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STORY: Foie gras or 'faux gras'?

French chef Fabien Borgel has created what he calls a 'faux gras'

a vegan substitute to the foie gras traditionally made from fattened duck and goose livers

(Fabien Borgel, Chef at 42 Degres) "We have to be able to diversify our tastes, and above all, we're at a period where animal products are more and more frowned upon, and I'm referring especially about the way we make foie gras, which is not the best."

Foie gras is considered part of France's culinary heritage

but the practice of force-feeding ducks or geese to enlarge their livers is condemned by animal activists

Borgel's 'faux gras' contains cashew nuts, sunflower and coconut oil

It looks like traditional foie gras but is creamier

(Virgile Auffray, Customer) "Addicts of real animal foie gras will not necessarily find what they are looking for. But when you don't eat it, when you're vegan, when you're already used to eating 'faux gras', as we call it, for me, this is the best."

(Chiara Viguie, Paris resident) "We are not opposed to alternatives but it's true that we like foie gras a lot. In general, it's a must-have for our Christmas meals."