On Monday 7 October 2024, Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx gave a cookery lesson to 12 Ukrainian apprentices as part of the ‘Cuisine Mode d’Emploi(s)’ project in Toulouse. The trainees, aged between 18 and 43, are temporarily displaced persons from Marioupol, seeking to rebuild their lives after being forced to flee following the destruction of their town. For Thierry Marx, cooking is a way of building resilience :
We’re here to inspire them through our work. Cooking helps people rebuild their lives; it’s the gold that glues the broken pieces back together. It helps them to regain their independence, to please others, which is extremely restorative, and to avoid turning in on themselves.
Thierry Marx
The chef’s personal involvement goes beyond culinary training. He stressed how deeply the war in Ukraine affects him, having worked there in the past. ‘The war is in Europe, and we must continue to help them’. He also appealed for support:
We need support, more volunteers and, above all, funding. Private companies, come and help us, it’s important to work for peace in Europe.
Thierry Marx
This first face-to-face course with the great chef enabled the apprentices to acquire the basics of French cuisine, focusing on fundamentals such as mastering eggs, cooking and precise movements. For Thierry Marx, these technical skills are essential if trainees are to build a solid future.
The project, supported by Stand With Ukraine in collaboration with Marioupol town council and the Ukrainian Embassy in France, aims to provide temporary displaced persons with vocational skills. After this training, the apprentices will have the opportunity to put what they have learned into practice by opening ‘La Cantine de Marioupol’ in Dnipro, a key project for the resilience of their community.
Thierry Marx will be present at the opening of their future restaurant in Dnipro, a sign of his deep commitment. Read the full article in La Dépêche.
