We can find quite a few faults in Germinal Peiro, the president of the Department. But he has at least one quality, it is the desire to carry out his projects (and no, we are not talking about Beynac’s deviation). This is the case, in particular, for the establishment of “100% organic, 100% local and 100% homemade” cuisine in Dordogne colleges. Initiated in 2015, the system is now deployed in 13 establishments out of the 35 in Périgord.
Source of inspiration
Proof of the enthusiasm for this implementation, a delegation from neighboring Lot was in Saint-Cyprien, Tuesday June 4, with the aim of implementing the same thing on its territory. “These are political choices,” says Serge Rigal, the Lot president. For our part, it’s true that we haven’t made much progress. At the college level, we must have around 35% organic or local products. » Hence the visit to the neighbors in Dordogne, just to see their organization.
“Parents thought the cost of the canteen would increase”
It must be said that in terms of collective catering, the Department has pulled out all the stops in terms of resources. Starting, for example, with recruitment. “When I hired butchers in colleges, they thought I was crazy,” says Germinal Peiro, who prefers to smile. But when you bring a carcass into a kitchen, you have to know how to prepare it. »
Another recruitment that was essential was that of trainers. The job of a cook can sometimes have a distant connection with what is usually done in a canteen. This is how Jean-Marc Mouillac entered the Departmental Council. A former cook at the Marsaneix school, in the commune of Sanilhac, he is now the one who trains college chefs.
Long-term work
Another point raised on Tuesday, relations with institutions, in particular the Chamber of Agriculture. “It was complicated,” agrees Germinal Peiro. The FNSEA, the majority union, cried discrimination because we wanted to produce organic products. » As a reminder, in Dordogne, organic farms represent a little less than a third of all producers.
For the people of Lot, what is also problematic is logistics. Introducing organic to the cantoche ok, but how to get supplies? “We asked our Chamber of Agriculture for a list of organic producers and we are still waiting,” complains Rémi Branco, the vice-president of Lot in charge of the file.
“For us, there are two ways of working,” presents President Périgordin. Either through the AgroBio Périgord association, or by working directly with local producers. The Saint-Cyprien college, for example, gets its yogurts from Péchalou, the factory which is located 300 meters from the school. » That said, he recognizes that everything was not all rosy: “We had to convince the managers, the principals of the colleges, the cooks and, sometimes, the parents who thought that the cost of the canteen would increase. »
Transport may also have slowed down intentions. “It was a transporter from Dordogne who told me one day that this was not our job,” confides Germinal Peiro. He was right. Today, he’s the one in charge of all that. » In the coming months, three other colleges in Dordogne should go 100% organic.
