Opening a community teaching restaurant

The Michelin Corporate Foundation wished to become associated with the Toques Académie restaurant, a novel community training and social assimilation project that is unique in France.

This unusual eating place located in Clermont-Ferrand opened in June 2020 in spite of the coronavirus crisis. The chef, Hugo Czechowicz, has a dazzling professional record. He offers inventive, sophisticated cooking based on fresh ingredients from short supply chains. More than fine dining, this restaurant is intended to be a learning center and offers training in culinary and serving skills open to all.

To bring this new project to fruition, different social and community organizations had to be brought together, notably Chôm’Actif and the Secours Catholique. The ‘Goûts & Solidarité’ association was created under the chairmanship of Thourya Albert. Then, in October 2019, ‘Le Restaurant Solidaire Apprenant’ cooperative society was set up, chaired by Jacques Rousset.

Today, the cooperative owns and manages the Toques Académie community restaurant. It has two missions:

1. The teaching restaurant trains young people and adults in culinary and service skills using existing back-to-work, apprenticeship and professional qualification schemes. Priority is given to persons having a disability.
2. The community restaurant offers its tables to the usual connoisseurs of gourmet dining in Clermont-Ferrand. It also provides a moderately priced daily menu (5 euros instead of 21) for jobseekers enrolled with employment and retraining organizations.

The Toques Académie collaborative community restaurant embodies the concept of the social economy which combines training, solidarity, social integration and work. It perfectly corresponds to the convictions of the Michelin Corporate Foundation.