They should learn the fine art of hospitality and how to behave politely with guests – in the process they encountered teachers whom they now accuse of insulting, physically harming or sexually harassing them. “A chef burned my hand with a hot saucepan (…) and I’m by no means the only one who did that,” said Axelle (all names have been changed at the request of the students), a bachelor’s student renowned Paris hotel school Vatel.
Since the end of March – with one short interruption – the entire graduating class of the hotel school has been on strike. The attached school restaurant, which is otherwise open to the public, is no longer accepting reservations. The approximately 60 students demand that several teachers, some of whom have had bad experiences with, leave the hotel school.
The reason for this is “the sexual assaults and bullying that were the order of the day in the school kitchen and in the restaurant,” according to a letter to school director Dov Sebban. Only by dismissing the teachers concerned can it be ensured that the cooking courses “do not remain a source of fear for most students”.
The pastry chef whispered obscenities to schoolgirls, touched them or slapped them on the bottom with a spatula, reports those affected, who wish to remain anonymous. “We were constantly yelled at. (…) I cried in the morning and threw up in the evening, it got to me so badly,” says Erika. Simon talks about homophobic remarks and a boss who threw kitchen utensils at him in anger. “For the price we’re paying here, it’s far from the education we were hoping for,” he says.
Training at the hotel school costs around 11,400 euros a year. Founded 42 years ago, the institution presents itself as the market leader in hotel management training and has 52 schools worldwide. Sales are around 90 million euros.
Several students report that they only noticed during their internships that things can be different. “Basically, the working conditions in the hospitality industry are improving, but this school is still lagging behind,” says Axelle. As early as 2020, more than 140 students had pointed out mismanagement and a lack of respect on the part of the teaching staff in an open letter. They had not received an answer to that.
Watch the video: Counselor on sexual violence in the pandemic – “Corona is being exploited by perpetrators”.
The school management initially emphasized that there was no criminal complaint. In early April, she admitted that “unacceptable” incidents had occurred. School director Sebban suggested that external advisors should organize a “warning system” and “psychological support” by September.
“The solutions you propose (…) only partially meet our expectations,” the students replied, with all the courtesy expected of them in their future professions. But they remain firm on the matter: “We expect the persons concerned to be released.” Meanwhile, a Swiss hotel school, which does not want to be named, has offered Vatel’s students to take them on so they can continue their education in peace.
