China and France are known as "two great countries of eastern and western cuisines". French cuisine is inferior to Chinese cuisine in terms of the breadth of materials and the types of tastes, but its exquisite tableware and elegant dining occasions make it a foil to the upper class all over the world. A formal French feast is usually interspersed with aperitif, wine during dinner and wine after dinner. In this respect, Chinese food is incomparable.

Chefs also have a high social status in France. The monthly salary of a four-star chef may be several times that of the general manager of a large enterprise. French people are keen on eating, which is also reflected in newspapers and magazines. There is always a column about food in the newspaper, and cookbooks with beautiful covers often become bestsellers in bookstores.