Gastronomy is an integral part of the identity of the Nice area: it is part of the French intangible cultural heritage.
What is Cuisine Nicoise?
Nice's cuisine reflects this art of living and the respect for regional products always including the famous olive oil and numerous aromatic plants.
Nice’s cuisine is a "transition" between Provence and Italy, between the Mediterranean and the Alps. The «Niçoise» cuisine has the name of the city in its appellation: «Cuisine Nissarde, le respect de la tradition». This appellation was created in 1998 in order to reassert the value of authentic Nice cuisine while preserving its past.
The Nice region is a land of age-old culture and history that over the centuries has used external influences to its advantage while building its traditions. Man had to adapt farming practices to climatic conditions, hence the choice of plant species requiring little water: the olive, fig and almond trees, the vine, etc. The olive tree, grown since Ancient times, has become the very symbol of Mediterranean culture. For a very long time, olive oil remained the only fat used for cooking, seasoning and preserving foods. Olives are also eaten on their own or ground into paste, or tapenade, a condiment the ancient Romans enjoyed.
Vine growing was for a long time an integral part of the agricultural landscape, before being concentrated in small prestigious vineyards, giving rise to the “Vins de Bellet” appellation, the hills where the grapes are grown.
Caught between the sea and the mountains, the people of the region of Nice were forced to adapt their pastoral activity to the rugged relief and harsh climatic conditions by choosing to raise sheep and goats, which require little grass and can live on steep terrain. On the coast, the sea was not very rich in fish; the people of Nice ate essentially sardines, anchovies, some rock fish caught locally, salt fish and dried fish - stockfish from the ocean - thanks to maritime trade.
en.nicetourisme.com/nice-s-cuisine (External link)
L'Atelier de cuisine niçoise
With the aim to transmit local culinary traditions, a cuisine niçoise atelier is structured around different activities: cooking lessons, competitions, tastings, expositions… With a chef as guide, participants will be able to learn emblematic local recipes thanks to a availability of 13 equipped workstations. Screens allow participants to see all actions of the chief. The duration of the cooking sessions goes from 1 hour to all day. It will be a place of learning and transmission of the richness of the Nice heritage. lateliercuisinenicoise.fr (External link)
Les Petits Farcis Cooking Class Rosa Jackson
Rosa long dreamed of combining market tours with cooking classes and chose Nice for its vibrant food market and unique culinary traditions. After more than ten years of teaching, her greatest satisfaction comes from knowing that people all over the world are now preparing local specialties such as pissaladière (caramelized onion tart), socca (chickpea pancake) and of course the stuffed vegetables known as les petits farcis! www.petitsfarcis.com/rosa-jackson/ (External link)
