Bordeaux (AFP)

Philippe Etchebest, the TV star chef from Bordeaux, calls on the government to "keep all the establishments alive, from the crêperie to 3 stars" which will not be able to reopen before the summer due to containment measures, "national nightmare" for restaurateurs.

But "before thinking about reopening, let's think about saving the companies that are on a drip, this is the priority," he said Tuesday in an interview with AFP from his residence in Dordogne.

Member of the Collectif des restaurateurs du sud-ouest, a "think tank of five professionals" with in particular the boss of the Bistrot Régent, Marc Vanhove, or Aquitaine managers from the Union of hotel trades and industries (UMIH), the chef of the restaurant "Le 4e mur", in the center of Bordeaux, says he was "approached to try to find solutions".

His priority: "that our companies can hibernate during this confinement", without going bankrupt, "because today the vast majority of restaurants have no cash" after "social movements for a year and a half", says the chef star.

"The people who were on the brink of the abyss find themselves at the bottom of the abyss", he launches with one of these formulas which make the success of his show "Nightmare in the kitchen" on M6.

With Gérald Darmanin, Minister of Action and Public Accounts, then again Monday of Bruno Le Maire, Minister of the Economy, he militates so that "the State very quickly takes measures so that insurance companies can find funds and help businesses, and let the banks take part in the effort. "

A track was submitted to Mr. Le Maire "who was interested", he said: the assumption of operating losses of restaurateurs a third by the State, a third by insurance, a third by the owners .

"Insurance companies say they have no money, more money or not enough, it doesn't matter. We are borrowing to survive this crisis, so why wouldn't the insurance companies do it for We would advance this money? We would reimburse via bonuses spread over twenty years, "he said.

He also said he was thinking of "the whole economic system" around restaurants, "artisans, producers, drinking establishments", recalling that the 229,000 cafes and restaurants in France generate 1 million direct jobs and a million indirect ones. "We are a big link in a chain and if this link breaks out, everything breaks up, it's the domino effect".

- "There will be damage" -

"A second thing will be to reopen quickly" but "under conditions" because "health is a priority", adds Mr. Etchebest, who recognizes that "the financial or technical means are lacking for a reopening without endangering employees and customers".

He indicates working on the subject with "an analysis firm on a specification" but suggests that the implications are colossal. In catering "we know how to work on hygiene measures, we are trained for that, but we are not trained to keep nursing homes, because that is what we will become if we do that," says T -he.

In addition, according to him, a reopening with 50% fewer tables to respect social distancing implies "50% fewer staff", in addition to a recovery that "will not be done immediately", for lack of customers.

"Today, we have the choice between plague and cholera in addition to the coronavirus. There are no small, means, big, we are all in shit", he plague, refuting however "hold alarmist and pessimistic discourse. "

"We have to be realistic in the face of the current situation. It is up to us to find solutions together, and we will find some," he said, affirming himself "optimistic".

"The recovery will be gradual and difficult. There will be damage but if we do nothing, 40% of our establishments will close, perhaps more," he warns.

© 2020 AFP