Amandine Chaignot
It is by mere chance that Amandine Chaignot finds her way. Bored in pharmacy school, she stops her training in the middle of the year but refuses to sit back and do nothing. She takes a part-time job in a pizzeria. "The contact with the customers, the adrenaline of the service, the fact that you're not bored" convinced her to join a hotel school. She met a guidance counsellor who told her that FERRANDI Paris was the best in this field: "I arrived with my little file," Amandine modestly points out.
She did a year of apprenticeship called "MAN," which combines CAP and BEP: "We had a lot of practice and we were really focused on cooking. When she left school, she worked at Prunier in the 16th arrondissement, with Bernard Leprince, the chef at the time.
She stayed there for two years, then left for Ducasse, "I wanted to see a 3-star establishment" and then went on to work in " Maisons illustres , le Bristol and Le Meurice" . With these beautiful professional experiences, she opened her own establishment, Pouliche, at the end of last year, located in the 10th arrondissement at 11 Rue d'Enghien. Former students of FERRANDI have since joined her: "It is a sign of recognition and also a guarantee of quality. There is a real relationship of trust between us", she is delighted.In addition, she maintains strong ties with her former school. There are plenty of opportunities for me to come to Ferrandi, as a jury for competitions such as the Taittinger or as a guest of honor for alumni, and it's always a pleasure.
As her restaurant has been open for less than 6 months, she is already considering opening other establishments: "I think today that catering is multifaceted and that there is still a lot to do". Her team is a source of motivation on a daily basis: "What I love is arriving in the morning and seeing the faces of my employees, who generally have a smile on their face, and telling me that we have a great team that works. When I see that customers come back, I tell myself that the bet has already been won.
However, Amandine Chaignot does not forget that she had to fight to get where she is today: "Being a woman in the restaurant business is not always easy. Women's authority is still poorly accepted today, it's part of the reality of life, it's intolerable in 2020," she protests. That's why she created the association A.F.F.A.M.E.E.S.: "It started from the observation that in our professions and those peripheral to the restaurant business, there are plenty of female talents who are quite isolated and quite discreet. I wanted to create a link between women who are passionate and help them to realize their projects". "We always tend to talk about performance and skills, but if you're alone in your kitchen, you won't get very far, even if you're the best," she says mischievously.
FERRANDI Paris:
- In 3 words : Quality, Contemporary, Affection
- On the main course: "It's difficult to sum up Ferrandi in one dish, we're talking about a school that has seen many generations of chefs pass through, so I find it a bit reducive".