Best of France: Chef-Approved French Ingredients & Cookware – Sous Chef UK

French Food & Ingredients

French food ranges from rustic, regional dishes to elaborate, haute cuisine – and everything in between. At one end of the spectrum are the French ingredients and traditions of rural France: grape pressing, salt harvesting, espelette pepper and slow cooked stews. At the other end of the scale is Paris’ tradition of fine dining: rich confits, morel mushrooms, thick roux and gold-brushed croquembouches. Choose gourmet French food, from fine patissier’s Valrhona chocolate to Christine Ferber jams. And French cooking ingredients from snails to fine vinegars and cold pressed olive oils.

Must-have French ingredients

If you are just starting to cook authentic French food, here are a few essentials for your store cupboard:

Olive oil: A staple required for nearly every French dish
Fleur de sel: Sea salt traditionally from Brittany
Herbes de Provence: As the name suggests a mixture of dried, fragrant herbs from Provence
Flour: From baguettes to pastry you can't go without it
Mustard: Perfect for making a French salad dressing

Essential French cookware

Dutch oven - For making coq au vin and bourgiugnon
Crepe pan - For the perfect French crepe
Baking dish - For tarteflette or clafoutis
Peugeot Paris salt and pepper mills - The perfect companion for your dinner table

Some of our favourite French recipes

To learn more about how to cook with these products, take a look at our French recipes:

Strawberry Fraisier - a classic French cake made of two layers of sponge, strawberries and lashings of cream.

Popular Recipes

French Chouquettes Recipe

French Chouquettes Recipe

Under 60 minutes
Intermediate
August 15th, 2012

Passion Meringue Tarts Recipe

Valrhona Passion Fruit Meringue Tarts Recipe

Intermediate
September 28th, 2021

Louis XV Dessert Recipe

Louis XV Dessert Recipe

Overnight with 30 minutes cooking
Difficult
September 27th, 2013

Pistachio Macarons Recipe

Pistachio Macarons Recipe

Overnight with 40 minutes cooking
Intermediate
April 13th, 2015

Inspire Me

French Pâtissier's Secret Ingredient - 3 Recipes Using Feuilletine

by Nicola Lando

June 12th, 2025

What Is New Season Olive Oil?

March 10th, 2022

Christmas Gift Shop -> SHOP NOW

Pommery French Mustard

Pommery French Mustard

Valrhona Chocolate

Valrhona Chocolate

French Oil

De Buyer Cookware

De Buyer Cookware

Espelette Pepper

Espelette Pepper

French Confectionery by Francois Doucet

French Confectionery by Francois Doucet

Filt French Bags

Filt French Bags

Recipes and Buyer's Guides

French Chouquettes Recipe
- Under 60 minutes
- Intermediate
- August 15th, 2012
French Pâtissier's Secret Ingredient - 3 Recipes Using Feuilletine
by Nicola Lando
June 12th, 2025
Valrhona Passion Fruit Meringue Tarts Recipe
- Intermediate
- September 28th, 2021
Louis XV Dessert Recipe
- Overnight with 30 minutes cooking
- Difficult
- September 27th, 2013
Pistachio Macarons Recipe
- Overnight with 40 minutes cooking
- Intermediate
- April 13th, 2015
What Is New Season Olive Oil?
March 10th, 2022