Lyon is getting ready to welcome the "Clairefontaine of gastronomy"! This Wednesday marked a big step forward with the official launch of the efforts to create the National Center of French Gastronomy, an ambitious project envisioned by Emmanuel Macron to prepare French culinary talents to shine on the international stage.
In a region already nicknamed the "epicenter of gastronomic excellence," the announcement is sure to whet the appetite. During the signing of the foundational agreement for the public interest group (GIP), regional prefect Fabienne Buccio highlighted the scale of this project. "This is just the beginning of a long-term effort," she stated in comments relayed by Le Figaro before revealing that a call for expressions of interest will be launched as early as tomorrow.
n. The aim? To select the future training sites that will host the chefs of tomorrow by spring.A colossal project dedicated to the culinary arts
When it comes to funding, the numbers already hint at the massive investment involved: 9 million euros injected by the State, 15 million from the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Region, and an additional 3 million from the Lyon Metropolis. This significant support highlights the ambition to make this center a global reference in culinary training.
🇫🇷🍽️La Préfète de la région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Fabienne Buccio signe ce soir la convention de lancement du Centre National de la Gastronomie aux côtés de Fabrice Pannekoucke, Président du conseil régional, de Guillaume Gomez, Ambassadeur pour la gastronomie ainsi que l’ensemble… pic.twitter.com/OAkL69UZ5U
— Préfète de région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes et du Rhône (@prefetrhone) January 15, 2025
The idea for this center dates back to September 2021, when the French team triumphed at the Bocuse d'Or, the "World Cup" of gastronomy. Inspired by this achievement, Emmanuel Macron then mentioned the creation of an iconic place dedicated to culinary arts, similar to the sports centers in Clairefontaine for football or Marcoussis for rugby.
While no opening date has been set yet, this project further cements Lyon's status as a global capital of gastronomy. Stay tuned for aspiring chefs… and cooking enthusiasts!
