After a career in hotel management, where he witnessed food waste up close, Jean-François Archambault founded La Tablée des Chefs in Canada in 2004, to remedy this systemic problem. His idea: to unite food professionals such as hotels, restaurants, caterers and chef associations, and transform sporadic donations into an organized process, creating a movement of socially committed chefs. “I first dreamed of a world where everyone could eat their fill. I shared this dream with other bold people and succeeded in inspiring them.” Under his leadership, La Tablée des Chefs has transformed tons of food destined for landfill, feeding over two million people in the process. The chefs who join him share their passion for cooking and pass on their culinary knowledge to young people, helping them to become self-sufficient in terms of food and inspiring new vocations. Jean-François Archambault continues to expand his model internationally, particularly in France, seeking to extend the impact of his humanitarian and culinary work. “Cooking as an ingredient for social change, a winning, powerful and tasty recipe.” We’ll take his word for it.
Association
La Tablée des Chefs
Founded in 2002 in Canada by Jean-François Archambault, La Tablée des Chefs aims to educate young people about healthy eating through hands-on cooking, while also fighting food insecurity and food waste.
The organization was introduced in France in 2013 by Vincent Brassart and relies on a strong network of professional chefs to carry out its actions, which are structured around two main pillars:
Educate: Les Brigades Culinaires and Cuisine Ton Avenir are cooking workshops held in middle schools and youth centers for young people aged 11 to 21. Led by professional chefs, these programs teach participants how to cook in a healthy and affordable way, helping them develop food autonomy.
Feed: Food aid support initiatives that mobilize hospitality and catering professionals, as well as companies, to prepare meals for food relief efforts. Another key objective is to raise awareness among future chefs about the social dimension of their professio
