The culinary community of Megève will come together on October 18 to 20 for the 2024 edition of Toquicimes, the annual festival of mountain cuisine and produce. The festival celebrates the best food from local chefs, farmers, culinary students, and other producers in the Megève area.
Toquicimes is a weekend-long celebration that encompasses several events, from sit-down meals with elite chefs to cooking competitions for the best Alpine dishes. Participants in the event include 135 local restaurants and 51 farms and producers, each with their own unique offerings.
The Theme of The Five Senses
This year’s theme for Toquicimes is the celebration of the five senses. In trying out the food celebrated by Megèvans during the festival, guests are invited to engage all the senses in seeing, tasting, smelling, touching, and even hearing the way local food is savored.
Chefs and other participants will be using their knowledge of the senses to help create food items from local products, which include dairy products, fruits, vegetables, wines and spirits. Each restaurant will have their own venue to present unique menu items, some of which are developed specifically for the event.
A special lunch will also be prepared during Toquicimes by elite chefs in support of Team France for the Bocuse d’Or, a gastronomic competition for chefs from around the world. These French chefs in attendance are prepared to delight guests with a menu of extraordinary culinary experiences.
The Toquicimes program also includes masterclasses and workshops with chefs on how to prepare signature dishes and improve cooking skills.
The Future of Cuisine
Among the participants for Toquicimes are the students of Campus de Groisy, a training center devoted to the food and catering industry. Students will set up their stations at Les Halles with a special program designed to highlight opportunities within the industry.
Culinary students in Campus de Groisy will run their own restaurant inside Les Halles to practice what they’ve learned in their programs through the preparation of exceptional meals. Every aspect of restaurant operations will be highlighted in the restaurant, from table setting and service to creative cooking and plating of food.
Other Campus de Groisy programs featured during Toquicimes are flower arrangement, sommelier training, pastry, and butchery, which will be featured through creative presentations at Les Halles.
Competitions Galore
Another highlight of Toquicimes are the competitions among chefs and cooks to create the best Alpine dishes in Megève. One such competition is the Mondial de Fondue, a competition for creative takes on the classic Alpine dish. There will also be competitions for creating the best chocolate tarts, patês en croute (patê wrapped in pastry) and dishes with crozets, a type of Alpine pasta.
For more fun competitions, there will also be Je Cuisine avec Mon Boxeur de Chef, where chefs cook with neophytes while wearing boxing gloves, and the Course des Garcons de Café, a race for waiters.
Gourmet Markets, Food Trucks, and a Cookbook Fair
Finally, for the casual diner, Toquicimes also features the best of local cuisine and produce through their Gourmet Market for fresh ingredients and food trucks from various restaurants preparing casual versions of their specialties, along with a special fair for cookbooks. This gives the residents of Megève an opportunity to explore local delicacies and innovative new cooking techniques.
The Gourmet Market features the best of Megèvan produce and food items in a casual marketplace. Guests are invited to browse through the aisles of the market to try out different food products and discover the secrets to creating the best local food.
Food trucks are featured prominently on the 19th and 20th of October at La Place Gourmande, featuring unique main courses and desserts. Non-alcoholic drink selections are also offered at La Place Gourmande, including juice and coffee.
The Chef’s Bookstore is a unique book fair that invites guests to browse through cookbooks and learn the secrets to Michelin star-worthy dishes from the best chefs in the country. Beginners and experienced cooks alike are invited to have their cookbooks signed by attending chefs and interact with them to learn more about what it takes to create exceptional cooking.
More information about Toquicimes can be found on the event website at toquicimes.com and the Megève Tourisme website at megeve-tourisme.fr.
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Featured Image by Nouvelles Gastronomiques
