INTRODUCTION

It is not possible to standardize cooking. Indeed it is an art in which success depends on the chef's savoir-faire. Bouillabaisse, however, the most typical dish of Marseilles, includes precise ingredients which are important to use if traditions are to be respected and the customer is not to be cheated.

The objective of this Charter is thus to specify the elements of a good quality Bouillabaisse, with the goal to make this local dish better known among customers, while at the same time respecting the art of the professional.

HISTORY OF THE MARSEILLES BOUILLABAISSE

It was originally a fisherman's dish. While sorting out the fish intended to be sold they used to put aside certain species which they would then prepare for themselves and their families.

It is a very simple family dish which has been improved over the years and which may now include a binding sauce and even crustaceans.

SERVICE

The way in which the Bouillabaisse is served is left to the discretion of the restaurant manager, but as a general rule it is served in two different dishes, the fish in one and the soup in the other. Depending on the guest's wishes the dish may be served mixed together in a soup plate or served separately.

There is, however, one fundamental rule: the fish must be cut up in front of the guests. Pimento-flavored mayonnaise, accompanied with croutons, is also to be served.