Class met at Portalocity today, and Hannibal waited until they were gathered. "Good morning. A good bit of what we now think of as Western gourmet cooking is based in French recipes. So, I thought that we would start in France." He nodded to Lottie if she were there. "Please stay close once we arrive; Paris is a large and busy city."

The portal dropped them off outside a restaurant; it was late afternoon. Hannibal ushered them all to the end of the colonnade. "These are the gardens of the Palais Royal, the royal palace. Those of you who aren't familiar with France, it hasn't been a monarchy for some time; it now houses some government offices and a library. But as you can see, it is still a lovely view." He smiled. "Today we will be dining at Le Grand Véfour." He read it to them, since the French pronunciation might be strange to some of them. "This restaurant has been here in one form or another for centuries, and is currently helmed by chef Guy Martin. The food is a mixture of traditional and modern French. I expect you to have questions about it; please ask. We're here to understand what we're eating as well as to enjoy it."

And with that, he led them into the restaurant.