To counter the shortage of kitchen staff, this CFA has found a solution

There's a desperate shortage of chefs in the Aude region, "Every year, there's a shortage of staff ", adds Thierry Dineau, co-president of the Union des Métiers et Industries de l'Hôtellerie de l'Aude.adds Thierry Dineau, co-president of the Union des Métiers et des Industries de l'Hôtellerie de l'Aude. To counter this reality, the UMIH, Mission Locale Ouest Audois and Campus CFA Purple have come up with a new kind of competition.

The aim of "ML Chef" was to introduce young people to the world of catering, and encourage them to sign an apprenticeship contract. To this end, Mission Locale Ouest audoise selected nine young people from among 20 volunteers from all walks of life. Initially stressed, the candidates quickly acquired a taste for the competition and for making dishes of their own choosing, even giving positive feedback, confided Thierry Dineau.

In the skin of a Top Chef

Giving free rein to young people's culinary imaginations was the watchword of the competition held on Monday April 29, 2024 in the kitchens of the CFA Purple Campus. All participants had the same ingredients, taken from a basket provided by one of the event's partners. They had one hour to propose the dish of their choice to a six-person jury. In the style of Top Chef or Masterchef, the candidates were guided by a campus chef as they prepared their dishes.

Other events on the horizon

The "ML Chef" competition is not a solitary bird. Already, between March 18 and 22, 2024, "Job Chef", another competition, was held throughout the Occitanie region. Here, the event, in partnership with France Travail, concerned employees in the sector in the region, offering the three winners a meal and training for each candidate. More generally, Thierry Dineau explained that other competitions would be held. A second edition of ML Chef is scheduled for next autumn. The emphasis is undeniably on the need to find young people and pass on their passion for the kitchen.