video Video
Belgium seeks cultural prize for famous fries
Friday, December 05, 2014 - 01:31
Communities across Belgium are uniting in a fight for their country's fries to attain cultural heritage status. Jennifer Davis reports.
▲ Hide Transcript
▶ View Transcript
Some call them chips...others call them fries but in Belgium, no matter what you call them, people say they're a cut above the rest. (SOUNDBITE) (French) PARISIAN TOURIST, NICOLAS PERRIN, SAYING: "The fries are crunchy but on the inside they're meltingly soft, they're really different from what we're used to." In fact, Belgium is so proud of their potato fries, traditionally sold in a paper cone, usually out of some 5,000 shacks or trailers around the country, that they're now cooking up a plan to get them recognized as a global cultural heritage - on par with Turkish coffee and the Argentinean tango. The Belgian delicacy even has its own association, led by Bernard Lefevre. (SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE BELGIAN UNION OF FRITKOT OWNERS UNAFRI, BERNARD LEFEVRE, SAYING: "It's the cone of fries but it's also this culture which surrounds it. It's a good product, but it's a way of living, a 'Belgitude'. Perhaps a little chaotic for foreigners when they come to Belgium for the first time but something we have in common, German-speakers, French-speakers, Dutch-speakers." So as part of 'National Fries Week', Belgians have been urged to sign petitions calling for the potato chips to become recognized by the United Nation's cultural arm UNESCO (SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE BELGIAN UNION OF FRITKOT OWNERS UNAFRI, BERNARD LEFEVRE, SAYING: "For something very simple, I think it is equally important to have pride, to keep this to pass it on to future generations." Supporters don't think they've bitten off more than they can chew since for this designation to happen, the fries need to be endorsed by a minister of culture and Belgium has three of them.
Press CTRL+C (Windows), CMD+C (Mac), or long-press the URL below on your mobile device to copy the code
Belgium seeks cultural prize for famous fries
Friday, December 05, 2014 - 01:31
Top News »
9:11am BST - (1:54)
1:07am BST - (1:01)
1:06am BST - (1:28)
1:06am BST - (1:38)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (2:19)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:28)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (2:10)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:00)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:26)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:20)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:17)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:22)
Editors' Picks »
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:59)
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (1:59)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (2:00)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:36)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:56)
Fri, 20 Apr, 2018 - (1:24)
Fri, 20 Apr, 2018 - (2:04)
Thu, 19 Apr, 2018 - (1:45)
Most Popular »
Mon, 24 Apr, 2017 - (1:45)
Tue, 19 Jan, 2016 - (1:39)
Tue, 20 Oct, 2015 - (1:03)
Wed, 08 Mar, 2017 - (1:31)
Mon, 01 May, 2017 - (1:21)
Business »
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:59)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:24)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:25)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:15)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:27)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (4:47)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:26)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:55)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (0:58)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:31)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:53)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:13)
Featured Videos
Giant sloth vs. ancient man: footprints reveal prehistoric hunt
Scientists uncover evidence of ancient humans engaged in a deadly face-off with a giant sloth, showing for the first time how our ancestors might have tackled such a formidable prey
Driverless car fleet plans London to Oxford run
A fleet of autonomous cars could take to Britain's roads later this year with advanced trials of a ÂŁ13 million project well under way
UK royals Kate and William have baby boy
It's a boy. Britain's Duchess of Cambridge has given birth to her third child, and second son, with husband Prince William
Aussie pilot Hall soars to victory in Cannes
Australian pilot Matt Hall claims victory in the second leg of the Red Bull Air Race world championship in Cannes, France
Luxury liner Queen Elizabeth II reopens as floating hotel
One of the world's most famous ships is now a floating hotel permanently moored at Dubai's Mina Rashid port
Technology »
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (2:03)
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (1:17)
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (2:04)
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (1:49)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:54)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (2:13)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:51)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:48)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:55)
Sun, 22 Apr, 2018 - (1:30)
Entertainment »
7:39am BST - (1:56)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (0:47)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:47)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (2:16)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (2:21)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (0:57)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (0:54)
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (1:17)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:38)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:51)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:18)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (1:25)
Sports And Leisure »
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (0:55)
Tue, 24 Apr, 2018 - (0:47)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:17)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (2:38)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:27)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:17)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:30)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:40)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (1:07)
Fri, 20 Apr, 2018 - (1:08)
Oddly Enough »
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (2:42)
Thu, 26 Apr, 2018 - (1:24)
Wed, 25 Apr, 2018 - (1:10)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (0:45)
Mon, 23 Apr, 2018 - (2:11)
Fri, 20 Apr, 2018 - (1:00)
Fri, 20 Apr, 2018 - (1:27)
Thu, 19 Apr, 2018 - (0:53)
Thu, 19 Apr, 2018 - (0:53)
Thu, 19 Apr, 2018 - (2:22)
Dateline Asia »
Tue, 05 Dec, 2017 - (2:06)
Tue, 05 Dec, 2017 - (2:11)
Fri, 01 Dec, 2017 - (2:04)
Thu, 30 Nov, 2017 - (2:10)
Thu, 30 Nov, 2017 - (2:14)
Wed, 29 Nov, 2017 - (2:11)
Tue, 28 Nov, 2017 - (1:55)
Tue, 28 Nov, 2017 - (2:21)
Mon, 27 Nov, 2017 - (2:25)
Fri, 24 Nov, 2017 - (2:16)
Fri, 24 Nov, 2017 - (2:14)
Thu, 23 Nov, 2017 - (2:18)