this restaurant which combines gastronomy and integration

In Castelnau-le-Lez, near Montpellier, the restaurant Le Tremplin trains cooks and waiters with disabilities. In this ESAT open to the public, these workers put their know-how into practice while evolving in a caring and inclusive environment.

In Castelnau-le-Lez, near Montpellier, the training restaurant The Springboardattached to ESAT (Work Support Establishment and Service) Flightperfectly illustrates the alliance between professional training and inclusion. This place, open to the public, offers its employees, with disabilities, a caring environment to learn and practice the catering professions in real professional conditions.

Among the members of the team, Léo Barbezieux, 34, shines in the kitchen. “Since I was little, I have been happy to go there. I see people, already I’m not alone, I’m not in my bubble and that makes me feel good”he confides enthusiastically. However, his journey has not been linear. During his CAP cuisine, Léo went through a period of doubt. “I got too fed up at one point, I almost broke down, limit, limit”he explains. Classroom stress threatened to end his dream of becoming a chef.

It was in this practice restaurant that he found a balance. With his diploma in hand, he preferred a suitable environment, where his pace is respected. “It is necessary for me to be supervised, to be reassured. We have less pressure here“, he explains.

Before joining The Springboardemployees undergo collective catering training in a specialized center. This progressive approach allows them to adapt to the reality of serving in the dining room or in the kitchen. Alessio Chiodo, workshop instructor, ensures that activities run smoothly with calm and pedagogy. “If we fail, we have to start all over again. You can even miss a service. You have to use delicate words, with instructions that are not too complex.”he emphasizes.

This serene setting allows everyone to express their talents, while overcoming their difficulties. In the dining room as in the kitchen, skills are asserted. For a year, the team has been running this restaurant with infectious pride.

Many customers who frequent the establishment praise the quality of the cuisine and the extra soul of this place. “It’s a good table, that’s what matters. And afterward, the insertion side is the most”confides a regular.

Léo, for his part, carefully observes the reactions of the guests: “I watch all the time… Do they finish their plate well? If they took the meat, did they finish it? You have to know if they liked it or not.”

For Lazreg Ghenaim, communications manager for UNAPEI 34 and ESAT d’Occitanie, this restaurant embodies a concrete demonstration of the possibilities offered by inclusion: “the workers we have here have a history with an institution. But it is also a demonstration, by watching them work, that it is possible, that disability does not condemn.”

Some, like Léo, hope to one day apply to a restaurant in town. Others prefer to continue their journey here, with their team and their boss.