2024-04-29 12:00:37
At Eddine‘s, we have fun and dine. But not only. We also enjoy the pleasures of the mind.
Eddine is the manager and head waiter of a restaurant located in the 13th arrondissement in Paris (1) « At Papa’s 13 ». After 17 years of good and loyal service, this first of April, it’s no joke, Eddine made his dream come true: he went from employee to manager of his own company. This restaurant is therefore his whole life and he wants to ensure that the welcome, the quality and the substantiality of the dishes are there.
The catering sector in France
The enterprise.gouv.fr site lists for France in 2020, 214,000 companies in the catering sector, including around 167,000 restaurants. We can read there that it is “ one of the factors of tourist attractiveness and a key player for the French economy “. Three quarters of establishments are operated by independents and 90% by VSEs (very small businesses). In 2022, this sector experienced 42,500 business failures in France, including 4,434 for the catering sector. Despite this, 83% of restaurateurs have struggled to recruit since covid.
France is known as a tourist destination, for its “good food”, but also for its heavy loads. Yes ! How difficult it is, in France, in 2024, to be the manager of a restaurant or a small business, without being out of your own pocket. Or even completely without being heavily out of pocket.
Eddine has been experiencing this sadly every day for almost a month. For what ? Because, respectful of the laws that he is, Edvy* and Djbril*, the two friendly and competent African gentlemen who work in the kitchen (and who are his only two employees), Eddine did not hire them “ in the dark. ” No. As a result, added to everything that already has to be paid, notably an electricity bill which blew up his budget, social charges have completely drained his cash flow. Never mind !
Solidarity above all. A very strong solidarity from all the members of the team (there are four in total) in the service of a common passion: that which is created around this establishment. This restaurant which, in a way, has become a common good: the culinary space to which they have managed to give a soul. The enthusiasm they all put into it is palpable. Pleasure too. And even more, certainly, the pride they have in giving it body and life.
In this regard, I must return for a moment to a “predominant” element, I would say, because it is as significant as possible, of what characterizes Eddine, intrinsically, as a human being.
This item is clean to solidarity which honors the four members of the team, which I mentioned to you a little above. It is the point of honor that he has made to hire his cooks on the basis of an official contract, established in due form.
Indeed, certainly, I have already told you, it came down to this, for him first, to respect the law. However, most of his motivation lay elsewhere. Here is the explanation.
Edvy* and Djbril* entered French territory clandestinely. They are “migrants”, a term now used to strip the materiality of the facts which result from their criminal nature.
But beware ! Regardless of those who exploit the migratory phenomenon (2), Edvy* and Djbril* did not come to France to benefit from social benefits. On the contrary. They came there to work. This is the only “assistantship” they ask for.
As you may have guessed, it was above all so that Edvy* and Djbril* could be issued with official papers that he officially hired them. So, we can say bravo! Doubly well done, even, because thanks to that, it’s a done deal: they obtained their papers.
They will therefore be able to have the pleasure of being able to present them to the police the next time they are stopped.
All joking aside, I would like to end this episode by talking to you a little about accounting.
Don’t worry, I won’t talk to you about numbers, nor even less – Oh my! – the accounting plan: my bitter failure in the G2 baccalaureate (accounting) having left me with very painful memories, I chose to forget it. To only remember the only account number that I loved, “1609”: “ net profit before tax » (the numbering and structure of the plan have since changed).
It’s the accountant from “Chez Papa 13” that I’m going to tell you about, Samia*: the fourth member of the team.
She fully deserves it because it allows me to add, regarding this team, that despite the fact that the four members who compose it are not all on the same family tree, they are all from the same wood: they are a family.
Because, you see, Samia* is a true artist. An authentic artist, already: it is in the artistic field that she mainly works professionally (singer and dance teacher).
And Samia* also excels in this art, oh so delicate and difficult, of taking care of paperwork without inevitably having to pull out your hair. AaaAAAH!
Because, damn, if you knew – and those who are involved know – there is paperwork, documents to draw up, fill out, print, post and Co. when you are the manager of a restaurant. Without speaking, therefore, of “happy bosses” (3), of accounting.
Or, c’est « At Papa’s 13 “, it’s Samia* who takes care of all that. And this without ever taking away her smile, or diminishing her enthusiasm: the contagious good humor she has. A real joy !
Samia* is Eddine’s cousin. She does this for free, it’s to save her this chore. (4)
« Otherwise, there is failure to assist a person in danger. “, he says, both mocking and relieved, so much so, it’s true, paperwork and accounting make him physiologically uncomfortable.
So. Congratulations to all. And if you allow it, in homage to Joël Robuchon, starred chef, presenter of the eponymous culinary TV show, who ended each issue of it, with this formula every day on the menu, I will do the same for this one. this : ” And good appetite, of course ! »
* first names have been changed.
(1) « At Papa’s 13 » is the franchise of the restaurant chain “ At Dad’s » which brings together 13 establishments, all located in the Paris region.
Having eaten there several times, I can assure you that specifically regarding “ At Papa’s 13 », the setting, the welcome, and the quality and substantiality of the dishes are in conformity with the statements which are given on this subject, which appear in the presentation of the franchise, presentation which you will find on the franchise website :« In a warm and family setting, you can enjoy generous and well-stocked dishes. »
(2) rightly or not, I’ll let you decide.
(3) instead of “derechef”, the correct spelling, in reference to Edvy* and Djbril*
(4) free of charge in cash, but with the significant advantage in kind of having an open table “Chez Papa 13”: “Yum-Yum! » And with the added bonus that the least we can say on this subject is that the “products of the South West” (specialties of the franchise) are a magnificent success. This shows that you can eat richly and cheaply, without having to fear for your figure: all you need to do is not overindulge in good things. Unfortunately for me, that’s how it is. (5)
(5) this is the gourmand speaking. Le Gourmet takes the liberty of adding this here. A personal opinion, as a side note, about this family restaurant: “ Top taste at the lowest cost! »
#maraudes #FranceSoir #Chez #Eddine #complexity #TPE #episode