The road journal · explained
The label is everywhere. This guide explains what it guarantees, and what it doesn't.
Contents
"Fait maison" reassures, which is exactly why French law regulated it in 2014.
This guide covers the law, the logo, what the label doesn't say, and how it applies to Asian street food.
The legal framework
The 17 March 2014 consumer law set the principle; decree no. 2014-797, amended by decree no. 2015-505, set the definition.
A homemade dish is prepared on the premises from raw products: raw, or not significantly transformed by heating, marinating or assembling.
The fine print
Cut, minced, cleaned, peeled, chilled, vacuum-packed, frozen or thawed products remain raw, according to the decree.
The decree lists products no kitchen makes itself, including:
The list is closed: anything else processed rules the label out.
The official sign
The logo doesn't say "good": it says "made here, from raw products".
Set by ministerial order, it sits next to each dish concerned, or as a global statement if everything is homemade.
Homemade is not compulsory; claiming it is regulated.
Consumer protection services, chiefly the DGCCRF. An unjustified claim can be deemed misleading.
Reading labels
Similar words, very different guarantees.
| Label | Framework | Guarantees | Doesn't say |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fait maison | 2014 law and decree | Made on site from raw products | Origin, organic, local |
| Cooked on site | No specific definition | The dish goes through the kitchen | That components are raw |
| Maître restaurateur | State title after audit | A whole venue audited | That every dish is homemade |
A vague word is a claim, not a guarantee.
From text to counter
Four concrete cases.
Frying alone isn't enough: the filling and the rolling make the difference.
Slightly uneven triangles often mean folding by hand.
A ready-made sauce tips the dish out of the label.
Not necessarily: the wok guarantees fresh cooking, homemade the origin of the preparation.
Taste the road味わう道
Dig deeper
It says nothing about origin, organic farming, taste or whether the dish was cooked to order.
Origin and organic labels fall under other rules.
On the go
No logo? Use your eyes.
A concrete example
At Asian Road, one base and one flavour are brought together in the wok in front of you, served in three minutes. The site shows "Fait maison" and "Wok minute": two different pieces of information.
For details, read our homemade approach.
A quick grid for any chalkboard.
Mixing homemade and bought-in is legal, as long as labels are accurate.
A menu that explains what isn't homemade is often playing fair.
Frequently asked questions
Going further
See how Asian Road presents its approach, then build your box.
The reference page: fait maison définition restaurant.
In the journal
