Michelin-starred chef Giorgiana Viou spoke to middle school students

La cheffe a revêtu un tablier offert les collégiens de Jules-Verne.

The Michelin-starred chef of Le Rouge in Nîmes, Giogiana Viou, came to meet the middle school students of Jules-Verne to discuss the topic of gender equality with them. She responded to the invitation of Cyrielle Souchon, deputy principal of Jules-Verne middle school, and Lorène Lapeyre, Spanish teacher and gender equality referent, initiators of the project. For Cyrielle Souchon, “ her arrival motivated the young people, a first goal was achieved”. Giorgiana Viou admitted: “I am always ready to get involvedin an action if I find meaning and interest in it.”

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The first lucky ones were the 4th E journalism students of Mesdames Quesada and Caron, who were able to interview the chef in a small group, also receiving her latest signed book. There was no shortage of questions about catering, her reference chef being Yves Camdeborde, but also about the choice of their establishment for her visit. “There is no school that is better than another, it is you who make the quality of your school. Being here has meaning for me, it is always interesting to have the point of view of younger people”, replied the chef.

After this first interview, Éric Pascal, principal of the college, and Cyrielle Souchon welcomed the other students, the parent representatives, and Sophie Duteil-Deyries, academic representative for gender equality, Hassan El Otmani, from the Gard departmental council, Etienne Chauvin, from the Jean-Moulin high school in Béziers, Ghislaine Menouni, CPE at Condorcet college, accompanied by students from this college. It was in front of this audience that Giorgiana Viou, naturally formidable, explained her career path turned upside down by the vagaries of life, from why she stopped her studies in interpretation at the Sorbonne Nouvelle, to how she ended up in catering. She highlighted work, which is essential to her, and living her passion: “I am happy to get up every day to do what I do today.”

“Difference must be a strength”

Alternatively moved or funny, but always sincere, the chef answered the students' questions on various problems such as the difficulty of being a woman in catering, harassment or skin color. With strength and tact, she was able to explain how to combat them: “ In the restaurant business, I have always faced a inappropriate remarks, telling myself each time that, if I was excellent at my work, it would shut some people up”, or again “ No one has the right to harass” and finally, “I have a strong character that I use to ignore attacks. I am not into provocation. Difference should be a strength, not a handicap. In life, everyone has a problem, you have to try to solve it.” The public was won over, Giorgiana Viou has a lot of talent, and not just in the kitchen.

Midi Libre correspondent: 06 87 35 18 06