If there's one sure thing when it comes to reward travel, it's anything to do with gastronomy. Especially in France, where cuisine has had the privilege of being listed as a World Heritage Site since 2010. Rich in emotion, a good meal is synonymous with conviviality, well-being, exchange and sharing. Better still, as three-Michelin-starred chef Pierre Gagnaire describes in his book Un principe d'émotions, "cooking is multi-sensory. It appeals to the eye, the mouth, the nose, the ear and the mind... No other art has this complexity."
Among the many possibilities for gourmet events available to businesses, cooking classes with a top chef or renowned craftsman are the most popular. These shared moments appeal to individuals and professionals alike, not least because they are part of a general trend towards a return to our roots, to traditions that are fading away. Over the generations, the direct link with the world of the land has diminished, and with it the transmission of know-how, including cooking. Recent food scandals have added to this, reinforcing the need to reappropriate the basics and control our consumption.
But this type of hedonistic course also plays on "increasing skillsAs Nathalie Damery, sociologist at Obsoco (Observatoire Société et Consommation) points out. In a world of work shaken by the crisis, people are feeling the need to show off their skills and value a personal achievement other than a professional one. Cooking workshops, which are open to all, men and women, whatever their age or socio-professional category, respond to this need. They give participants the opportunity to show off their skills in a relaxed, informal way. At the end of the day, the trainees leave with a better self-esteem and fond memories!
This view is also shared by Natacha Burtinovic, founder and manager of Atelier des Sens, which organises cookery classes in Paris and Lyon: "We're all very keen to learn how to cook," she says.These rewards work particularly well when the company is going through a crisis or going through a merger". The most popular formulas are those that include the creation of a "full menuThe menu consists of a "starter, main course and dessert", followed by a tasting of the cooked dishes, which may or may not be accompanied by a wine pairing presented by a sommelier.
In terms of form, the modules are extremely varied. They range from cookery and pastry-making workshops to more specialised courses - on baking, organic products or chocolate, for example, as at the Valrhona school in the Drôme region - including the discovery of top-of-the-range products such as truffles, caviar or foie gras. It can also mean a meal concocted on site by a renowned chef or craftsman. This is what Stephen Leguillon, co-founder of La Belle Assiette.
"Throughout France, we have more than 700 professionals who can meet all a company's needs, from cocktail receptions and buffets to prestigious dinners. These chefs go to the venue themselves to provide the service, giving them the opportunity to talk directly with the guests.
For its part, the company Cour des Créateurs organises a number of formats to bring participants together and boost their creativity, including "Top Chef" competitions, "apprentice restaurateurs" and "fashion cooking" team-building events, as well as gastronomic games on food and wine pairing, and culinary tours of the market... These events, which can accommodate up to 150 people, can be given in English and are usually held in Parisian lofts.
However, all these activities can also be enjoyed in the great outdoors. In the Oise region, just a few kilometres from Paris, the bucolic setting of Dolce Chantilly lends itself to numerous challenges organised around gastronomy and oenology. At the same time, chef David Archinard offers, on request, courses based on local produce for small groups of around ten. In the same region, Château Saint-Just, in Belle-Eglise, hosts residential seminars for up to 220 participants. "We have a French and foreign clientele, mostly city dwellers, looking for creativity and a packaged product: accommodation, meeting rooms, meals and drinks and entertainment."says Jean-Jacques Devert, Managing Director.
As well as the classic themed dinners which, in fine weather, can be held in the grounds of the estate, the establishment has worked with external service providers to develop a number of programmes tailored to the needs of businesses. For example, students can take cookery or culinary discovery classes, while competition enthusiasts can enjoy challenges such as gastronomic quizzes or cooking challenges. As for participants looking for originality, they can prepare recipes to the rhythm of the agency's orchestra. Coqs en Pâte. "The idea was to combine cooking with music and games in a completely zany way!says co-founder Emmanuel Fuentes. In practice, an orchestra sings recipes to groups of up to 3,000 people! "It's very festive, very funny. Sometimes people start dancing. The musicians, while continuing to play, adapt and wait for the participants to get back into the swing of things before repeating the lesson in song."explains Emmanuel Fuentes.
Nevertheless, for small management committees of around fifteen people, cookery classes with a renowned chef, followed by lunch or dinner in his company, remain one of the musts when it comes to gourmet rewards. In Rodez, Christophe Chaillou, head of the Café Bras - After a presentation of the products to be cooked, participants are invited to work together to create a recipe that will be put on the menu that evening. "This formula works very well. The requests are exponential!"
At the gateway to Burgundy Côte Saint-Jacques In Joigny, an increasing number of companies are also booking a service provided by two Michelin-starred chef Jean-Michel Lorain. The chef welcomes around fifteen guests in a small amphitheatre set up around the stoves. A camera system films his manipulations, then relays the images onto large screens. The session is not like a course given at a cookery school, but rather an hour-and-a-half-long demonstration, punctuated by discussions with the chef.
The principle is the same at the two-Michelin-star Manoir de la Boulaie in Haute-Goulaine, Loire-Atlantique. "At the end of the event, a folder containing the recipes discussed is given to each participant. Afterwards, we have an aperitif before sharing dinner together."says chef Laurent Saudeau.
Fish to see and eat
In Vannes, Brittany, Michelin-starred chefs such as Thierry Seychelles, at Roscanvec, and Olivier Samson, at La Gourmandière, give cooking demonstrations based on seafood products in the town's aquarium, which can be made private for the occasion! Still in the region, in Lorient, Nathalie and Arnaud Beauvais, owners of the restaurant Le Jardin Gourmand, also run cooking classes for 10 people and wine workshops for up to 18 guests, on request. Groups split in two can take part in these two activities before coming together in the evening for a tasting meal. In St Malo, the Thermes Marins group has several establishments, including Le Grand Hôtel des Thermes and Le Nouveau Monde hotel, which offer gourmet theme breaks tailored to corporate clients. "We are seeing a trend towards packages combining wine and culinary experiences, particularly those that include the discovery of local produce".says Karine Guilhard, Sales Director.
Tastings galore
Alongside the great classics, gourmet incentives can also go off the beaten track. This is what led AnneCatherine Gillet, founder of AC2G, to come up with some original gourmet discoveries. Seaweed workshops where participants learn how to make sushi, or a visit to an oyster farm followed by an oyster tasting session are the most popular. "We teach small groups of up to six people how to open oysters and introduce them to the different French and foreign species. The participants are delighted to discover a variety that they appreciate. Even those who have preconceived ideas about these molluscs are surprised to find themselves enjoying them during the tastings!"These services generally take place at a fishmonger's, or at any other venue the customer wishes. Once again, they can be combined on request with wine or alcohol pairings, including whisky. Along the same lines, the agency is working with Kaviari on a very exclusive caviar theme.
Of course, France, one of the world's leading wine-producing countries, also offers a vast array of wine-related possibilities. This land of Rabelais par excellence has more than 5,000 wine cellars open for tasting, as well as wine tourism facilities. Bordeaux, Champagne, Burgundy... Prestigious châteaux and estates open their doors to business visitors. Blending workshops, participation in the grape harvest, blind tastings, helicopter flights over the vineyards, winegrower snacks... The possibilities are endless. In Aquitaine, Jenny Lloret, a winemaker and relaxation therapist, is offering a multi-sensory tasting experience of Bordeaux wines in partnership with the Cadillac Wine House. Disconnected from the modern world, participants breathe, smell and smell the nectars and learn to decipher them using their heightened senses!
While there are many wine-related activities - quizzes, introductions, blind tastings, etc. - they don't necessarily have the same impact as those linked to gastronomy, because they are much less accessible. Not everyone can recognise and decipher a wine by nose or palate. Even with the guidance of a specialist. The fear of appearing stupid compared to the others can be an obstacle, which is never the case at a cooking event where beginners and experts alike can get together in a generally friendly and relaxed atmosphere. This is due to the very image of cooking, which evokes memories of childhood and conviviality, whereas wine, in the collective unconscious, is more generally reserved for men, connoisseurs and holders of knowledge.
Maintaining friendship
However, gourmet rewards are varied enough to meet the needs of companies. Business gifts are another way of bringing teams or partners together. According to a survey carried out in 2015 by Omyagué-Les Boudoirs de l'incentive, 57.8 % of the 501 companies questioned said they use this type of reward to "build loyalty and maintain friendships"and 56.2 % for "stimulate and motivate employeespartners and associates". Recently, companies seem to be refocusing their efforts internally, with 34.6 % offering them at a high point in the life of the company - birthday, retirement, good results - whereas in 2014, their main concern was thanking their suppliers. Unsurprisingly, for more than a third of respondents, the end-of-year festivities are the most popular time to give a gift.
The types of gifts offered are also very classic, with 44.9 % of respondents buying gourmet products and gourmet parcels and 41.1 % champagne, wine and spirits. The next most popular gifts were invitations, gift boxes and gift cards (32.4 %). "Savoury and gastronomic products still hold the top spot of the market. At the same time, we are also seeing a rise in 'made in France' items. "says Nathalie Cozette, CEO of C07COM, the company organising the trade show for business gift and incentive brands.
In this context, the choice of gastronomic gifts is wide! Luxury groups, delicatessens, local producers, leading names in the food trade and champagne and spirits producers have all developed a range of products specifically for the professional market, with prices to suit all budgets. The carefully designed packaging can be customised at the customer's request".For the 2016 edition of Omyagué, to be held in Paris in September, we have a fine French company among our exhibitors: Letestu. It brings together the best of the region in elegant hat-box-shaped boxes".says Nathalie Cozette. Another exhibitor is the Châteaux & Hôtels Collection group, chaired by Alain Ducasse. This group is presenting a dozen gift sets, including seven with a gourmet connotation, with prices ranging from €98 to €700 for an exceptional stay for two, including a gourmet dinner. Relais & Châteaux also has an extensive range, with 14 packages priced from €175 to €1,250.
Another constant is that companies are spending less, but better, and are looking to promote local or branded products whose image matches their own: Pierre Marcolini chocolates, Ladurée macaroons, Hédiard delicatessen products, foies gras from Lafitte, De Neuvic French caviar, olive oil from Nice, Brimoncourt champagne... Their Made in France luxury image makes them a gift appreciated by all! In any case, whatever the choice, the company knows it won't miss out with a gourmet reward.
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