weeks in Dublin, Madrid, Los Angeles, Toronto and London took place in February and March 2010 and should be rescheduled around the same time in 2011.