Seminars on taste and food

The 37th edition of the Semaine du Goût takes place from October 12 to October 18 throughout France. Created in 1990, the event is sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty.

Participants from various sectors

It brings together students, families, and teachers, as well as farmers, food industry merchants, restaurateurs, and local authorities. Associations and cultural institutions also participate.

Activities and themes

Professionals register their own activities, such as tastings, workshops, or meetings. This week follows the Festival of Science, organized from October 2 to October 12. That event had chosen taste and food as the national theme.

Sponsor and related topics

The Ministry of Higher Education and Research had entrusted the sponsorship to chef Thierry Marx. His press kit also mentioned that 2026 marks the centenary of the Michelin star. It also discussed the biological mechanisms of taste and smell.

Hiring trends in food service

The food service is among the main hiring sectors. The professions highlighted during this week hold an important place in hiring intentions. France Travail measures these annually in its survey on labor needs (BMO).

2026 hiring projections

Conducted between October and December 2025 among 416,588 establishments, the 2026 edition was published on April 21. "Employers declared nearly 2.28 million hiring projects for the year. This volume decreased by 6.5% compared to 2025, according to the public operator."

Top hiring roles in food service

A hiring project corresponds to a declared hiring intention, not a position actually filled. In this ranking, food service occupies the top positions by volume. According to France Travail, kitchen assistants and multi-skilled restaurant employees are first, with 97,100 projects.

Sector-wide hiring demands

Café and restaurant servers follow, with 93,800 projects. Chefs total 51,600. With 319,000 hiring projects, food and accommodation is among the main hiring sectors in 2026. The agricultural upstream sector also shows high demand.

Tensions in hiring

Marked tensions in certain professions. Across all sectors, 43.8% of hiring projects are considered difficult by employers in 2026. This proportion reached 50.1% in 2025, according to France Travail.

Difficulties in food professions

However, certain food and kitchen professions are significantly above this average. Among butchers, 73.8% of projects are considered difficult. The proportion reaches 72.1% for head chefs and 57.6% for chefs.

Comparison with other sectors

These levels bring these professions close to the most strained professions in industry and construction. In manufacturing, qualified workers show 80.6% of difficult projects. Roofers reach 79.7%, and welders 71.3%.

Regional variations

At 70.5%, qualified masons are slightly below head chefs. However, these tensions do not affect all food industry professions to the same degree. Across all professions, the share of difficult projects varies by region.

Adaptations by employers

Among the top ten by volume, it ranges from 35.6% in Île-de-France to 49.8% in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. The survey measures anticipated difficulties by employers, not a confirmed labor shortage. Faced with these difficulties, some recruiters adapt their criteria.

Flexibility in hiring

"In 2025, 74% of employers facing tensions accepted less experienced candidates, says France Travail." In addition, 63% hired profiles whose training differed from the originally planned one.

Strategies to address shortages

The public operator highlights several levers. It mentions recruitment through simulation, short training courses, or professional immersion. France Travail has also set the goal of conducting 400,000 outreach efforts to companies in 2026.

Educational initiatives

Discovering professions from school. The Semaine du Goût, on its part, is part of a discovery logic. In nursery and elementary schools, artisans, chefs, and producers conduct free "Goût Lessons."

Educational impact

These interventions introduce children to products, their origins, and food industry professions, from the field to the plate. According to the organizers, these interventions involve professionals located near schools.

Support for teachers

Registered teachers also have access to digital educational tools to extend the activity throughout the year.