The challenge

Eating out in a restaurant is a luxury beyond the reach of many, which leads to social segregation. Those dining in gourmet restaurant do not come from all social backgrounds. At the same time, many employment organisations provide training in vocations for which there are few jobs. Yet the major retail chains, hotels and restaurants have huge needs for qualified human resources.

The idea

A restaurant that offers all the qualities of high-end eating adds to this primary service by providing vocational training for the unemployed and a quota of free meals for those in need. The food is accessible, healthy, gourmet, with an emphasis on specialised local and regional products. A small team of professionals from the restaurant industry and a partnership between Toques&Partage and Groupe SOS deals with the employment aspect. The restaurant aims to provide work for 4 trainee kitchen staff and 4 trainee dining room staff. A tutor will oversee the beneficiaries: 1 professional together with a staff trainee. In the future, Toques&Partage will award a diploma at the end of the course.

The partnership

Carrefour Foundation, as one of the founding partners, will provide a grant of 85,718 € to launch the first Manger [EAT] restaurant, as a pilot project that, hopefully, will be repeated through a scheme of franchises.

The team

Thierry MONASSIER, founder and president of the non-profit association came up with the idea.
Flavio NERVEGNA is general secretary and project manager.
Frédéric VARDON is chief advisor.

On 26 November 2010, Toques&Partage was awarded one of nine project grants by Paris City Council [Ville de Paris] for its contribution to a socially responsible economy and the opening of its first restaurant in 2011.