The children’s favorite chef works in schools to teach students to eat well, and later become independent. Thanks to his association “Children cook” created 10 years ago, he multiplies initiatives and workshops. Interview.
Olivier Chaput, the favorite chef of children
Very committed to children, Chef Olivier Chaput is keen to interest the young generation in a better, balanced, varied and tasty diet. In 2011, he founded the association Les Enfants Cuisinent, who organizes cooking workshops in nurseries, schools, leisure centers and even hospitals. The goal? Educate young people from 2 to 20 years old to eat “good and healthy”. The association, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary, has already made it possible to educate more than 12,000 children, and more than 120 sponsoring chefs got involved by going out to meet schoolchildren. And that’s not all, Olivier Chaput is also at the initiative of GOOD festival, the 1st food and gastronomy festival entirely dedicated to children. He also took part in the show “A Chef at my doorstep“broadcast on Gulli. It is by meeting the families with whom he launched a culinary challenge, that Olivier Chaput realizes that he can make things happen.
Why did you found the association Les enfants cook?
“Initially,” it started with an observation about the children who came to eat in my first gourmet restaurant. I deliberately did not have a “children’s menu”, hoping to arouse the curiosity of the youngest. And then I realized that the children were delighted to eat like their parents. But I found that most were not able to recognize the products that were on their plate. I started to create workshops on Wednesdays with the children, then I went to Paris to pass on these culinary values and traditions “.
How are cooking workshops conducted in schools?
“We have about 120 Chefs who lead workshops in schools at the national level, particularly in Ile-de-France and Occitanie “. Until elementary school, Chefs mainly do discover products for children, to “give them a good power key”. From adolescence, in college, high school as well as for students, the objective is rather to “give the tools to become independent, to be able to cook. We also educate young people against food waste, “explains Olivier Chaput. Moreover, if they are not organized during extra-curricular time, these workshops are prepared in such a way as to correspond as much as possible to the school curriculum, with an educational kit, each time adapted to the pupils of the class. “This allows the teacher to do a little math (by converting the dosages for example), history, French … and to unite all the students around a shared recipe, including those who are dropping out of school, or sometimes isolated or shelved“.
“In general, the group is divided into two or three depending on the complexity of the recipe. While one group assists the Chef with the preparation, the others do activities, in connection with the educational kit. It can be quizzes, crosswords, a drawing of the recipe for the little ones… “The children can then share the meal or dessert together, or take it home.”We like that the pupil can bring back with pride what he has prepared at school “.
How to organize a workshop at school?
A town hall or a school can directly appeal to the association to organize a workshop in the classes. “We also work in the context of events for hospitals, and we organize workshops in IME (medico-educational institutes), ITEP (Educational and Pedagogical Therapeutic Institute), nurseries… wherever there are children “, specifies the Chief. It also happens that parents organize workshops for a rural school for example, by making a donation to the association. However, all the workshops are free, but cost the association 20 euros per child, which is the reason why “Children cook” is constantly looking for donors.
The Kitchen Truck: the new project for 2022
“This year, we are aiming much harder, with the launch of the Kitchen Truck“ Olivier Chaput tells us. The objective of this project co-financed by the Ile-de-France region: to travel through the territory in the most remote areas to meet young people and organize cooking workshops in order to fight against poor nutrition.
How can I make my child want to eat well?
- Give him a taste of everything. “I advise parents to be daring, even if you don’t like broccoli for example, it is important to let children taste it from an early age, for him” to make the palate“. The Chef recommends that parents never force a child to eat, but always encourage him to taste.”The more he tastes a food, the easier it will be “.
- Involve your child as much as possible : “the more we involve our child, the more he will have an awareness and curiosity“.
- Show the product to the child. “You don’t go to the market, and prefer the supermarket? Regardless, stop by the fruit and vegetable department, and show what a pepper looks like, that there are different colors, let the child touch it, handle it “
- Spend time cooking with your child. “Sometimes after a day’s work, we don’t always have time to involve the children in the preparation of the dish. In this case, set aside time on weekends, to prepare an apple pie for example “.
- Bring the playful aspect in homes, to make children want to take an interest in what they eat.
- Do not prepare several meals according to individual tastes. “At home, it’s not a restaurant, and everyone is constrained to budgets, you can’t have an à la carte meal. You also have to educate your children to eat what is on the menu. , and encourage them to taste, to be curious. Of course, we also identify if the child really does not like a food“.