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Once you arrive in Paris, you'll find that the word "French," although used frequently, isn't very helpful in describing cuisine. "French" covers such a broad scope that it doesn't prepare you for the offerings of the specialty chefs. Even the Parisians themselves might ask, "What type of French cooking?"

Sometimes a chef will include regional specialties, classic dishes, and even modern cuisine all on one menu. In that case, such a restaurant is truly "French." Other chefs prefer a more narrow focus and feature the cooking of one region or one style -- classic or modern. Still others prefer to strike a middle ground between classic and modern; they're called "creative."

Regional cuisine showcases the diversity of the provinces of France, from Alsace on the German border to the Basque country at the frontier of Spain. The climate has a lot to do with this diversified offering -- olive oil, garlic, and tomatoes from Provence in the south to oysters and saltwater fish from Brittany. Every region is known for special dishes -- Burgundy for its escargots plucked off the grapevines; Périgord for its truffles and foie gras; Normandy for its soft, rich cheeses, Calvados, and cream sauces; and Alsace for its sauerkraut and wines. Today, one or more restaurants in Paris represent almost every region of France. You can go on a complete culinary tour of the country without leaving the city.

Few chefs today use the expression "nouvelle cuisine," now called "modern." This cooking style, which burst upon us in the early 1970s, is now old hat (or should we say old toque?). It was a rebellion against the fats, butter, and sauces of haute cuisine, and used reductions of foodstuff to create flavor, along with vegetable purées and lighter ingredients. Portions were reduced. Diners were shocked to see a piece of boeuf (beef) the size of an egg on their plate under a slice of fresh kiwi. Created in the name of innovation, many of these dishes were successful, while others, such as asparagus ice cream, were dismal failures.

From nouvelle cuisine grew cuisine improvisée, which is creative cookery based on the freshest ingredients available. Chefs make their selections at the morning market and then rush back to their kitchens to create spontaneously, often while dictating the menu of the day to an assistant who rushes it into print.

But fans of the great chef Escoffier can rest assured that modern hasn't replaced classic cuisine -- France is still awash in béchamel and ablaze with cognac. Haute gastronomie is alive and thriving at restaurants not only in Paris, but also throughout France. This richly extravagant fare is often lethal in price as it makes use of expensive ingredients, including fatted ducks, lobster, truffles, and plenty of butter and cream, plus sauces that consume endless time in their preparation. Breaking from Escoffier, many chefs today have forged ahead with a "new classic cuisine," where they have taken classic dishes and branded them with their own distinctive style and flavor, often reducing the calories.

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