Good plan: the Miam, the self-service restaurant unlike any other, opens to the public

L’heureuse équipe sur la terrasse du Miam. “Nous cuisinons seulement du frais, du local.”

Le self était jusque-là réservé au personnel, désormais, chacun peut en profiter.

"Le Miam, opened in 2022, was reserved for students and staff of the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier. Since mid-May, it has been open to all", enthusiastically announces Lucie Bruston, coordinator of the integration project at the Le Passe Muraille association.

This is good news for residents of the neighborhood or even for others coming from further afield. Parking here is free. The airy and wooded site is exceptional. 30 places are offered. Homemade dishes that can be enjoyed in the beautiful dining room or on the terrace opening onto the park with its century-old pines. But what characterizes this not quite ordinary self-service restaurant is the staff in the kitchen and at self-service.

Twelve employees in integration

"Twelve employees in integration, a majority of single women with children, who combine health and housing difficulties and for whom access to work is difficult", specifies Charlotte Poncept, technical supervisor. At Miam, we earn our living by recovering a dignity that is sometimes lost. Paid at minimum wage, these new cooks "relearn the work codes". A very professional exercise for &quot ;regain self-confidence, autonomy and sometimes even a taste for life, specifies Lucie. Djamel has come a long way: "It was my RSA advisor who told me about this system. The interview went well. Since then, I have flourished, I come every day without stress, the working atmosphere is very good!"

Meals for schools

Charlotte complete: "Our main activity is the cold delivery of 200 meals for the schools of Saint-Vincent-de-Barbeyrargues and Saint-Bauzille-de-Montmel. Our employees are in production from 8:30 a.m. and leave at 4 p.m. We peel, prepare, cook only fresh, local produce." A training and demanding integration project. Le Miam, "organic sharing cuisine" claimed, offers a full menu at €12, two courses at €10 or a brick, vegetable formula or not. By coming to lunch at Miam, you directly contribute to solidarity. Indeed, this professional integration project in "organic and local collective catering" created by Le Passe Muraille aims to pre-qualify people who have until now been very far from employment. Let's run!

Le Miam, at IAAM, the Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Montpellier, 3191 route de Mende. The self-service restaurant is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Correspondent: 07 86 12 64 91

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