“Cooking is one of the few things women take with them into exile. It’s a transferable skill that makes it easy to forge links. We were keen to develop an integration project based on women’s passions and skills. In France, where 90% of chefs are men, it’s crucial to be able to make the talents of invisible women visible. “.
With this in mind, Elise Thorel and Sandrine Clément founded the association and company Marie Curry. Their aim is to transform the lives of refugee and immigrant women by offering them a unique opportunity for professional fulfillment in the culinary field. Officially recognized as a Socially Responsible Company, Marie Curry promotes the skills and culinary traditions of women cooks from Réunion, Iraq, Brazil, Mauritius and other countries, who are often under-represented in the world of gastronomy. Alongside the catering service and restaurant run by chefs Mirna Farhi, of Brazilian origin, and Orane, of Mauritian origin, Marie Curry is also an association. It offers culinary and entrepreneurial training over two 4-month sessions. This program enables participants to acquire the skills they need to launch their own business in the catering sector, or to bounce back into salaried employment. Since 2021, over 30 women have benefited from this support, paving the way for their financial independence.
