Oboulez Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Like many expats, a career change was necessary in order to secure a job here. My home cooking skills has secured me a job in a local hotel kitchen. Can anybody please advise me what courses I should ask for. I assume that there will be necessary some sort of food hygiene course, but given the obsession here with qualifications (and experience) - even for the most menial job - what 'pieces of paper' should I aspire to if I have any hope of kitchen work being my second career. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 There are people who just do the menial job of plongeur often on the black, but they are usually French and get their place by word of mouth.Those who have followed a formal training course may have a CAP Cuisinehttp://www.lesmetiers.net/orientation/p1_185988/cuisineor a BEPthese are some old practical tests for that exam:http://www.hotellerie-restauration.ac-versailles.fr/spip.php?article2074&lang=frHere is job descriptionhttp://www.cidj.com/article-metier/commis-de-cuisine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oboulez Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 Thanks Norman. Having passed my 'trials', I am awaiting my contract and proper work which will start next month. It is more of a commis role than a plongeur, in that I am prepping and aiding the chef (as well as mucking in with her washing the pots and plates). I will be doing services on my own. I believe that there is some basic course in food prep & hygiene which is mandatory. Do you know anything about that? Ta. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Try googling 'formation hygiene' or 'formation restauration'Not sure which one you want...You have this for example....(looks right !!)http://www.formation-hygiene-haccp.com/HACCP.htmlhttps://www.afpa.fr/formation-qualifiante/agent-de-restaurationbut you also have this...https://www.afpa.fr/formation-qualifiante/agent-de-restaurationor this...http://www.onisep.fr/Ressources/Univers-Formation/Formations/Lycees/CAP-Agent-polyvalent-de-restaurationGo and see ANPE or Pole Emploi (whatever they are called know) they should know.'Formation' is big business in France....and very confusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Yes, go to whoever and dob in your new employer, that should go down well with them. If they aren't worried about their responsabilities and food hygiene why should you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I'm inclined to agree with Chancer. Assuming things can be dangerous. Compliance is the responsibility of the business owner not the employee so if he's offered you the job knowing that you don't have any certificates then one of two things, either he's not bothered and doesn't expect you to be either, or he has it in hand and you will find there are arrangement in place for you to obtain whatever certificates are required once your contract starts. You know the setup so you can probably have an educated guess which one applies.In case it's the second, remember that as an employee you have a right to ongoing training all paid for, so if you're looking at this as a stepping stone, you are within your rights to claim your training provision once you've been there for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 You are all being very British about this, but methinks this not the right attitude in France. I don't understand the 'dob' in comment. You go to pole emploi and say I am looking for a job in restauration, what qualifications do I need ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 "You go to pole emploi and say I am looking for a job in restauration, what qualifications do I need ?"It is even more British to expect to be able to sign up for any training in France without filling in forms with all your personal details, during which process it will become obvious that actually you are not looking for a job at all because you have already signed a contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 I never said that ET.I was just offering the OP a discrete way of finding out what specific qualification they need for a given job. I guess they would know.If you have better option, please help the OP. I have taken the time to list three private courses. What one do they need, I have no idea. I would certainly find out be before paying for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Usually someone in the team has to have the hygiene certificate (which is covered in the training for the qualifications I linked to) but it is not essential for everyone to hold it.There should be a Plan de maƮtrise sanitairefor the establishment which outline its practices in these matters:https://www.lhotellerie-restauration.fr/blogs-des-experts/HACCP-Controles/This is the responsibility of the owner, and there should be a section on how the plan is made known to the staff and monitored.So I don't think that you necessarily have to have the certificate.All that of course is in the ideal.It may well be that the owner has no idea, no-one has the certificate, and there is no plan in place..In that case it could be up to you. If it is you should be given the training at the owner's expense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oboulez Posted March 17, 2017 Author Share Posted March 17, 2017 I guess that because my lifelong previous career in the UK required planning and foresight, I am at this stage seeking to gen myself up on what I should be looking to achieve which will be of use in the future. Having looked for a legit job for years now - even extremely base level jobs like stacking the fruit & veg in IntermarchƩ or making boxes for oysters advertised around here require 12 months experience and or some bac etc, I am grateful for even getting the chance of a trial at the hotel (okay - there was a personal introduction involved) with no previous other than the fact that I can turn out better food than is served in many local restaurants. I am in no way suggesting that nobody is worried about food hygiene - it is more a case of wanting to plan ahead and what are the formations that I should be seeking if this were to be my new life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alittlebitfrench Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Exactly OP.Play by the system. Don't rock the boat now that you have a job. Get the qualifications you need and build your own career.I have seen French relatives of mine change career direction after leaving school and having to go through the 'formation' system. It is hard work....but it does work !Not saying it is right or wrong, but it works. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Well done you on getting the job :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave21478 Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Norman is right - only one member of staff needs to hold the hygene qualification, and its a joke anyway.Daily logs of freezer and fridge temperatures, logs of production dates and labels on batches of ingredients etc etc....its just a metric sh1t ton of paperwork that nobody will ever look at.The rest was basic common sense, dont put your tongue in the meat slicer (no matter how pretty she might be!), raw/cooked meats, wash hands blah blah blah. It doesnt cover actually useful stuff like the kitchen standards for coloured chopping boards and knives or anything like that..... Basically its exactly what you would expct a French course to be like.If the employer has not told you that you will need to go on the course, dont worry about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EuroTrash Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 "Daily logs of freezer and fridge temperatures"We used to fill all the daily sheets in at the end of the week !!!! and I bet we weren't the only ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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