9 French Food Bloggers to Bookmark in 2017

A few weeks ago, I had the delightful surprise to be listed as one of “Five Niagara Food Bloggers to Bookmark Now” (in an article by Tiffany Mayer, author of eatingniagara.com, thank you Tiffany!). I was filled with content and humility when reading Tiffany’s admirative review of the blog. But my delight and curiosity reached another peak when I browsed through the list of bloggers and (re)discovered the amazing food blogs operated from my adopted region – Niagara, ON.

This inspired me to come up with this article of the 9 French Food Bloggers to Bookmark in 2017. To all French food enthusiasts, Joel Robuchon, Julia Child, Jacques Pepin and Dorie Greenspan are the all-to-familiar names of world-renowned masters of French Cooking. But the last decades have also seen the emergence of new chefs and home cooks showing off their culinary talents on the blogosphere – in France and beyond. French Food bloggers have splashed modernism and international fusion onto our French staples. They showcase daringly French cuisine as it really is today: a fantastic mix of authentic and modern, regional and international, stewed and microwaved, from intricate dishes to, yes, sometimes ready-to-cook meals.  

In terms of French Cuisine, “La crème de la crème” of the French food bloggers is typically summed up to these five: Mimi Thorisson from Manger (Must-try: Artichoke Soufflé), Béa from La Tartine Gourmande (Must-try: Tomato Tarte Tatin), David Lebovitz from David Lebovitz (Must try: Pork and beans.), Clotilde Dussolier, from Chocolate And Zucchini (Must-try: French scalloped potatoes) and finally, Rachel Khoo, from Rachel Khoo (Must-try: Cheese coins with fig).

Personally, I feel as though the next 9 French food bloggers are bursting with just as much talent and creativity. Newer or just underrated, these ones are not really known outside of the French borders (yet) but are little celebrities in their native country. They master the whisk as skillfully as their camera, and blog eloquently in the language of Moliere. French cuisine is not fixed in time nor within its borders; and these French bloggers share with us a wonderful testimony of it. Every single day.

*The following list is non-exhaustive and simply the humble reflection of my daily readings and tastes. All photos are not my property and belong to the stated French food bloggers’ names.

1. Anne from Papilles et Pupilles 

Based in Bordeaux, Anne is the pioneer of food blogs in France. With a passion for cooking and photography, she launched Papilles & Pupilles (meaning “Tastebuds and eye pupils”) in 2005, to fill her days from being a bored housewife, and mother of 2. With her approachable recipes and the easy-going vibe of her blog, she quickly grew her fan base to soon become one of the most renowned French bloggers out there. 12 years later, she gets 100,000 unique visitors every day (3 million every month!) and has also become a renowned cookbook author. Despite the fame, Anne has gracefully kept her blog as her main means of expression – sharing her culinary experiences, travels and tips, in an always down-to-earth and amicable tone. 

Must-try: Braised Pork cheek with cider and honey

2. Stephanie from Cuisine Moi un Mouton

Also based in Bordeaux, Stephanie is a master of visual story telling. Every night after work, she puts on an apron and whips up a recipe – always a new one. And for each new recipe, she stages a new enchanting world that she captures through stunning photographs. She is also a globe-traveler and shares a “travel” section on the blog with her boyfriend. Every week, they share bits of their culinary adventures from around France, and the world – from a scrumptious brunch in Bordeaux’ new hot spot, to a romantic vacation in Thailand.

Must-try: Goat cheese, honey and fig tart

3. Dorian from Dorian Cuisine

Dorian likes to introduce himself as a “Stay-at-home dad, with 5 ¾ mouths to feed, every day, every day, every day …”. And that indeed, he is. Dorian is a super cool stay-at-home dad, who debunks the clichés and delivers insanely creative eats to his tribe, every single day of the week. His generous spreads are colorful, fun, kid-friendly (but not childish) and always festooned by his humorous family tales. If you are curious to see what a French family feasts on every day – Dorian is your dad… I mean, guy.

Must-try: multicolored vegetables and ham pie

4. Raf from La Raffinerie Culinaire

With the creation of her blog “The Culinary Factory”, Raf’s mission is to get people to spend more time in their kitchens. This young woman urges readers to stop buying pre-made meals, full of preservatives and chemicals, and urges us take our sweet time to cook and share our creations with our entourage – and she’s here to help! Whether a beginner or a skilled cook, she shares her tips and inspires us to get cooking with her beautiful, creative photos.

Must-try: Apricot, ricotta and lemongrass puff tarts

5. Cyrielle from Carnets Parisiens

Cyrielle has shared her “Parisian diaries” since 2009, and has become a little celebrity. Pastel tones, and a simplistic design give her blog a soothing and cuddly feel. Each of her recipes and photos, carefully curated, transport us into her minimalistic and dreamy world. And it is sometimes hard to believe that she operates in a 4m² kitchen, in the middle of bustling Paris. She also shares glimpses of her life as a young mother living in Paris – just enough to make every girl around the world wish they were her.

Must-try: Snow flake brioche

6. Hana from J’Veux etre bonne

Hana is a self-proclaimed stop motion freak. She started her blog in 2010 to share her recipes with her girlfriends, and quickly fell in love food-animes. She likes to use this photo-series technique to showcase her favorite products and produces and create mouth-watering visual recipes. She even now has a professional stop motion studio where she makes videos for global brands. Her style is colorful, imaginative (with some psychedelic to it) and truly stands out. Make sure to check out her Instagram page as well.

Must-try: Red Cabbage pizza  

7. Emilie from Griottes

“You eat with your eyes first”; and Emilie knows it oh so well. Her minimalistic blog focus on beautiful food, beautiful designs and the artistry of marrying both of these together harmoniously, to create plates as beautiful as true paintings. Emilie is a true queen of l’Art de la Table.  She blends her graphic skills, photography, art, and food, to realize unique posts exploring food textures and colors. She recently released a book “dessert a l’assiette” where teaches in 40 desserts how to effortlessly assemble simple ingredients onto a plate, to create extravagant, Michelin Star-like dish for your guests.  

Must-try: Thousand Pie

8. Lea from Tangerine Zest

Just like its name “Tangerine Zest”, Lea’s blog is full of pep, with a touch of femininity. Based in Grenoble, the young woman is a passionate home cook and loves to share her culinary and photographic adventures, in a very unpretentious and down-to-earth way. Lea’s simplicity is both refreshing and inspiring. She makes her recipes approachable and entices us to source local and seasonal ingredients. While some bloggers produce stunning photographs of their recipes (which may end up looking a bit intimidating), Lea prefers to focus on the ingredients she uses – always fresh – and on the food itself (but her photos are actually very beautiful, too!).  

Must-try:  Hazelnut and raison whole wheat bread loaf

9. Sylvie from Amuses Bouches

Sylvie is without any doubt one of the most talented food photographers and bakers I have came across on the French blogosphere. She has a *very* sweet tooth and has been sharing her delectable cake, pastry and other sweet treat recipes since 2006. Her photos are super-polished and magazine-like, but she somehow manages to transport us into our childhood… She is like the mum that every French kid dreams of – baking mountains of madeleines, meringues and choux for after-school snacks, and lavish Charlotte cakes for birthday parties.

Must-try: Sandwich cake