Your Paris food guru

Everyone should have a friend who knows the ins and outs of shopping for food in Paris, keeps a private list of secret neighborhood bistros and can let you in on mysterious French traditions such as why Parisians never toast their baguette. Now you can too, thanks to my small team of Edible Paris food gurus. These English-speaking restaurant critics, food writers and professional cooks spend their spare time sniffing out the very best food shops and restaurants, in the knowledge that nothing can ever be taken for granted.

How it works

Read the profiles of our food gurus and choose one or two whose personality best seems to match yours. E-mail me and I will check their availability during your visit. Next, I’ll send you a questionnaire to establish your food tastes. Your food guru will meet with you, either at your hotel or in a Paris café, to provide you with a personalized list of a dozen essential restaurants and food shops in the neighborhood of your choice, with an accompanying map to help you find each place. During this one-hour session, you can bombard your food guru with questions or simply have a relaxed chat and get to know a Paris food expert.

The food gurus

Each one of these experts has lived in Paris for 15 years or more. Because all our food gurus have many projects on the go at any given time, it’s always advisable to book early.

Stephen Mudge

A restaurant critic, correspondent for Opera News, former opera singer and occasional sheep farmer who runs his own bed and breakfast in Devon during the summer, Stephen is one of the most entertaining people I know. Stephen has been leading tours for Edible Paris for the past two years and everyone has appreciated his theatrical approach and easy wit. If you’re a fan of opera or simply a bit of a hedonist when it comes to food, you’re sure to enjoy having Stephen as your guru. Try to book well ahead, as his many pursuits often take him out of town.

Claude Cabri

I first met Claude, otherwise known as “Miss Lunch,” when I attended one of her clandestine lunches in her artist’s loft near the place d’Aligre market. A multi-faceted artist, cook and food stylist whose paintings are all about food, she can claim roots in Belgium, English speaking Canada, South Africa, Egypt and the island of Pantelleria between Sicily and Tunisia. She can whip up baklava, squid-ink pasta or French baguette in the blink of an eye and knows all her market vendors by name. If you love art or want to learn more about the fascinating blend of cultures in eastern Paris, Claude is the guru for you. 

Rosa Jackson

The founder of Edible Paris, I am probably the hardest of the gurus to pin down since I divide my time between Paris and the south of France. Having designed hundreds of written itineraries, edited six Paris restaurant guides, led countless food tours and written for many magazines and guidebooks, I am something of a human database when it comes to Paris restaurants and food shops. I’ve eaten in just about all the best restaurants as part of my job but, when it comes down to it, there is nothing I enjoy more than a good bistro meal in a cheerful setting. I should also confess that I have an incorrigible sweet tooth and consider it my duty to re-test the best pastry shops and chocolatiers at least once a month. If you can’t see the point of doing anything other than eating while you’re in Paris, I’m probably the right guru.

Price of the food guru welcome to Paris: 150 euros

Includes a personalized list of at least a dozen recommended restaurants and food shops in the area of your choice and an accompanying map, plus one hour with your food guru.

If you wish, you can book other services with your food guru:

- Personalized food tour which may also cover other subjects such as opera, art and history, depending on your guru’s expertise

- Restaurant reservations

- Cooking class reservation (best booked well in advance)

- Restaurant vocabulary lesson

- A restaurant meal to explain French dining customs

To avoid disappointment it’s best to book these services in advance, but you may wish to book additional services once you’re met your guru.

Guided food tours with Rosa, Stephen or Claude

During this three-hour guided food tours for up to six people, we'll take you behind the scenes at some of our favorite Paris food shops and guide you through the best local markets. Like the itineraries, the guided food tours are personalized according to your preferences. Depending on your tastes, a tour might include:

- A visit to a world-renowned boulangerie where you will meet the baker and learn about the French art of breadbaking;

- A glimpse at the life of a dedicated chocolatier who trained with the very best before opening his own boutique;

- A tour of a cheese cellar beneath one of the city's true fromageries (shops that age cheeses on the premises before selling them in peak condition);

- A sampling of unusual oils, ranging from pine nut to pistachio.

During the tour you can also take advantage of our expertise as a longtime Paris food experts to ask for recommendations. If you would like to have lunch or dinner together, the price of the meal will be added on to the cost of the tour.

Private tour for 1 person: 300 euros
2-3 people: 150 euros each
4-6 people: 100 euros each

For a full price list of food guru services, please contact us.