"From seed to plate" workshop: Restaurants join forces to safeguard local culinary heritage and cultivated biodiversity

Atelier Oignon rose de Menton ©Direction de la Communication-Manuel Vitali

An exceptional meeting that brought together all the chefs in the Restaurant Engagés® network was held on Monday, 26 June, in the Salon Eileen Gray of the Monte-Carlo Beach, under the initiative of the Department of the Environment and the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer.

The aim was to offer a workshop led by Maxime Schmitt, farmer, and Victor Brandi, artisan chef, both co-presidents of the Maison des Semences Paysannes Maralpines, on the topic of local culinary heritage and cultivated biodiversity, to create a link between the seed and plate.
On this occasion, the chefs were able to rediscover a forgotten local product, the pink onion from Menton, which the Maison des Semences Paysannes Maralpines has reseeded and brought back into the spotlight.

This onion, typical of the region, is of great interest in terms of taste, agronomy and heritage. It's a strong symbol of the local culinary identity, as many of the region's typical dishes have an onion base, such as pissaladière, or stuffed onion. The chefs had the opportunity to exchange ideas with their peers on the technical aspects of this vegetable, which had been prepared in all its forms for the occasion.

Beyond the strength of its flavour, this produce is perhaps symbolic of the strong values of the Restaurant Engagé® brand: the promotion of local agriculture and farming, the safeguarding of cultivated biodiversity, the preservation of farmers' knowledge and independence, and a "taste for the finer things in life".

The Commerce and Restaurants Engagés brand (hypertext link: https://monentreprise.gouv.mc/thematiques/creation-et-gestion-d-activite/obtention-de-documents-officiels-et-labels/labels/obtenir-le-label-restaurant-engage ) are run by the Department of the Environment and its partner Ecoscience Provence, and now include over 100 establishments in the principality, including 40 restaurants!

To find out more about this product and discover the issues surrounding farmers' seeds, join us in Menton on July 9 for the rose onion fair!
Find the programme here: https://www.facebook.com/events/167683229611007/?ref=newsfeed