Do chefs get lost in the sauce? The chefs’ perceptions of the tensions and paradoxes between tradition and modernity in cooking with meat

Arnaud Lamy (), Lucie Sirieix (), Sandrine Costa () and Maxime Michaud ()
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Arnaud Lamy: UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement, Institut Lyfe Research & Innovation Center (ex-Institut Paul Bocuse Research Center) - LYFE - Institut Lyfe (ex-Institut Paul Bocuse)
Lucie Sirieix: UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement
Sandrine Costa: UMR MoISA - Montpellier Interdisciplinary center on Sustainable Agri-food systems (Social and nutritional sciences) - Cirad - Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement - IRD - Institut de Recherche pour le Développement - CIHEAM-IAMM - Centre International de Hautes Etudes Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - Institut Agronomique Méditerranéen de Montpellier - CIHEAM - Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes - INRAE - Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement - Institut Agro Montpellier - Institut Agro - Institut national d'enseignement supérieur pour l'agriculture, l'alimentation et l'environnement
Maxime Michaud: Institut Lyfe Research & Innovation Center (ex-Institut Paul Bocuse Research Center) - LYFE - Institut Lyfe (ex-Institut Paul Bocuse)

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Abstract: This work aims to identify and understand the various tensions chefs face in reconciling different issues (sustainability, meat cooking, day-to-day management of the restaurant, etc.) through the study of a specific case, the replacement of traditional preparation of stocks and sauces by ready-to-use preparations. Data collected from French chefs (n = 29) were analysed through the prism of paradox theory. Traditional sauce-making is associated by chefs, directly or indirectly, with a set of practices and skills based on techniques, preparations and products that draw on culinary traditions while offering environmental benefits. However, the study shows that chefs tend to use industrial, ready-to-use preparations because of time constraints, convenience, lack of transmission within the profession or regulations (e.g. hygiene rules). The analysis of this replacement highlights paradoxes and tensions linked to the implementation of the new practice, and to performance, especially sustainability performance. The results contribute to the existing literature and assist the restaurant sector and chefs in addressing sustainability challenges.

Keywords: Paradox theory; Sustainable cuisine; Traditional French cuisine; Meat consumption; Restaurants; Sauce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025-03-13
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05004280v1
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Published in International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 2025, 40, pp.101166. ⟨10.1016/j.ijgfs.2025.101166⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-05004280

DOI: 10.1016/j.ijgfs.2025.101166

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