The incredible story of Asia...in France

Picking up the pen again for article number two, on a topic that speaks to us all: the Asian foodservice market, which is becoming increasingly transparent over time. Asian cuisine is in constant motion—its history and future deserve closer attention.

It used to be a rather opaque world—you had to be “in the circle” to have the legitimacy to offer Asian cuisine, whether in terms of culinary mastery or consumer acceptance. Not to mention the supply chain, which relied heavily on specialized wholesalers.

But the model has changed!

Consumers’ palates have evolved over the past 20 years.

So has the influence of Asian culture.

Access to that culture is now everywhere—online and offline. (Just picture a teenager glued to their phone for hours, following a Japanese anime hero on Netflix who, after vanquishing a monster with a graceful but gory move, devours a tray of fluffy Japanese buns.)

Asian cuisine is no longer reserved for the insiders. 

The number of consumers who consider themselves “experts” in the category has skyrocketed—and this holds true across all food themes.

Historically, these culinary influences followed migration flows in each country. That’s why you’ll find strong Indonesian food culture in the Netherlands, or Indian and Pakistani cuisine rooted in British culture. Italy, on the other hand, has fewer Asian food concepts—though that’s slowly changing. The UK remains a good example of a food scene shaped more by ethnicity than tradition.

In France, Asian cuisine has primarily been shaped—and still is—by the Chinese community.

But why has Asian cuisine followed such a wild trajectory? How did it all begin?

It all started with traditional Chinese restaurants, where people discovered hot and sour soup, Cantonese rice, and spring rolls wrapped in lettuce and mint (fun fact: spring rolls aren’t even Chinese), all dipped in Nuoc Cham.

And for dessert? Banana fritters flambéed right at the table—a performance worthy of crêpes Suzette.

At that point, diners were building their first memories of Asian cuisine—and unknowingly discovering the now-trendy idea of sharing plates and the first glimpses of “customer experience”.

Later, mainly through the Chinese community, the concept of the “Chinese takeaway” emerged—a fast-food-style model introducing a broader range of Southeast Asian dishes.

These takeaways were heavily criticized in the 1990s following health reports that tarnished the entire sector. But since then, a wave of transparency and more modern design has helped rebuild their image.

Still, the renovation isn't fully complete—like a contractor who swears your home renovations will only take “two weeks”.

Then came the rise of sushi—the first wave of Japanese cuisine in France—and with it, the now-ubiquitous all-you-can-eat buffets, especially near business parks and city outskirts.

Today, we’re seeing an explosion of all kinds of Asian food formats—Asia is clearly a winning theme.

If Italian cuisine still holds the gold medal (thanks to its celebration of raw ingredients and infinite room for premiumization—hello €22 pizzas and even €30 soon with the right toppings), Asian cuisine likely takes silver, just ahead of halal offerings (not a cuisine per se, but a launchpad for successful fast-food brands).

There are nearly 13,000 Asian food outlets in France. Based on my (not-so-recent) white hairs and my old meeting notebooks, that number has almost doubled in 20 years, fueled by the growth of fast food and the conversion of traditional dine-in restaurants into Asian concepts.

In the past two decades, sushi was the main engine behind this growth. But recent Sandwich & Snack Show results suggest sushi is losing some of its shine among French consumers.

Sushi has become mainstream—not quite at the level of the pasta bar’s downfall, but definitely less exciting. With a market now offering more than it demands, consumers are seeking variety, diversity, and more exotic culinary travel than just raw fish.

The wide presence of sushi counters in grocery stores has also contributed to this “sushification” of France—bringing visibility, but also reducing the uniqueness.

This isn’t about questioning product freshness—go to Rungis’ seafood hall at 3AM and you’ll see Japanese restaurants first in line for the best fish.

It’s not the end of sushi—far from it. It’s the evolution of cravings we’re witnessing. Japanese cuisine still fascinates, but the “mass-market sushi” model—often operated by non-Japanese restaurateurs—doesn’t excite consumers anymore. The tiny wooden boat of salmon makis no longer sparks joy. Ginger confit? Meh. Onigiri? A bit too heavy.

The solution lies in transformation, innovation, and diversification.

This will require sushi to step beyond its traditional markers—or to exist within a fully immersive Japanese atmosphere—by exploring new recipes, new ideas, much like what certain brands or independent outlets are already doing. #Yoru, beyond Rue Sainte-Anne, continues to produce the expected wow effect. The same can be said for brands like Sushi Shop or Côté Sushi.

But the challenge remains complex: how to create offerings that combine great value for money while also taking the consumer on a journey, provoking that little thrill that makes them want to come back for more.

We shouldn’t blame sushi—on the contrary, we should thank it. This category, which grew over time, paved the way for other themes like poké, which is essentially a salmon-avocado tartare rice bowl with a few fruit and veggie toppings. Visually striking, it’s a one-way trip to Hawaii.

We’ve now entered the world of "foodpornology", where the meal almost demands to be immortalized on Instagram. The poké phenomenon has gone far beyond a fad, as shown by the rapid growth and popularity of chains like POKAWA.

The only risk: the proliferation of poké across too many non-specialized venues—table-service restaurants, healthy eateries, Japanese restaurants, buffets, and even tobacco bars recently reopened by Chinese owners. The result? Risk of overexposure, too much supply vs. demand, and a price perception that feels too steep. #ProvenPoint

But let’s be clear—this is not the funeral oration for Japanese food. On the contrary, while sushi may be losing a bit of its shine, other Japanese offerings are just taking off.

Just look at the growing variety:

• Sando: the Japanese milk bread sandwich, like an Asian tramezzino (#Sandoclub)

• Karaage: Japanese-style fried chicken, perfect for snacking or “Japanizing” your tapas menu

• Gyoza: delicious Japanese dumplings

• Ramen and Udon: hearty, flavor-packed soups combining meats, veggies, and that signature marinated egg. These rich broths have existed for decades in the traditional restaurants of Rue Sainte-Anne in Paris, and they’re now expanding.#KowadariRamen / #NekoRamen / #IshinRamen / #ZenyaRamen (5 Pass. des Panoramas, 75002 Paris

  
  

And this is just the beginning.

Japanese cuisine is deeply influencing the broader market, contributing to the overall expansion of Asian offerings. It’s now infiltrating everyday dining, from high-end restaurants to mid-range bistros, many of which are blending traditional French techniques with Japanese precision. A harmonious fusion of excellence, finesse, and culinary artistry—shared values between the two nations.#Shiro #SousLesCerisiers #LeSotLYLaisse #Akabeko #Takaotakano

But Asian influence goes well beyond Japan.

New generations have been "injected" with a steady stream of manga, video games, YouTube, Netflix series, indulgent street food imagery, and new versions of old anime classics like "Knights of the Zodiac"—where even secondary characters are constantly shown devouring inspiring dishes that fuel both curiosity and cravings.

New influences are being complemented by bold spices, grilled meats, rich sauces, naturally gluten-free options, coconut milk that’s now found in nearly every “sauce,” fresh herbs, other broths like dashi made from katsuobushi or konbu, slow-cooked preparations, soy in all its forms, lemongrass, miso, yuzu, shiso, panko breadcrumbs, udon or soba noodles... all with one common goal: to achieve umami, the ultimate fifth taste.

For a deep dive, check out the Umami Information Center (yes, it really exists!).

We now have an entirely new playbook to whisk the consumer away in a single bite—perhaps to the backstreets of Busan, or for one evening, into the heart of Bangkok’s Ratchada night market.

A New Era of Asian Diversification

This wave of diversification is opening the door to a whole new generation of food concepts riding this trend. We’re seeing:

• Korean Fried Chicken (#chikin)

• Bo Bun (#JamesBun, #Phood)

• Korean BBQ (#BigBang)

• Banh Mi (#District9Cooking)

• Dim Sum (#LaMaisonDuDimSum)

• Pho Soup (#3Crabes)

• Pad Thai (#Kapunka)

• Bibimbap (#PierreSangExpress)

• Chinese Noodles (#TranTranZai)

• Bao Buns (#SuperBao)

• And of course, bubble tea, the sweet note that now fits any moment of the day.

  
  

The trend is clear: Asian cuisine still has huge growth potential. Consumers aren’t looking for just one Asian origin—they want them all. This evolution has been boosted by the success of powerful concepts like:

#Pitaya #StreetBangkok #Gomu #BaoFamily #HanoiCaPhe

Some stick to a single specialty. Others fully embrace the pan-Asian approach, offering a bit of everything in a laid-back, coherent way. Think:#MissKo #PandaPandaGroup

The Delivery Boom + Dark Kitchens

Platforms like Uber Eats and Deliveroo have also helped put Asia front and center. Just open the app from home or the office, and you’ll find an explosion of Asian choices. And again, we can thank sushi for pioneering the idea that the entire Asian continent can come straight to your doorstep.

Beyond platforms, Asia is also thriving in dark kitchens—those virtual brands originally meant to replace restaurants (before evolving into something more sustainable). Take Outfry, from Taster, a Korean fried chicken concept that’s extremely popular among Gen Z.

New brands continue to emerge and drive curiosity. One great example: Bonchon, the Korean chain that recently earned praise from the Snack Academy jury (which I’m part of) for its flawless execution, replicability, variety—and, above all—irresistible deliciousness.

So What’s the Point of This Article?

Now that we’ve confirmed Asian food is booming, the real question is: What’s the point of this article (besides making sure you know I run #Strategeat—go check out our blog, it’s free to subscribe and you have a 100% chance of NOT being recontacted 😄)?

Here’s the real takeaway for professionals:

👉 Asian inspiration is fair game for everyone.

Yes, this confirms that there’s still room for entirely new Asian concepts. But you don’t need to be a Korean restaurant to serve Korean fried chicken or mandu. You don’t need to be Japanese to offer ramen. Nor Vietnamese to serve up a mean banh mi.

There’s inspiration here for any traditional sit-down restaurant to spice up their menu with one or two exciting, craveable, and easy-to-execute dishes—possibly with higher margins.

Take the iconic “crying tiger” beef dish from Thailand—it’s simple to prepare, the ingredients are widely available, and the plating allows for customization and storytelling.

If that’s too far from your kitchen style, you can still infuse Asian ingredients into your existing dishes.

• Try the wonderful Kampot pepper from Cambodia as a meat enhancer, like Maldon salt does.

• Yuzu is already trending in many pastry shops and is increasingly used in savory dishes.

• Got aubergines on the menu? Add miso paste for a twist.

• Doing green beans with garlic and parsley? Swap in soy sauce or miso.

• Or elevate your daily special with red curry paste: think red curry veal blanquette or red curry spatchcock chicken—a bold dish with mainstream appeal.

This isn’t just for millennials with tired palates—Gen Z wants something Instagrammable AND surprising.

Asian Influence: Beyond the Plate

Just last week, during our latest food tour in London (shoutout to our partner Elan CHD), we spotted a turkey sandwich at #Orée... topped with Asian chili sauce instead of mayo. Not mind-blowing, but memorable.

Beyond creativity, there’s a bigger picture here: Asian food has untapped potential in the entire foodservice value chain.

👉 There's still a lot of education and awareness to build.

Even trained chefs often lack knowledge or inspiration in this area. And the consumer side? Even more surprising.

Despite all the buzz, a significant share of French consumers still don’t know what a poke bowl is—even with a national rollout from Pokawa. That’s a massive opportunity for discovery.

For Suppliers: Time to Lean In

The pressure is on. With fewer customers and lower traffic, restaurants need ideas and support. Suppliers should be offering Asian-oriented recipe demos, ingredient tips, and training. It could help “Asian-ify” any menu, even just for a day or a dish.

Because Asia isn’t a fad. It’s a permanent fixture with endless rising suns.

There’s room to grow across all restaurant formats. Asia brings flavor, storytelling, visual punch, and margin-friendly inspiration. Consumers already love it—and future generations will love it even more.

Asian cuisine is a golden opportunity for foodservice—on the plate and beyond. Let’s believe in it, and ride the wave. 🌊