Passion for French food and culture : discover the city with me

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About Allison

Hi! I’m Allison, and I’m an educator working in French food, culture, history, and art. If you’re a gastro-curious traveler or learner, I’m here to show you the A to Z of French food and culture!

I’m a born storyteller and highly passionate about sharing my deep cultural knowledge. My 25 years in France have led me on countless culinary and cultural explorations, and I’ve created engaging educational experiences for over 4000 clients. Click below to discover how we can share our common passion for French food and culture!

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Discover Belleville!

This off-the-beaten path history tour
lets you penetrate the heart and soul of eastern Paris. You’ll discover the area’s wine history, its musical legacies, and contemplate ever-changing street art.
Join me for an exploration of this
effervescent neighborhood.

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Taste a parisian market!

Discover the Marché d’Aligre, one
of Paris’s most vibrant and
authentic outdoor markets! I’ll
show you how to shop like a local,
share with you ideas to inspire your
seasonal cooking, and tips on how
to interact with market vendors.

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The Parisian bouillon!

Back before gourmet dining reached the masses, people ate at bouillons, the first fast-food eateries in France! Come explore the world of the bouillon with me, your Expert Food Guide, and you’ll discover the beauty of the bouillon.

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Best way to learn about French markets

We met Allison on our second day in Paris and the experience was fabulous! Allison has a great knowledge of the markets and their history. We have teenage daughters and Allison made sure they were included in every part of our tour.

She was attentive and supportive to encourage us to try new foods, with a respect to items we were not interested in. Allison has well-developed relationships with market vendors and all were friendly and welcoming. If you’re thinking of a market tour, Allison is the Chef and expert to be your guide. This tour is top of the list of best experiences ever!

– Christine, Client

Allison brings French food and culture to life!

Allison is an absolute wealth of knowledge about French food and wine, of French culture, and of French history. She was a real joy to work with for our 3-week Study Abroad program, and her extraordinary connections in the food, wine, and Champagne industry were endless.

Allison brings French food and culture to life! She worked beautifully with students of all abilities and taught them all a love of France and everything French. I will work with Allison again as soon as the world allows it.

– Jack, History Professor

Fall in love with Belleville

We highly recommend the Belleville tour with Allison. She is a walking encyclopedia of this funky, passionate neighborhood. Allison is a long-time resident who generously shares her in-depth knowledge and, by doing so, preserves Belleville’s identity. As with most neighborhoods on the outskirts, gentrification has its sights on Belleville, and someday it will no longer exist in the way you will see and learn with Allison.

You will learn about Belleville’s humble beginnings, about its political passion, and its rich artistic atmosphere. Take the tour with Allison and catch her passion. You will not be disappointed! Merci Allison. Until next time!

– Paula and Tom, Clients

Fantastic learning experience

I love French food, French cheese, French markets, and French wine. Allison’s market tour was the highlight of my three-week stay in Paris. I learned how to shop in the market, which cheeses to choose, how to use spices such as espelette pepper and powdered vanilla.

What a fantastic learning experience even for an experienced cook! I cannot wait to share my experiences with my friends and family. I will be returning to Paris next year and will look forward to another session with Allison

– Susie, Client

Spurs curiosity for learning

Allison is a phenomenal chef, educator and tour guide. Our hospitality students from New York spend 3 weeks in Paris, and are enriched through her expertise in the industry, her passion for food, and her wealth of knowledge about French history and culture.

Allison’s teaching style and sense of humor allow her to engage with a diverse group of students and personalities in a way that leaves a lasting impact on them and spurs their curiosity for deeper learning. She is also so relatable and makes the experience fun!

– Thalia, Professor

Allison is knowledgeable, personable, and just plain fun!

My husband and I took Allison’s walking tour of Belleville and Ménilmontant. For 2 or 3 hours we strolled, learned about the history of the area, talked about French culture, and appreciated sights & street art that we would otherwise not have noticed. Allison is knowledgeable, personable, and just plain fun! We greatly enjoyed our time with her and look forward to spending more time with her on our next visit to Paris!

– Suzannah, Client