Creating participatory canteens in disadvantaged neighborhoods

Hello Difteurs!

Some news from Les Petites Cantines!

The lights are green for the Forez! ✨

A major milestone has just been reached: the general meeting of co-owners validated the work required to install the future canteen (extraction duct, glass roof, air conditioning, opening of a load-bearing wall).

The month was also marked by a number of promising meetings: with Emmaüs to manufacture the furniture, with the local theater for future events, and with the montbrisonnais business club and craftsmen. Great synergies in prospect!

Bordeaux: New momentum! ✨

On April 10, Les Petites Cantines Bordeaux celebrated two and a half years of existence by bringing together its members for a landmark general meeting. This high point saw the election of a new Board of Directors, enriched by enthusiastic new faces committed to the continuation of the adventure.

Strasbourg: An evening dedicated to life stories! ✨

Les Petites Cantines Strasbourg welcomed the Camino project for an evening rich in exchanges around the transmission of life stories.

Oullins : 3 years is something to celebrate! ✨

The canteen celebrated its 3rd birthday by launching the "tambouille des quartiers" festival: in partnership with other Oullins associations, they organize shared meal or aperitif events outside the canteen walls.

A big thank you for your support!

And see you this summer in our 14 canteens all over France! 👋 https://www.lespetitescantines.org/

Dear difteurs,

On November 16, 2024, Les Petites Cantines de Bagnolet opened its doors!

A real celebration for Anne, Jean-Marc, Yann, Maria and the whole team, who carried this project forward with determination and passion.

For us, each new canteen is much more than an opening: it's the culmination of hard work, of a team that has risen to the challenges, challenged itself and, above all, never lost sight of its dream. Bravo to them for this fine lesson in commitment! 👏

From today, find in Bagnolet the key ingredients of the Petite Cantine recipe:

🍲 Tasty meals

🤗 Unforgettable moments of sharing

😊 A team ready to welcome you with a smile!

📍 Where 85 Rue Sadi Carnot, Bagnolet

⏰ When? Every lunchtime, Tuesday to Friday

Bravo to the whole team for this achievement! And a big thank you to you, dear donors, for your invaluable support and donations ✨

Dear difteurs,

We are proud and honored to have been selected from 225 committed projects that are shaking up food in France. 🚀

Receiving this award in the category Solidaire alongside inspiring initiatives is a fine recognition of the power of meals to forge links, combat isolation and make food more inclusive and convivial. ❤️

A huge thank you to the exceptional jury and the organizers of Futures Food, Service Compris and Sirha Food for this spotlight. Congratulations to the other winners who are working, each in their own way, for more responsible and sustainable food. 🌿🔥

🙏 And above all, thank you to you: volunteers, canteen workers, guests, partners, difteurs... This prize is also yours! Together, let's continue to cook a more humane world. 🍽️

Dear difteurs,

🌱 A look back at training modules 6 & 7 for project leaders!

On February 3 and 4, project leaders from 8 territories gathered at the Petites Cantines in Villeurbanne and Vieux Lyon for two days of training rich in learning and sharing!

🔹 Day 1: Mobilizing and structuring the team:

They deepened their knowledge on sustaining the commitment of the volunteer team, on the employer posture, responsibilities... This day rhymes with: anticipation!

🔹 Day 2: Managing and structuring your canteen:

Invaluable advice on how to prepare for the opening of your canteen. Thanks to the experience of Zoé Pellini, canteen manager in Oullins, the team was even able to experience a cooking workshop and benefit from concrete feedback!

The Forez, Bordeaux, Villefranche, Romans, Mulhouse, La Réunion, Brignais, and Tassin projects were able to move forward together towards making their canteens a reality! 🚀

✨ They talk about it better than we do:

📢 "Very happy to delve deeper and go into detail!"

📢 "I've had two great days, we're leaving with all the keys in hand."

📢 "A dive into the concrete, can't wait to put it all into application!"

📢 "This time is a turning point in our project!"

Bravo to everyone for your commitment! 💚 We can't wait to see these great initiatives come to life!

Last week, 4 teams from 4 different territories came together at Les Petites Cantines Vieux Lyon to attend two intense days of training:
🔹 One day dedicated to "Shared governance and collective intelligence":
Learning to collaborate, to reveal everyone's talents and to make decisions together, is what enables us to build a strong, united community. These shared moments were rich in exchanges and learning.
🔹A day to learn how to "Prepare for the opening and best practices":
Valuable lessons on sustaining commitment and employer posture.
The projects of Les Petites Cantines Bagnolet (opening soon!) and Les Petites Cantines Villefranche-sur-Saône, and the Rouans - Campus Fertile and AU TIERS LIEU third places in Senlis were able to deepen their knowledge, in an atmosphere of collective learning.
Precious moments, which our participants speak best of:
✨ "We were able to reassure ourselves with good practices and have all the necessary tools"
✨ "It's possible, it works, and seeing people in real life motivates even more!"
✨ "Meeting other project leaders and benefiting from their expertise is enriching" 
A huge thank you to the participants and trainers for their commitment and enthusiasm! 
We can't wait to see these projects grow and share this great adventure with you! 

Julie Van Ossel, journalist and creator of the podcast "La Recette", came to settle in at the tables of Les Petites Cantines! 🍽️ 
After meeting our co-founder Diane Dupré la Tour, she was able to immerse herself in the world and history of our project. That's how she came up with the idea of producing 4 episodes to listen to this summer. In them, you can hear Diane, guests and canteen managers give heartfelt testimonials in the image of Les Petites Cantines.🫶 
How can we transform a life ordeal into a project with impact? 
What role does eating play in building our relationships? 
How can a neighborhood restaurant succeed in overturning the codes of our society? 
These are all questions we ask ourselves as the episodes unfold, which will help you to better understand the central role played by Petites Cantines in creating social ties and local solidarity.🪢
To listen to it, it's here 👉 https://smartlink.ausha.co/la-recette/extrait-diane-dupre-la-tour-celle-qui-donne-le-gout-des-autres
Through these four episodes, Julie Van Ossel explores the behind-the-scenes of Les Petites Cantines with sensitivity and depth.🥄 

Thank you to her for her investment and this spotlight. ✨

We recently concluded our annual event, La Rencontre des salarié.es 2024. Over the course of three days, our Housemistresses, Canteen Managers and support team members came together to share, exchange and train. 🤝
Between practical workshops on project management, tool pooling sessions and experience sharing, these days were all about collaboration and inspiration. 
This meeting was an exceptional opportunity to strengthen ties, exchange practices and learn together. After a busy year, it was essential to get together, recharge our batteries and prepare the future of Les Petites Cantines together. The enriching discussions and convivial moments were highlights, reminding us of the importance of our mission and our community. 👏
Thank you all for your active participation and commitment. Together, we continue to build warm and inclusive canteens!
And a special thank you to Héloïse de Bokay for organizing and leading these moments 🫶 

We had an inspiring weekend at our annual Petites Cantines seminar! Directors, Canteen Managers, Masters and Mistresses of the House, project leaders: we were gathered to explore together the themes of "Fragilities and Robustness".
💡 This strategic meeting was an opportunity to discuss our business model and launch reflections on the career path and well-being of our directors. Together, we voted for the major directions to follow.
Here's what some participants shared at the end of this green seminar:
🌸 Vanessa: "I was able to put faces to names and better understand how the network works. I made some wonderful encounters, and I'm leaving feeling serene in my head and joyful in my heart."
🍲 Julie: "I feel like I've had the experience of a meal at Les Petites Cantines: I arrived shy and I'm leaving nourished in every sense of the word."
🌟 Zoé: "I still feel just as connected to a collective that means something to me, and despite the change in scale, we've kept our DNA and have a lot to be proud of."
🤝 Natacha: "I got a slap in the face. I was really touched by all the exchanges. I arrived as an intern for a drive mission and I felt like I belonged to something even though I hadn't been here long."
Thank you to all our Captains, thanks to whom we can continue to animate this great Little Canteens community! We're already looking forward to next year! 🌱 

"Comme à la Maison" is the title of the first book by Diane Dupré la Tour, the co-founder of Les Petites Cantines! 
This touching tale plunges you into a personal story of resilience and hope, from loss to creation. Discover the story behind the birth of Les Petites Cantines, born of a deep desire to connect and share, as well as the powerful stories of several guests. This book will make you laugh, cry and feel all the emotions that nourish the soul. 🍽️💖
Bravo to Diane for this authenticity, and a big thank you to her and Etienne THOUVENOT for carrying this vision with such conviction, from their first meeting at the pizzeria to the opening of the 14th cantine.
A book to be shared without moderation! 📖

It's the 14th! 
Les Petites Cantines Bruz (near Rennes) opened its doors on Thursday, May 2, 2024!
After several years of searching for premises, raising funds, organizing ephemeral events and, in recent months, carrying out renovations, diners can finally meet up in a fixed location several times a week. Every day since the opening, the canteen team and volunteer diners have been busy preparing delicious meals for local residents. 
Congratulations to the project owners and all the volunteers!