Last Saturday, 11 Ukrainian interns arrived in Le Havre to begin their training in French gastronomy, a program that could be decisive for their professional futures.
Their journey took longer than expected: their bus was stuck for several hours at the Ukrainian-Polish border, and they almost missed their flight. But their determination finally won out. Exhausted but relieved, they returned to France, still motivated.
Their journey took longer than expected: their bus was stuck for several hours at the Ukrainian-Polish border, and they almost missed their flight. But their determination finally won out. Exhausted but relieved, they returned to France, still motivated.
This Monday, June 16, they began their training at the Halle aux Poissons, an iconic venue that is now being reborn thanks to this solidarity project. Supervised by the teams of chef Thierry Marx and his network of Cuisine Mode d’Emploi(S) schools, as well as by the Lycée des Métiers de l’Hôtellerie et des Services Jules Le Cesne, the interns are following an intensive month and a half program focused on cooking, baking, pastry making, and serving. The objective: to teach them the fundamentals of French gastronomy in a demanding yet caring environment.
The training is part of the La Cantine de Mariupol project, which aims to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine, the professional integration of displaced persons and veterans, and the healing of psychological trauma caused by war through work, sharing, and transmission.
Carried out in partnership with the Lycée Jules Le Cesne, the Mariupol City Hall, and the Embassy of Ukraine in France, this initiative would not have been possible without the active commitment of the City of Le Havre and its teams.
The group, composed of eight women and three men, is welcomed in the best possible conditions: housing, equipment, uniforms—everything is provided to allow them to fully concentrate on their learning. They are supported by the Le Havre community, the high school teachers, and the municipality, all committed to making this training a true career springboard. During the training, a pop-up restaurant opens its doors twice a week.
The training is part of the La Cantine de Mariupol project, which aims to contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine, the professional integration of displaced persons and veterans, and the healing of psychological trauma caused by war through work, sharing, and transmission.
Carried out in partnership with the Lycée Jules Le Cesne, the Mariupol City Hall, and the Embassy of Ukraine in France, this initiative would not have been possible without the active commitment of the City of Le Havre and its teams.
The group, composed of eight women and three men, is welcomed in the best possible conditions: housing, equipment, uniforms—everything is provided to allow them to fully concentrate on their learning. They are supported by the Le Havre community, the high school teachers, and the municipality, all committed to making this training a true career springboard. During the training, a pop-up restaurant opens its doors twice a week.
This immersive experience allows trainees to practice their skills in real-life conditions, while inviting the people of Le Havre to take part, in their own way, in this wave of solidarity and reconstruction.
The project is one of the first concrete initiatives of the partnership signed on February 28, 2025, between Le Havre and Mariupol, a cooperation that Stand With Ukraine supported as part of the #MistoMatch initiative. Upon completion of the training, the trainees will join the teams at La Cantine de Mariupol in Dnipro, where a cooking school and a restaurant are currently being developed, the first step toward the opening of a cultural and gastronomic third-place in the fall of 2025.
A huge thank you to all stakeholders for their commitment, and a warm welcome to Le Havre to these 11 promising trainees.
The project is one of the first concrete initiatives of the partnership signed on February 28, 2025, between Le Havre and Mariupol, a cooperation that Stand With Ukraine supported as part of the #MistoMatch initiative. Upon completion of the training, the trainees will join the teams at La Cantine de Mariupol in Dnipro, where a cooking school and a restaurant are currently being developed, the first step toward the opening of a cultural and gastronomic third-place in the fall of 2025.
A huge thank you to all stakeholders for their commitment, and a warm welcome to Le Havre to these 11 promising trainees.
