Now there’s an event name to knock you sideways.

As French gastronomy has been declared ‘world heritage’ by Unesco, it’s not surprising that this upmarket event is being organised under the patronage of the French Ministry of Culture. A weekend of chic food? If you can get a place…

The splendid gardens of Palais Royal are the setting for a meeting between haute cuisine and haute couture for four days (only two of which are open to the public. Bah!)

So if you turn up at 11am on Saturday 9th July, you can watch a ‘jury of taste specialists and names from the world of cooking test some exceptionally delicious products’. Sound frustrating enough for you?

After that, there are meet ‘n’ greets with authors, cooking demonstrations (yawn), a “happening and olfactive test” (???) at 4.30pm and a weird hybrid afternoon tea-cum-dinner devised by designer José Levy, apparently so revolutionary that they’ve trademarked the name (Goûner® – sounds awful).

And forget the Maison Martin Margiela white dinner at 8pm; you have to be given an invite, and Lord know who has ’em.The next day (the second of only two you can attend, I should remind you), imagine how many events are lined up… Four, one of which is a brunch that costs 50€ per person (excluding drinks). Eager suckers can send an e-mail to reserve here). And it turns out that numbers are limited to 70 for all events on both days. What nonsense!

Haute Cuisine Paris – Cabinet de curiosité culinaire is in the gardens of Palais Royal (here) and open to (a few members of) the public on 9th & 10th July 2011 from 10am – 7pm.

And it’ll cost you 10€ to get in!

Official site: www.hautecuisineparis.com

Facebook page: ici

For the full programme (in French) look below and click the first button bottom left.