Eva Longoria: Searching for France — Sneak Peek

[0:07] there's something about this place it's big it's messy it's old it's new it's a million pieces [0:14] that somehow create something that's magical and majestic thousand feet high when it was built [0:23] this tower was the tallest in the world and an instant sensation daringly modern and yet so [0:31] elegant it embodies the city it soars over no matter how many times i do this it's still the [0:41] greatest thrill in the world paris i can't get enough of you i'm eva longoria and i'm a serious [0:53] francophile something over the past 20 years my career as an actor has brought me to france time [0:59] and again it's my home away from home but those trips were more about work than joie de vivre [1:05] now i want something deeper this is going to be an adventure so i'm setting out to really [1:13] experience france this is cabernet sauvignon oh that's my favorite to savor its world celebrated [1:19] cuisine and explore the country's rich history the city of light harris is renowned not only for its [1:31] graceful buildings and romantic bridges but also for its revolutions and dangerous ideas in belleville [1:39] it's hashtag fight for your rights this avant-garde spirit runs through parisian culture [1:47] and of course food influencing not just france but the whole world [1:53] creating a legacy of classic after classic after classic i think i'm gonna lick this off the plate [2:06] and lately a new food scene is sweeping the city led by a fresh wave of culinary giants [2:13] now we have people who can express their double identity but some parisian cooking traditions [2:18] are just too good to change butter more oh my god truckloads of butter it's too much yes [3:06] thank you in paris one of the greatest pleasures is picking up your morning baguette it is a full sensory [3:16] experience from the smell to the color to the crunch to the warm and of course to the taste now the [3:24] french don't normally eat on the go but for this they make an exception sitting at the crossroads of [3:33] northern france paris is divided by its artery the seine river where i'm starting my adventure to meet [3:45] you so nice to meet you another fellow american here in paris yeah lindsay tremuda has swapped [3:52] philadelphia for paris and writes about the people and ideas that shape this city i'm so happy to be [3:59] back in paris especially for the food oh i bet i mean everything comes together here yeah the baguette [4:05] in your hand yeah the flour might be coming from normandy and anything you would want to pair with that [4:10] butter oh britney yes if you wanted champagne to go with your your breakfast which you might pain [4:17] 100 miles east from here but you know i feel like there's a stereotype about parisians you know [4:23] which one right there are there are many what you might be hinting at is this sort of confidence that [4:28] comes across as arrogance from the parisian yeah yeah but the thing that i appreciate so much here is [4:33] that everyone cares they care about their appearance the way that they're put together they care about [4:38] food they care about aesthetics but that pride can be misinterpreted exactly i'd be proud of inventing [4:45] the baguette wouldn't you yeah and all the other things that we get here and champagne totally and [4:51] i think that they need to be experienced all together and shared and shared around the table exactly [4:58] i like eating with french people regions have taken this pride in what they do to the next level [5:09] elevating the whole dining experience into culinary theater i love this hotel it's so gorgeous [5:17] and the restaurant that does this better than anywhere is le maurice the fine dining vision of [5:28] legendary chef alain ducasse bonjour mon ami bonjour [5:52] a master of the parisian art of the table alain ducasse has accumulated an [5:56] astonishing 21 michelin stars over his career my first time here it was 20 years in this room [6:07] i have good souvenirs here it's the mini versailles here it's a mini versailles here it's a copy [6:13] of one of the salons of the chateau of versailles the kings have built versailles and the art of [6:19] living in versailles it's certainly the art of living the most extraordinary a glutton and food obsessive [6:28] said to have eaten six dozen oysters at a time it was king louis the 14th who introduced the art of the [6:34] table to his palace in versailles in the 17th century he enjoyed elaborate dining rituals creating the [6:42] concept of oak cuisine which paris is still famed for all while showcasing french power to the world [6:48] to honor versailles executive chef amoribou is serving louis the 14th's favorite britney oysters [7:10] dressed with rhubarb four ways a rhubarb tofu a tart salad a delicate gel and a frozen granita but where the [7:20] king had 72 in one sitting we just get one wow unbelievable oh my gosh but what an oyster we have [7:34] beautiful oyster from the key bronze bay it's a britannic just posed beautiful enjoy and bon appetit [7:40] ním merci chef c'est simplement mon moncènes et j'aime beaucoup la ciudall est pour commencer ça [7:56] interpelle ya there's so many different textures as crunchy it's smooth through week c'est toujours [8:02] aussi important cet art de la table ce savoir manger la route de gastronomie c'est comme la haute couture [8:08] c'est une obsession françaises nous on est obsédés par tout ce qui participe nous sommes obsédés par la [8:15] the quality of the nappe, with a corner called a capuchon corner. [8:20] These are the seeds. [8:21] I would sleep in these. [8:22] Of course. [8:23] It's hot. [8:24] We have beautiful white asparagus. [8:30] Thank you. [8:31] Next, delicate asparagus spears are balanced with salty seaweed. [8:36] I love it. [8:39] Oh, thank you. [8:40] Followed by a smoky grilled veal with a fresh vegetable sauce. [8:44] Oh my gosh. [8:45] This is so tender. [8:46] Do you think French cuisine is the best in the world? [8:53] No. [8:54] We are historically the best technicians. [8:57] But is it the best cuisine? [8:59] It's very pretentious and arrogant to say that. [9:02] Well, we didn't say it. [9:04] We can be authorized because we have the history. [9:07] This is why I feel people think French fine dining is this room, this menu, this table. [9:16] It ends up being an unforgettable experience. [9:20] L'objectif, c'est de garder le souvenir. [9:23] Le souvenir d'un moment passé, à table, avec des amis. [9:27] Well, I can't imagine starting my Paris journey with anyone better. [9:32] Chef Dukas. [9:33] Merci beaucoup. [9:34] C'est un plaisir. [9:36] À Paris. [9:37] À Paris.