La transmission

Foodie culture for today’s generation

The Regional Council seems to have found a great formula for bringing Provençal gastronomy to the public eye. 

Every year now, the Council promotes Provençal heritage through events that spotlight its strong culinary personality, its farming world and its produce.

Marseille Provence Gastronomie (MPG to its friends) was first held in 2019 at the initiative of the Bouches-du-Rhône département, with backing from Provence Tourisme. The event was a record-beater in terms of attendance, with more than two million participants. The event was an unwavering hit all year long – showing how much the public loves the foodie tradition that is a core part of Provençal identity. MPG has since become an annual celebration, its exacting programme packed with gastronomic events highlighting the region’s produce, chefs and artisans. In 2019 the Musée Regards de Provence museum filled its three display rooms with exhibits about the culinary arts and lifestyle in Provence. One recurrent event worth noting is the Street Food Festival, with local wines and beers, street arts and music as well as food. Another is Dîners Insolites, every July, with meals in breathtaking venues not usually used for that purpose. A third is Le Grand Repas, a day when the same local chef menu is served in school and workplace canteens, hospitals and retirement homes all around the département. This year, MPG will start with Dîners Préhistoriques, taking us back to the dawn on humanity. With an ample supply of fruit and vegetables, a culinary culture with a strong identity and a well-structured supply chain, gastronomy is now more than ever a core element in the département’s development strategy. Most of all, it brings locals and visitors together in shared enjoyment.

By Clotilde Roux