Clue: In France, contemporary cooking: oven; uvula, evenly sliced (7)
Answer: NOUVEAU
Explanation: Definition: In France, contemporary
An anagram ('cooking') of 'oven' plus UUA, the odd-numbered letters ('evenly sliced') of '**U**v**U**l**A**'. Note that 'cooking' does not belong with the definition; that would suggest the feminine nouvelle cuisine.