Bize-Minervois

According to the conclusion of a public health study, many children today are affected by being overweight and obesity. In order to improve this situation, the association ‘Euro-Toques” which brings together 4,000 chefs from different restuarants, is working with the European Commission in a preventative action with children. The objective is to make them change and become aware of their eating habits.

At Bize Minervois, François Surget and Laurent Barrière, respectively owner and chef of the hotel – restaurant L’Olivier at Cabezac, who are involved with ‘Euro – Toques’, spent an afternoon visiting the village school. Audrey Rein, the teacher of CM1/CM2, welcomed them to her class. The two men brought with them a mobile kitchen equiped with utensils and a variety of ingredients. The chef, M.Barrière, prepared several dishes and told the children it is important to look at the food before eating and then to eat with ‘respect’ for the person who has prepared it.

François Surget told everyone that eating is a matter of choice. He encouraged the children to eat healthly and explained how to appreciate food, eating without hurrying and always in moderate quantities. The most important is to eat a balanced diet.

The tasting began with tomato and mozzarella seasoned with salt and pepper. Followed by raw and cooked carrot, the children tried to find a common taste. Mr Barrière enlivened certain dishes with spices to make them different. The children also tasted and really appreciated pureed peas and crispy Japanese sushi. Of all the food tasted by everybody at the same time, the sushi was perhaps the most important.

“It is necessary to want to participate in what one has prepared and to discover new tastes and it is, above all, the desire to give pleasure” said the chef M. Barrière in response to the children’s questions about his job and work.

At the end of the tasting each child received a small book with a recap of the visit, with recipes, as a souvenir of an enjoyable afternoon.

Taste is a whole history…… and a requirement which is continued every day at the restaurant L’Olivier.

The restaurant has also just acquired a prestigous recognition in “Gault et Millau” one of the influential gastronomique guides.

You will find all the information about reception, menus and prices……the restaurant L’Olivier de Cabezac with a “critique culinaire” on the official website