the essential
The Culinary College of France has just certified two new artisans in Tarn-et-Garonne: the Nous restaurant, in Montauban, and the Le maraudeur farm in Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, which raises free-range poultry.
“The Culinary College of France is an association which was created 14 years ago by 15 renowned chefs in France,” recalls the general secretary of the structure, Célia Tunc. Among these leaders: “Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoie, Joël Robuchon, Anne-Sophie Pic”, she quotes. The objective of the Culinary College of France, “is to promote artisanal gastronomy and all its actors, she continues. From the land to the plate, from producers to assistants to restaurateurs, without hierarchical distinction, specifies the general secretary. That is to say that we do not classify restaurants by gastronomic level, but really by this notion of making artisanal gastronomy. This obviously means a restaurant with both a transparent identity, on what is served, or what is produced when we are a producer, and at the same time cooperation with each other. The restaurants will work with the producers, and the producers will also work with each other.”
And then for the consumer? “We have a win-win concern for everyone, including citizens, who we do not like to limit to the notion of customer, underlines Célia Tunc. They have a role to play as citizens by choosing what he eats and where he eats.
A network that highlights quality
For the Nous restaurant, joining the association seemed to come naturally to its chef Raphaël Campas. “Last August, I submitted a file to apply. And after my application was studied by a referent, we were accepted,” he explains. “I adhere to their approach and share the values of defending the craftsmanship and quality of the products they defend”, reveals the Montalbanais. And to continue: “For 8 years that we have had the restaurant, we have been keen to work with products which come mostly from the department, or from a little further away when we cannot find it in Tarn-et- Garonne, we have no intermediaries, emphasizes the cook, and we favor short circuits as much as possible,” he insists. Moreover, on his menu, the origin of his products or his suppliers is already mentioned, proof that his approach fits perfectly with the association to which he is now a part.
In Saint-Antonin-Noble-Val, Hannah Grauleau, producer of poultry raised outdoors, also submitted an application to the Culinary College of France a few months ago. After working for a few years on the family farm, the young woman took over the reins of the farm and was looking for a way to “continue to make herself known to as many people as possible”, she confides. According to her, the name offers “nice visibility” and above all, “it is a guarantee of quality and recognition of our work”, she adds. She also fully subscribes to “the values of safeguarding culinary heritage” carried by the association.
In total, 3,200 artisans, restaurateurs or producers are part of the Culinary College of France. In Tarn-et-Garonne, there are now six. Le Maraudeur and Nous joined the restaurant Antoine (Montauban), the winemaker Château Saint-Louis (Labastide-Saint-Pierre), the market gardener Domaine de Tabory (Nohic) and the arborist Yannick Colombié (Lizac).
