From satellites to the pot: an unusual reconversion for this Parisian who came to settle in the Gers

Some people dreamed of it, he did it: leaving the urban hustle and bustle for the sweetness of the countryside. This is the story of Thierry Fourquet. At 57, he decided to leave several decades of Parisian life behind to settle in a Gers village of just a thousand inhabitants: Miélan. In Paris, Thierry Fourquet worked as an executive for a space operator. A renowned company, specialized in the management of a large fleet of satellites. But after years in the tumult of the capital, it was time to question things.

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The hectic pace of life in Paris has come to an end. And Thierry decided to settle down in this family home which was therefore not unknown to him. “I liked Parisian life, the dynamics, the meetings, the culture. However, certain stages of life call for a transformation,” he explains.

Mushroom picking, discussions in the village square or even the pleasure of a local market, walks in the Pyrenees: the appeal of these simple moments in the countryside reinforced his choice. An opportunity also to get closer to a brother from Bordeaux and another from Toulouse.

A new world: gastronomy

This singular desire, which could be compared to early retirement, however hides a much more precise project: that of entrepreneurship. “This idea had been brewing in me for a while,” he confides. Tired of being an employee, Thierry Fourquet wanted to become his own boss while sharing his passion, cooking.

The Gers, an ideal setting for concocting tasty dishes with local accents. “I want to create moments of conviviality and sharing, where we learn as much as we enjoy ourselves,” explains the chef. To do this, he joined the “L’Atelier gourmand” franchise.

“It was by chance that I met its creator and I said to myself that this is what I needed, cooking and entertainment.” After finding premises, he now offers cooking classes to professionals and individuals in Toulouse, in the Lardenne sector.

A change of life, a reconversion in record time, since although the workshop opened in October, Thierry and his wife only moved to the Gers in June after leaving the Parisian company. The decision to leave everything was taken in March. “We took a series of steps, but it matched my expertise in project management. But there was also the luck factor. All the stars aligned,” he says.

Thierry Fourquet also wishes to invest locally by offering his services in the many Gers areas. “Today, I only see happy people when they come out of these classes. It’s leisure, when they come, it’s to have fun.”