French cell-based food company, Gourmey, has unveiled the ‘industry’s first’ culinary advisory board, bringing together top chefs from around the world to help shape its innovations.

Joining the board are chefs Claude Le Tohic in the US, Rasmus Munk in Denmark and Daniel Calvert in Japan. Gourmey said the trio were impressed by the company’s first cultivated foie gras product, which aims to honour culinary traditions and heritage while ‘looking to the future’.

The chefs will now be working with Gourmey’s team to create bold new textures and flavours for its flagship product, with ambitions to ‘reimagine’ fine dining while sparing land and resources.

The creation of the culinary board marks a key milestone for the Paris, France-based group, which submitted an application to sell its foie gras in Europe this summer alongside applications in Singapore, the US, UK and Switzerland.

Le Tohic, head of San Francisco’s O’ by Claude Le Tohic, is known for his bold reinterpretations of French classics, while Calvert, of Tokyo’s Sézanne, is renowned for his Japanese-French fusion dishes. Munk’s Alchemist restaurant in Copenhagen, meanwhile, goes beyond traditional dining boundaries, offering guests an immersive experience that blends gastronomy with art, technology and narrative.

The trio have a combined total of eight Michelin stars. They will explore creative ways to use Gourmey’s innovation – whether by crafting unique dishes, designing an entire menu, or reimagining their signature creations – and provide regular feedback on Gourmey’s products.

This culinary advisory board will be key in shaping Gourmey’s product characteristics and qualities, ensuring the highest standards in gastronomy are applied and supporting in the creation of pairings and flavours.

Gourmey’s foie gras features roasted top notes, buttery and caramelic heart notes, and a long-lasting base of ‘intense meatiness’ designed to satisfy foie gras aficionados, chefs and restaurants across the globe, the company said.

The chefs praised its ‘rich flavours and delicate mouthfeel,’ with a texture that maintains its shape when raw and, when pan-seared, forms a caramelised outer crust while preserving the creamy interior.

Le Tohic said: “I had the pleasure of trying Gourmey’s cultivated foie gras, and I must say I was genuinely impressed. Its exquisite colour and exceptional consistency truly stand out at first sight. The flavour is remarkably well-balanced, and the texture maintains a delightful uniformity. I'm very excited about the opportunity to create new recipes with this product.”

Le Tohic has created a Marbled Cultivated Foie Gras with Five Spices and Sauternes dish using Gourmey’s product, while Calvert has developed the Signature Lacquered Peking Duck with Cultivated Foie Gras for Sézanne guests. He expressed that he would like guests to approach the experience “as I did, with an open mind”.

Munk, of the Alchemist, commented: “Cultivated foie gras represents an opportunity to bring back a beloved but often banned ingredient to the chef’s toolbox, and I think that every step towards improving animal welfare is tremendously important”.

Gourmey aims to address global demand for high-end sustainable meat, with haute causine serving as a catalyst for high-quality, sustainable innovation. The company expects the strong regional influence of these chefs to accelerate the unlocking of premium distribution channels for fine meats, and has already secured partnerships with fine food distributors, supply chain specialists and research collaborators.

Nicolas Morin-Forest, CEO of Gourmey, said: “We are thrilled to collaborate with some of the world’s most innovative chefs. Their expertise in shaping culinary trends and their unwavering dedication to excellence are integral to our mission.”

He added: “We are proud to see them embrace and maximise the potential of our product. Through their leadership, they will help introduce our product to diverse audiences worldwide and ensure we deliver an unparalleled culinary experience to consumers.”

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