Stephen Marks, Bailli Délégué d'Australie

We are part of the international Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, a society dedicated to preserving the traditions of fine dining, traditions that go back in French history to the Burgundian Court in the 13th century.

Since our society, which was disbanded along with all other guilds during the French Revolution, was re-established in 1950 we have expanded around the world, and our members, who now number some 23,000 in over 80 countries, are dedicated to preserving and raising the standards of the culinary arts not just in French cuisine, but in all the great cuisines of the world.

Here in Australia, we are fortunate in having a range of climates and are blessed with a culture of diverse backgrounds. As a result our food and wine are able to represent the finest cuisines from around the globe. Our thriving agricultural and fishing industries provide the excellent meats, fish, produce and ingredients to enhance the flavours and freshness of our table, while our first class wine regions have made us the world's fourth largest wine exporter.

We have Regional Bailliages (chapters) in all mainland states which meet about 6 to 12 times per year and stage fine dining events. Many less formal amical occasions are also very popular and the successful and enjoyable marriage of the flavours of Wine and Food coupled with camaraderie is our ultimate objective.

As a contribution to the Culinary Industry and the development of young chefs, we stage a series of regional and a national competition each year - the Concours du Meilleur Jeune Commis Rôtisseur - and our national winner competes with the best young chefs from around the world in the international finals - last year in Frankfurt, Germany, and this year in Paris, France, in September. The rewards for successful competitors include, amongst the prizes, a course at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, a set of Wüsthof kitchen knives and some international work experience.

In the following pages on this website you can learn about the history of our fraternity, the recent and planned functions in our Australian Bailliages and, by using the links we have provided, access to the whole world of La Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. We are most happy to offer to international members and their guests visiting Australia a warm and sincere welcome.