In short
Every autumn, an event celebrates taste throughout France. Chefs visit schools, artisans open their doors, and markets organize tastings. It's Taste Week, and the 2026 edition promises to be a delicious one.
This event is often associated with classrooms. Yet, there are countless ways to participate, including from your own kitchen. Whether you're a parent, a curious foodie, or simply a lover of good food, there's a way for you to get involved.
In this article, we'll look at the dates, the program, and how to participate. And most importantly, we'll share practical ideas for celebrating taste at home, with family or friends.
Because taste is passed on around a table as much as on a lectern. Here's everything you need to know for 2026.
What is Taste Week?
Taste Week is a national event that celebrates the pleasure of eating and the discovery of flavors. Created in the 1990s, it brings together food professionals, schools, families and curious individuals every year around a common idea: taking the time to taste.
The 2026 edition marks the 37th of its kind. Its mission hasn't really changed since the beginning: to awaken palates, raise awareness of food-related professions, and pass on a culture of taste to younger generations. This year's theme emphasizes the transmission and education of food.
The figures give an idea of the scale. During the previous edition, approximately 11,000 classes registered to meet a professional in person. This represents thousands of children meeting a chef, a baker, or a farmer for a morning.
Taste is not innate, it is learned. Tasting, comparing, putting words to a flavor: this is what Taste Week seeks to transmit, generation after generation.
To follow official news and find the complete program, visit the official website legout.com, updated every year from September.
Dates and program for Taste Week 2026
Taste Week 2026 is scheduled to take place from October 13th to 19th. We're remaining cautious about these dates, as they are only officially confirmed by the organizers in September. It's best to double-check before making your plans.
The program is structured around two main formats. On the one hand, the Taste Lesson, which takes place in the classroom. On the other hand, the Taste Activities, open to the general public throughout France.
The Taste Lesson
This is the traditional format. A professional—a chef, craftsperson, or farmer—comes to the classroom for a 45-minute presentation. They offer tastings, talk about their profession, and explain where the products come from. Simple and impactful for children.
Taste Activities
This section brings together everything that happens outside of school: cooking workshops, tastings, special menus at restaurants, guided tours of farms or workshops. An interactive map, available online at legout.com from September, allows you to find what's happening near you.
The final dates and program are only published in September. If you want to participate in a specific activity, be sure to check the interactive map as soon as it's online, as places fill up quickly.
The season also plays its part. In mid-October, the stalls overflow with apples, pears, mushrooms, squash, Alpine cheeses, and artisanal charcuterie. All perfect products for tastings and recipes throughout the week.
How to participate in Taste Week 2026?
Good news: participation is free, regardless of your background. There are three main ways to join the adventure, depending on whether you're a casual foodie, a teacher, or a food professional.
| Format | Target audience | Duration | Registration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Taste Activity | Families, foodies, general public | Variable | According to the organizer |
| Taste Lesson | Teachers and students | ~45 min | Preliminary step, starting in September |
| Activity organizer | Chefs, artisans, producers | Your choice | Register at legout.com |
Are you a visitor or a parent?
You don't need to organize anything. Simply consult the activity map, find a workshop or tasting near you, and go. Some activities are free, while others require quick booking.
Are you a teacher?
You can register your class to receive a professional. Registration takes place in advance, usually starting in September, which means it's best to do so early to have a choice of speakers.
Are you a professional or a craftsman?
Chef, baker, cheesemaker, greengrocer: you can offer an event and list it on the official website. For example, a local pastry chef could open their shop for a 30-minute tasting, explaining how they choose their seasonal fruits. This is a simple activity to set up that builds a connection with their customers.
5 activities to do as a family at home
You don't need to go far to celebrate good taste. Here are five easy ideas to organize at home, with or without children. They require few materials and a lot of curiosity.
1. The "1 day 1 color" activity
The idea is fun: each day of the week, you cook and taste foods of the same color. Red Monday with tomatoes and apples, green Tuesday with zucchini and kiwis, and so on. Imagine a family with two children, ages 6 and 9, starting Monday with red: the little ones love hunting for the right-colored foods at the market.
2. Blind tasting
We put on blindfolds and try to guess. A piece of apple, a bit of cheese, a spoonful of applesauce: we have to identify the food by taste alone. It's amazing how much our sight usually guides us. The children want to do it again and again.
3. The recipe workshop together
Cooking together is a celebration of good food. Choose a simple seasonal recipe, divide the tasks, and let everyone get involved. The result matters less than the time spent together.
4. The market challenge
Off to the market with a small budget and a mission: bring back three seasonal products we've never cooked before. Mushrooms, squash, late-season pears. Back home, we improvise a dish. A chance to chat with the producers, who love to share their tips.
5. Scent boxes
Spices, herbs, and a strip of citrus zest are placed in small, opaque containers. Everyone smells them and tries to guess what they are. This exercise awakens the sense of smell, a sense we often forget even though it plays a large part in our perception of taste.
Write down everyone's answers in a small notebook throughout the week. At the end, we compare progress and laugh at the mistakes. It turns the game into a memory.
What kind of Taste Week profile are you?
What kind of Taste Week profile are you?
1. How will you experience Taste Week?
Simple recipes to cook during the week
Mid-October is brimming with bounty. Here are a few easy recipe ideas designed to showcase the best the season has to offer. Nothing complicated, just good ingredients, treated with care.
Apple and pear crumble
A comforting classic. Chop the fruit into pieces, add a homemade shortcrust pastry made with flour, butter, and sugar, then bake. A pinch of cinnamon adds a lovely touch. Children love to crumble the pastry with their fingertips, so let them do that part.
Mushroom stir-fry
Simple and flavorful. Sauté the mushrooms over high heat with garlic and parsley, without drowning them so they brown nicely. A drizzle of oil, a pinch of salt at the end of cooking, and it's ready. Serve on toast or as a side dish.
Butternut squash soup
Sweet and colorful, it's a hit with the whole family. Cook the squash with an onion, blend with a little broth, and adjust the consistency to your liking. A spoonful of cream or a few toasted seeds on top, and you're done.
Have everyone taste each dish and describe what they feel: sweet, sour, crunchy, melting. Putting words to sensations is the whole spirit of Taste Week.
To accompany these dishes, consider Alpine cheeses and seasonal artisanal charcuterie. A well-composed platter can become a tasting experience in itself, with a little bread and some dried fruit.
Practical questions
What are the dates for Taste Week 2026?
The 2026 edition is expected to take place from October 13th to 19th. These dates are yet to be officially confirmed in September on legout.com.
Do you have to pay to participate?
No. Participation is free for visitors, teachers, and professionals. Some activities may be subject to a fee depending on the organizers, but the event itself is free to access.
What is a Taste Lesson?
It's a 45-minute presentation by a professional in the classroom. A chef, craftsman, or farmer comes to offer tastings, talk about their trade, and explain the origin of the products.
How can I find an activity near me?
An interactive map will be published on legout.com starting in September. It will allow you to locate workshops, tastings and tours organized in your region.
Can we celebrate Taste Week at home?
Of course. Blind tasting, "1 day 1 colour" activity, scent boxes or family recipe workshop: no registration is necessary to celebrate taste at home.
In summary
Taste Week 2026, scheduled for around October 13-19 for its 37th edition, remains a wonderful opportunity to slow down and savor. Between Taste Lessons in the classroom and Taste Activities open to all, there's something for everyone, free of charge.
The easiest way is to play the game at home. A blind tasting one evening, a market challenge on the weekend, a crumble shared with the family : these are ways to pass on the pleasure of eating without much effort.
Keep an eye out for the official program to be released online in September at legout.com, and get your taste buds ready. Taste, after all, is something you cultivate all year round.
