Paris (AFP)

Four-day week, pastries ordered online and given to customers by the chef herself, or non-alcoholic cocktails paired with starred dishes: committed players in the world of gastronomy seek to humanize experiences.

"Positive extremist", chef Florent Ladeyn had already radicalized his eco-responsible approach by refusing to serve in his establishments ingredients that do not grow in the North, his region, such as coffee, pepper or olive oil.

Coming out of the health crisis which "forced everyone to have a little time" and allowed him to "watch his daughter grow up", he introduced a four-day week for the staff of his establishments.

Result: "I have teams that are not tired, paid at their fair value and have a life on the side," he told AFP on the sidelines of the Onmivore gastronomic festival which is held in Paris until Monday.

One way to prevent the "hemorrhage" in the sector where 100,000 positions are to be filled, a real headache for the bosses.

The functioning of these professions "has not changed for a century and the erosion of employees is a real subject (...) It is up to us, the elders, to say to ourselves: our model no longer works", declares to AFP the starred chef Thierry Marx.

- "Social life" for all -

"We wonder how we can rekindle the flame," Romain Raimbault, director of Omnivore, told AFP, bringing together committed and innovative professionals around major food issues.

This edition opens to the general public with debates, masterclasses and tastings.

Argentina's Paz Levinson, executive chef sommelier of Anne-Sophie Pic's group, offers guests a pairing offered in the multi-star chef's restaurants: alcohol-free cocktail and cheese, both with sweet clover, a leguminous plant.

Argentina Paz Levinson, executive somelière chef of the group of starred chef Anne-Sophie Pic, September 14, 2018 in Paris Eric Feferberg AFP / Archives

The cocktail is a clarification of sweet clover with tea, syrup and sherry vinegar impregnated with milk "to break the caffeine and tannins of tea" and give it a silky texture.

"When I was pregnant it was scary to go to a restaurant and stay in the water all evening. I wanted to create something exceptional" so that all customers who do not drink alcohol can enjoy their "social life".

Paz Levinson participates in the festival to encourage sommelier careers and regrets that many of them give up when they have children.

"Perhaps we should have nurseries from 3:00 p.m. to midnight, that would be ideal!"

- Zero losses -

As a young mother, pastry chef Nina Metayer involves her two daughters in her activities, including her latest Delicatesserie project, an online store.

"Everything is in pre-sale, we have zero losses at the end of the day. I use all the savings that we did not put in the trash to buy the best products and have as much craftsmanship as possible. ", she explains to AFP.

On Friday afternoon, she hands over the orders to her customers.

"I meet them to put a little human, I have more time to talk to them" than in a store.

Pastry chef Nina Metayer at Café Pouchkine, May 23, 2018 in Paris BERTRAND GUAY AFP / Archives

Thierry Marx, promoter of gastronomy with a social and environmental impact, expands his vegan offer in his restaurant Sur Mesure, 2 Michelin stars.

"Flexitarianism is a response, admittedly modest, to the overconsumption of animal protein which leads to overconsumption of water", he underlines, adding that making sustainable gastronomy "takes much longer than saying it".

With the Covid, "a lot of people came to our farms with commitments to consume more locally, to support the people around their homes. (...) There may be 5 or 10% of people who kept this way of seeing things, ”notes Stéphanie Vanderhaeghe, a farmer from the North who works with restaurateurs.

It has embarked on the transformation of seeds and plants and direct sales to appeal to "consumers who give the + the +".

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