Why go
The term helps explain why one French menu may feel different from a traditional haute cuisine meal. Think of quickly cooked fish or vegetables, fresh herbs and a restrained sauce in place of a long, heavily garnished preparation. It is a change in method as much as appearance.
The full story
The words nouvelle cuisine had appeared before, but critics Henri Gault and Christian Millau revived them in the 1960s for the cooking of chefs such as Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers and Michel Guérard. These chefs challenged the elaborate conventions associated with Escoffier’s era. Several had studied with Fernand Point at La Pyramide in Vienne before building their own restaurants. Their approaches varied, but a common direction was clear. Menus became shorter. Fish, seafood and vegetables were often cooked more briefly to preserve their flavor, with steaming among the favored techniques. Fresh ingredients, herbs, butter, lemon and vinegar took a larger role, while heavy flour-thickened sauces and strong marinades became less central. Chefs also drew on regional dishes and explored new equipment and combinations. By the 1980s, some writers considered the movement exhausted, and many cooks returned to elements of haute cuisine. Yet the preference for lighter presentation and a clearer taste of the main ingredient endured. Looking at a plate, notice what the sauce adds and whether the garnish supports the ingredient rather than competing with it.