Hidden treasure in the gastronomic Uptopia of Paris

Each year, thousands of food lovers flock to Paris in search of serious gastronomy,

When it comes to fine dining, Paris has always been at the top of its game. But things are changing, and something of a food revolution has hit the backstreets of Paris in recent years.

In a break from the principles of traditional French cuisine, a host of small restaurants and bistros have emerged to offer adventurous, cutting-edge cooking without the price tag; real French gastronomy that doesn't break the bank.

To experience a real taste of Paris, I headed off to explore the extraordinary world of Le Fooding – the French food movement which is helping to change the way we think about French food.

I took off with Air France from Birmingham and in under an hour-and-a-half I was in Paris and hunting down the capital's most inventive new generation eateries.

Le Fooding was established ten years ago by journalists Alexandre Cammas and Emmanuel Rubin. They felt their national cuisine had become too rigid, too elitist and too alienating for new generations. Throwing Michelin stars to the wind, the duo set about defining a new, more relaxed movement within French cooking.

As well as producing an unconventional annual guide to the best restaurants in town, they also organise picnics – "foodings" – where chefs can interact more closely with their customers, no longer separated by the kitchen door.

Cammas, an engaging and articulate figurehead for the movement, was inspired by his encounters with chefs who were working tirelessly in some of the cities most illustrious and ambitious kitchens yet were yearning to strike out on their own.

These were talented professionals who had spent years aspiring to the highest restaurant ratings but had come to realise that they would be far happier if they could instead open a small, relaxed place down the street, surround themselves with friends and family, and pour passion into their food.

For too long, he says, French food critics had been more concerned with the technical aspects of cooking and eating, failing to recognise that one eats with feeling – with the eyes and the nose – as much as the mouth.

There's certainly no lack of feeling or passion at La Tête dans les Olives. Run by tightrope walker-turned-olive farmer Cédric Casanova, this is one of Paris's smallest restaurants tucked down a tiny street. It has just one table and enough room for five customers, six at a push.

In this miniscule space Casanova produces olive oil from the 20,000 trees he manages in Sicily and now sells to some of Paris's finest chefs. Like his outlook on life, the food on offer is simple yet beautiful.

The tapenade, freshly roasted pumpkin with mint and roulade of carrot were out of this world. And despite not having a Michelin star, Casanova's hideaway is just one of many gaining increased recognition for its unconventional ethos.

Another restaurant cooking up a storm is Chez L'Ami Jean. Opened by a Basque nationalist in 1931 it is situated down a back street and looks like an average bistro, yet local fans say it offers some of the most innovative rustic cooking in Paris.

Basque chef patron Stéphane Jégo is uncompromising in his approach and demands the best from his staff. Serving up big, meat-centric portions in a friendly atmosphere, the packed restaurant has the distinct feeling of a large family gathering with customers young and old.

Another Basque introducing restaurant-goers to the unique idea that French food doesn't have to be formal or stuffy is Inaki Aizpitarte, chef-patron of Le Chateaubriand.

Again there are few airs and graces in the stripped-back décor. Old wooden chairs complement the dark wooden bar, lit by three old lights.

You get no choice in what you eat – there is only one, five-course, prix fixe menu which changes daily. This enables Aizpitarte to serve up creative and adventurous dishes without the price tag. Renowned for deconstructing dishes and re-working them in unexpected ways, his Spanish goat's cheese with stewed apple jam is a must try.

The Le Fooding movement also has time for smaller establishments where eating is just a part of the experience, along with good company, conversation and people-watching.

Aux Deux Amis, in the trendy Oberkampf area is new on the scene, but feels as though you have been transported back to the 1950s. David-Vincent Loyola is the proprietor of this simple bistro which servers up fresh, individual, unpretentious food. You won't even find a printed menu. Effortlessly cool, this retro hideaway has become renowned for its delicious low cost tapas plates; cuttlefish, sashimi tuna and beetroot smoked cod liver.

After an indulgent weekend of innovative taster menus in unpretentious surroundings, I found that my preconceptions of what makes an outstanding restaurant were truly altered.

Leave the tourist trail behind and you'll discover that Paris is filled with unique and adventurous eateries which celebrate wonderful cooking in the most relaxed and welcoming of settings. What's more, it won't cost you the earth.

Fact file:

• Air France flies up to six times a day from Birmingham International airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle, with fares from £85 return. For more details, visit www.airfrance.co.uk or call 0871 663 3777. To discover more about the Paris’s exciting eateries, explore Air France’s food guide at www.airfrance.co.uk/paris

• Chez L’Ami Jean, 27 Rue Malar, 7th. Menu prices start at €29. For details visit www.amijean.eu

• Le Chateaubriand, 129 Avenue Parmentier, 11th. The fixed-price menu costs €45 per person. For details, call +33 (0)1 4357 4595.

• Aux Deux Amis, 45 Rue Oberkampf, 11th. Prices start from €10 for lunch and €20 for dinner. For details call + 33 (0)1 5830 3813.

• La tête dans les Olives, 2 Rue Sainte Marthe, 10th. €150 for the table. Book a month in advance. See www.latetedanslesolives.com