French President Emmanuel Macron’s Australian visit has chefs abuzz over where he might eat

AFTER his triumphant US trip to meet President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Sydney on Tuesday to meet Malcolm Turnbull in a two-day visit — but where will he go to sample Sydney’s best French fare?

IT’S in-Seine to think the French president won’t stop for a lunch during his whirlwind visit to Sydney.

But if he wants a bite of baguette or bit of brie, where will he escargot?

After his triumphant US trip to meet President Donald Trump, Emmanuel Macron will arrive in Sydney on Tuesday afternoon to meet Malcolm Turnbull in a two-day visit expected to canvass free trade, terrorism, cyber-attacks and espionage.

A government spokesman said the visit would “deepen a bilateral relationship that’s gone from strength to strength”.

“The leaders want the visit to strengthen economic prosperity and national security for the direct benefit of the Australian and French people,” he said.

French President Emmanuel Macron and President Donald Trump embrace at the White House in Washington last week. Picture: Andrew Harnik

But Mr Macron is also expected tomorrow to meet with French and Australian chefs in Sydney to promote French gastronomy.

Talk of Mr Macron’s culinary interests had French chefs in Sydney abuzz, with Luc La Joye of Lo Luk Bistro in Surry Hills certain Mr Macron would find authentic French food.

“We are a little piece of Provence in Sydney,” Mr La Joye said.

“I try to be as close to the most authentic as we can. It’s basically the same as a bistro you would find in Provence.”

He nominated Brasserie l’Entrecôte in Pymble as his favourite French restaurant in Sydney.

“We are similar, we both put passion in what we do,” he said.

Drew Bolton, of Été restaurant in Barangaroo, said Sydney had developed its own version of French cuisine.

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Mike Flood, of Barangaroo’s Été restaurant, says Sydney has its own French cuisine. Picture: Dylan Robinson

“Our produce is very different here, which forces you to do things a little bit differently,” he said.

“We take dishes that would be definitely recognised on a traditional French menu and rework them to freshen them up.”

His duck a l’orange uses locally farmed duck, bitter Australian oranges and figs for a dish that would be lighter than its Gallic counterpart.

Mike Flood, chef de cuisine at Été said he’d recommend Mr Macron order the sand whiting dish, a mix of French technique and local ingredients.

“It’s a beautiful fresh Australian fish presented with an oyster and mustard beurre blanc and native coastal succulents,” he said.