‘Beer louts with unhealthy diets’: why British cooking still hasn’t won over the French

The French public see British food as school puddings and fish and chips. Photograph: Ellis Parrinder/The Observer

British cooking is finally starting to be recognised around the world. But try telling the French that. For them, la cuisine Britannique – c’est nul.

Figures revealed by VisitBritain at the Tourism Alliance’s insights conference last week showed just how far the UK has to go. An annual survey by Anholt-Ipsos of 60,000 people in 20 countries, which asked for their views on 60 nations, included a new question about food.