My 29 French Quotes About Food (Instagram Inspiration)

Bonjour les amis!

Well, if you haven’t figured out yet that I love life, that I’m an epicurean, you’ll have to read my latest articles, like the one on the French Toast.

Or take a look on my personal opinion on this restaurants In Nice (France) In 2023 or In Cannes (France) In 2023.

In short, it’s only fitting that I share with you the most beautiful French quotes about food.

Isn’t France the country of gastronomy?

— Christine

Read Also : 21 French Quotes About Travel

French quotes about Food

Here is my list of 29 french quotes about food:

1. “Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.” – Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Translation in English: “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

What it means to me: This quote means that one’s food choices can reflect one’s character, lifestyle, and health. It suggests that what we consume is an important part of our identities and our lives. It also indicates the importance of a balanced and healthy diet.

2. “La cuisine, c’est quand les choses ont le goût de ce qu’elles sont.” – Curnonsky

Translation in English: “Cooking is when things taste of what they are.”

What it means to me: This quote underlines the authenticity and simplicity in cooking, highlighting that ingredients should retain their natural flavors.

3. “Le repas gastronomique des Français est inscrit au patrimoine mondial. Ce n’est pas pour rien.” – Alain Ducasse

Translation in English: “The French gastronomic meal is inscribed in the world heritage. It’s not for nothing.”

What it means to me: The quote emphasizes the global recognition and the inherent value of French cuisine, illustrating its importance and influence.

4. “Une cuisine sans saveur est comme une vie sans amour.” – Christian Dior

Translation in English: “A kitchen without flavor is like a life without love.”

What it means to me: Christian Dior compares the essentiality of flavor in food to the role of love in life, indicating the necessity and vitality of both.

5. “Dans la cuisine, comme dans toutes les choses, la simplicité est le signe de la perfection.” – Auguste Escoffier

Translation in English: “In the kitchen, as in all things, simplicity is the sign of perfection.”

What it means to me: Escoffier’s quote highlights the beauty and skill in crafting simple, but perfectly executed dishes.

6. “La bonne cuisine est la base du véritable bonheur.” – Auguste Escoffier

Translation in English: “Good food is the foundation of genuine happiness.”

What it means to me: Escoffier asserts that good food is fundamental to true happiness, emphasizing the importance of quality cuisine in a fulfilling life.

7. “Un bon cuisinier est un sorcier qui dispense le bonheur.” – Elsa Schiaparelli

Translation in English: “A good cook is a sorcerer who dispenses happiness.”

What it means to me: This quote suggests that a good cook, through their skill and love for the craft, has the ability to bring joy to others.

8. “On ne peut pas faire de cuisine si l’on n’aime pas les gens.” – Joël Robuchon

Translation in English: “You cannot cook if you do not love people.”

What it means to me: Robuchon implies that cooking is an act of love and care, a means of expressing affection towards others.

9. “La table est le seul endroit où l’on ne s’ennuie jamais pendant la première heure.” – Charles Baudelaire

Translation in English: “The table is the only place where one is never bored during the first hour.”

What it means to me: Baudelaire’s quote underlines the pleasure and engagement that comes with dining and the conversations it can inspire.

10. “Le secret des bons repas est de croire aux vertus de la bonne chère.” – Anthelme Brillat-Savarin

Translation in English: “The secret of good meals is to believe in the virtues of good food.”

What it means to me: This quote suggests that appreciating and valuing good food is the key to truly enjoying a meal.

11. “Manger est un besoin, savoir manger est un art.” – François de La Rochefoucauld

Translation in English: “Eating is a necessity, but knowing how to eat is an art.”

What it means to me: La Rochefoucauld reminds us that while eating is a basic human need, the knowledge and appreciation of food, its preparation, and its presentation can be an artistic and culturally significant endeavor.

12. “La vie est trop courte pour boire du mauvais vin.” – Anonymous

Translation in English: “Life is too short to drink bad wine.”

What it means to me: This anonymous quote suggests that life should be enjoyed to the fullest, which includes indulging in quality experiences, exemplified here by good wine.

13. “La cuisine est l’art de se souvenir.” – Bernard Loiseau

Translation in English: “Cooking is the art of remembering.”

What it means to me: Loiseau hints at the nostalgic power of food and the ability of certain dishes or tastes to evoke memories and emotions.

14. “Le véritable voyage de découverte ne consiste pas à chercher de nouveaux paysages, mais à avoir de nouveaux yeux.” – Marcel Proust

Translation in English: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”

What it means to me: Proust’s quote, while not strictly about food, suggests that the appreciation of food (like any experience) can be transformed by seeing it in a new light or from a different perspective.

15. “Il faut manger pour vivre et non pas vivre pour manger.” – Molière

Translation in English: “We must eat to live and not live to eat.”

What it means to me: Molière emphasizes that while food is a necessity, it should not be the sole purpose of existence, suggesting a balance in life’s pleasures and necessities.

16. “La gourmandise commence quand on n’a plus faim.” – Alphonse Daudet

Translation in English: “Gluttony begins when we’re no longer hungry.”

What it means to me: Daudet’s quote underlines the difference between eating for survival and eating for pleasure, warning about the potential pitfalls of overindulgence.

17. “La cuisine, c’est comme l’amour, on y plonge avec abandon ou pas du tout.” – Harriet Van Horne

Translation in English: “Cooking is like love, we dive into it with abandon or not at all.”

What it means to me: This quote suggests that cooking, like love, requires full commitment and passion.

18. “Le pain est le lien d’amitié et le premier besoin de la vie.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

Translation in English: “Bread is the link of friendship and the first need of life.”

What it means to me: Napoleon’s quote emphasizes the importance of bread as a staple food, and metaphorically, as a symbol of sharing and companionship.

19. “Il n’y a pas de bonne fête sans lendemain.” – Alphonse Allais

Translation in English: “There’s no good party without the next day.”

What it means to me: Allais suggests that truly enjoyable festivities are those that leave you with memorable experiences, often tied to good food and drink, that you still remember the following day.

20. “Qui sait déguster ne boit plus jamais de vin, mais goûte des secrets.” – Salvador Dalí

Translation in English: “Who knows how to taste, never drinks wine again, but savors secrets.”

What it means to me: Dalí implies that a deep appreciation and understanding of wine elevates the experience from merely drinking to uncovering hidden complexities and ‘secrets’ of the wine.

21. “Faire la cuisine, c’est se mettre en condition pour recevoir de la joie.” – Jeanne Moreau

Translation in English: “Cooking is putting yourself in a position to receive joy.”

What it means to me: Moreau’s quote beautifully captures the happiness and satisfaction that can come from preparing a meal, whether it’s for oneself or for others.

22. “L’ail est à la cuisine ce que la folie est à l’art.” – Anonymous

Translation in English: “Garlic is to the kitchen what madness is to art.”

What it means to me: This anonymous quote suggests that just as madness can add a unique touch to art, garlic adds a distinctive flavor that can transform a dish in cooking.

23. “Le chocolat est notre ennemi, mais fuir devant l’ennemi, c’est lâche!” – Anonymous

Translation in English: “Chocolate is our enemy, but running away from the enemy is cowardly!”

What it means to me: This humorous quote plays on the love-hate relationship some have with chocolate, acknowledging its irresistible appeal despite its indulgent nature.

24. “Les hommes sont comme les melons. Sur dix, il y en a un de bon.” – Proverbe français

Translation in English: “Men are like melons. Out of ten, there is one good one.”

What it means to me: This French proverb uses food (in this case, melons) to make a point about human nature, suggesting the rarity of finding exceptional individuals.

25. “L’homme est comme l’abeille, il ne peut vivre sans goûter le nectar des fleurs.” – Honoré de Balzac

Translation in English: “Man is like a bee, he cannot live without tasting the nectar of flowers.”

What it means to me: Balzac’s metaphor here draws a parallel between humans and bees, suggesting the essential nature of experiencing the ‘sweetness’ or pleasures in life, which could be interpreted as food and other delights.

26. “Pour bien aimer une vivante, il faut l’aimer comme si elle devait mourir demain.” – Proverbe arabe

Translation in English: “To love a living thing well, you must love it as if it were to die tomorrow.”

What it means to me: While not explicitly about food, this Arabic proverb could be applied to food experiences, emphasizing the importance of appreciating every bite, every meal, as if it might be your last.

27. “L’appétit vient en mangeant, la soif s’en va en buvant.” – François Rabelais

Translation in English: “Appetite comes with eating, thirst departs with drinking.”

What it means to me: Rabelais’ quote reminds us of the paradoxical nature of desire and satisfaction, especially when it comes to food and drink.

28. “Les grandes pensées viennent de l’estomac.” – Napoleon Bonaparte

Translation in English: “Great thoughts come from the stomach.”

What it means to me: Napoleon emphasizes the connection between physical well-being (having a well-fed stomach) and the capacity to think deeply and effectively.

29. “Le repas gastronomique des Français doit être inscrit au patrimoine mondial.” – Nicolas Sarkozy

Translation in English: “The French gastronomic meal must be inscribed on the world heritage list.”

What it means to me: Sarkozy’s quote reflects the high value placed on French gastronomy, highlighting its importance to France’s cultural heritage and its significance on the world stage.

Et voilà les amis!

I hope I’ve made you hungry 🙂

Don’t hesitate to push the door of French restaurants during your stays.

Or buy a few books of good French recipes, you won’t regret it!

A bientôt !

—Christine

People also ask about French quotes about food:

What is a popular quote about food?

Maybe the most popular quote about food is the number one in my list, a phrase by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.

“Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai ce que tu es.”

Translation in English: “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you what you are.”

Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin was a French lawyer and politician in the early 19th century.

he is known for most famous as an epicure and gastronome, remembered for his influential book “Physiologie du Goût” (The Physiology of Taste).

What are famous French quotes?

My 3 famous French quotes are:

1.“L’homme est libre au moment qu’il veut l’être.”

• Author: Voltaire
• Translation: “Man is free at the instant he wants to be.”

2. “Il n’y a qu’un bonheur dans la vie, c’est d’aimer et d’être aimé.”

• Author: George Sand
• Translation: “There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved.”

3. “Je pense, donc je suis.”

• Author: René Descartes
• Translation: “I think, therefore I am.”

What are the sayings about food?

Here’s a list of 5 sayings about food from around the world:

1.“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” – Unknown

2. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” – English Proverb

3.“First we eat, then we do everything else.” – M.F.K. Fisher, American food writer.

4. “Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate.” – Alan D. Wolfelt, American author and educator.

5. “If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.” – Cesar Chavez, American labor leader and civil rights activist.