- Title: Eat through 7 countries over 2 hours with 'Le Petit Chef' in Joburg
- Date: 5th November 2019
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) OPEN BOOK PROJECTION OF LE PETIT CHEF DINERS WATCHING LE PETIT CHEF CLOSE UP OF A DINER WATCHING LE PETIT CHEF PROJECTION OF LE PETIT CHEF WALKING THROUGH INDIA (SOUNDBITE) (English) OWNER, DINNERTIMESTORIES SA, PAUL ROUESSART, SAYING: "The little chef, which is about the size of my thumb, is a 58 cm chef called Le Petit chef, follows the steps of Marco Polo. He starts off in Marseilles in France and he then moves to Arabia. From Arabia, he goes through India, from India into the Himalayan mountains, and then obviously to China to end off the story of Marco Polo and then returns back to Marseille, and the whole way we take you on this projected journey through the tabletop. We serve you a six-course, in fact it's a seven-course meal which stimulates all of your senses."
- Embargoed: 19th November 2019 14:43
- Keywords: Le Petit Chef world cuisine food dining experience Marco Polo animation DinnerTimeStories SA Paul Rouessart
- Location: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- City: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001B49E2C7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:The world's tinniest chef has landed in South Africa and is walking across table tops for the first time on the continent, as he brings his global dining experience to South Africans.
"Le Petit Chef, the footsteps of Marco Polo" provides a gastronomic experience for diners by the using technology to add another dimension to their meals.
Dinners are taken through an interactive projection mapping seven-course dinner, that takes guests through Marco Polo's silk trade route across Asia.
"The little chef, which is about the size of my thumb, is a 58 cm chef called Le Petit chef, follows the steps of Marco Polo. He starts off in Marseilles in France and he then moves to Arabia. From Arabia, he goes through India, from India into the Himalayan mountains, and then obviously to China to end off the story of Marco Polo. And then returns back to Marseille, and the whole way we take you on this projected journey through the tabletop. We serve you a six-course, in fact it's a seven-course meal which stimulates all of your senses," said Paul Rouessart, owner of the DinnerTimeStories SA, an international initiative that brought Le Petit Chef to South Africa.
The dinner is accompanied by music, aromas and props to fit each course - which lasts about 2 hours - with the restaurant staff dressing up to fit each theme.
The brainchild of two Belgian artists, Le Petit Chef has become a must for food lovers, with pop-up restaurants all over the world.
"Wow! The visuals are fantastic. The colours are bright. The sound is pretty amazing. You felt the bass which was pretty cool. The animation was top class. It could give Pixar a run for its money," said one diner Alain Regnard.
"The flavours were incredible. It's also nice because you get to taste the different food from different cultures from different countries around the world and not having to leave our own country," added Jordan Murcia, another diner.
Rouessart says technology has transformed the food industry, allowing people to explore different cuisines from across the world, without having to travel.
"South Africans have to have this experience because they obviously can't afford on the Rand very often to travel the world and have the experience of the cities around the world, that we're bringing to them on their own table tops. It allows them to have a full experience; the props are authentic; the food is authentic. They can even have the smells along with the taste of the various cities of the world," he added.
DinnerTimeStories SA is planning to expand Le Petit Chef's journeys into other cities across the country.
(Production: Sisipho Skweyiya, Onke Ngcuka) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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