World final competition for our 21st edition of the culinary competition dedicated to people with mental or psychological disabilities.
The association L’Assiette Gourm’Hand, in partnership with the Lycée Professionnel Sainte-Marie de Bailleul (Hauts-de-France), is organising the 20th edition of the competition that bears its name since 2003! This competition, held under the High Patronage of the President of the French Republic, was created to highlight the work of people with mental disabilities or those suffering from psychological disorders, carrying out catering tasks in sheltered work environments, in inclusive restaurants, or as part of a work integration project. It is also an opportunity to promote regional products. This pioneering and unique competition also aims to foster international meetings, and it should be noted that foreign teams have been participating since 2010. The date for this first France final is set for Saturday, 11 April from 07:00 to 18:00 at the Lycée Professionnel Sainte-Marie de Bailleul. As every year, a jury of professionals from the culinary and medico-social fields will judge the teams, supported by the National Academy of Cuisine, the National Society of Best Craftsmen of France, and many other culinary associations. A person with a mental disability or suffering from psychological disorders, coached by the head chef trainer of your establishment, will need to prepare a dish based on rabbit thigh and two accompaniments, one based on Corne de Gâtes potatoes and one free choice from your region. The candidate will prepare 11 plates, one of which will be entirely prepared by the candidate with a whole thigh (presentation plate). The other 10 will be for tasting (1 plate for 2 judges). The use of truffles, caviar, edible flowers, or gold or silver leaf is strictly prohibited.
To register: click on the link at the bottom of the page after reading the rules, and prepare your cover letter or a video!
We thank you for returning the application form accompanied by a cover letter or a short presentation video (maximum duration of 3 minutes) outlining the candidate's motivations before 03/03/2026.
The selection of teams will be confirmed to you by 08/03/2026 at the latest. The participation fee for this competition is €20. An invoice will be sent to each team that requests it..
Contacts :
Mme Sophie Houssin • 07 83 40 69 05 (for registrations)
Mme Marianne Dufour • 06 23 79 99 77 (for the technical part)
M. Roland Vollebout • 06 95 11 68 97 (for the technical part)
REGULATIONS OF THE GOURM'HAND PLATE COMPETITION
INTERNATIONAL CULINARY COMPETITION ORGANIZED AT LYCEE HOTELIER SAINTE MARIE DE BAILLEUL (NORD)
1. Opening of the competition
The competition is exclusively reserved for individuals with mental disabilities or those affected by psychological disorders, accompanied by a head chef working in sheltered employment structures, in inclusive restaurants, or as part of a work integration project.
A cover letter or a short video, with a maximum duration of 3 minutes, presenting the candidate and their motivations for participating in this competition will be attached to the application (why do you want to participate in the competition? What do you love about cooking? What is your dream for the future?...)
For minor candidates, the application must be accompanied by a participation consent form signed by the legal representative.
Any incomplete application returned will be considered inadmissible.
2. Date and location of the competition
The competition will take place on Saturday 11 April 2026 from 07:00 to 18:00 at the Lycée Professionnel Sainte-Marie in Bailleul.
3. Theme of the competition
The chosen theme for the competition is: Rabbit thigh and its liver with two accompaniments, one based on Gâtes potatoes and one vegetable of your choice from your region.
The use of truffles, caviar, edible flowers, or gold or silver leaf is strictly prohibited.
Furthermore, one of the three 'Chef' products from our partner Nestlé Professional® (Chicken stock, red wine and port reduction, demi-glace sauce) must be included in your recipe along with a jar of 400g Griottines cherries and mustard from the Hauts de France. Scoring will take into account waste management and optimisation.
400g net weight Griottines and mustard from the Hauts de France. The rating will take into account waste management and optimisation.
4. Participation in the competition
The deadline for registration for this competition is set for 03/03/2026. The participating organisation agrees topay the sum of €20 to L’Assiette Gourm’Handfor organisational costs, by bank cheque or by transfer, specifying the name of the candidate and their organisation.
IBAN of L’Assiette Gourm’Hand: To be communicated if you are selected!
An invoice will be sent to each team that requests it. No changes to the team will be accepted. Teams agree that the trainer listed on the application form must be present on the day of the competition. Failure to comply with this clause may result in the elimination of the concerned team.
5. Accommodation
By prior agreement, accommodation is available only for the candidate and their companion on Friday and Saturday nights.
The meals on Friday evening, Saturday morning and Saturday lunchtime are provided for the candidate and one accompanying person by the organisers.
Transport is the responsibility of the organisations. It is possible to book additional nights (Thursday to Friday): €25 per person.
If you wish to book accommodation for a later departure from Saturday night to Sunday, we invite you to contact the Bailleul Destination Cœur de Flandre Tourist Office at 03 28 49 23 79.
6. Preparation
The preparation must be hot.
Each candidate duo has access to large equipment on site (oven, hotplates…) as well as basic products (salt, pepper, oil…).
On the day of the competition, candidates will have available: 6 legs of rabbit "Bleu, blanc, cœur" weighing 230 grams LOEUL ET PIRIOT, rabbit liver in modified atmosphere (not mandatory in the recipe).
They must use at least two of the following ingredients:
Chicken stock CHEF – 1 L
Red wine & port reduction CHEF – 580 g
Demi-glace sauce CHEF – 1 L
Griottines in liqueur jar of 400 g
Optionally, the following products may be used:
Unsalted butter Président – 250 g
Semi-salted butter Président – 250 g
Liquid fresh cream Président – 1 L
Mustard from the Hauts-de-France
Liquid chicory from the Hauts-de-France
The products from the Nestlé Professional® range will also be provided (chicken stock, red wine and port reduction, and demi-glace sauce). Other ingredients and personal utensils (specific small equipment, knives, etc.) will be brought by the participants. The use of truffles, caviar, edible flowers, or gold or silver leaf is strictly prohibited.
For any information, contact:
Marianne Dufour • 06 23 79 99 77 or marianne.dufour@lassiettegourmhand.com
Roland Vollebout • 06 95 11 68 97 or roland.vollebout@lassiettegourmhand.com
Each team has one hour and thirty minutes to prepare the dish of their choice, which they will present to the jury, on a plate (1 portion that must be plated solely by the candidate with a disability on a neutral white plate of 28.5 cm, the rest presented and served on 10 plates). The plates will be provided by the school. All preparation, finalisation of the dish, and its presentation must be carried out on-site within the time limit of one hour and thirty minutes (for example, it is excluded to work only a quarter of an hour on-site). Special attention will be paid to the work and autonomy of the person with a mental disability or experiencing psychological disorders. The scoring will also take into account the management and optimisation of waste. After their performance, candidates are required to clean their workstation and shared equipment to allow the following candidates to work in good conditions. Each participating team must report to the application restaurant of the Lycée Professionnel Sainte-Marie at least 30 minutes before the time slot that will be indicated to them in the week preceding the competition.
Mandatory presenceon Friday 10 April 2026, to store their equipment in the kitchen, and for the official opening of the France final at 20:00 at the Town Hall of Bailleul.
7. Kitchen Scoring → out of 130 points
• Production → 40 points
• Candidate's autonomy in the kitchen → 45 points
• Compliance with hygiene rules → 20 points
• Environmental approach → 10 points
• Basket optimisation → 15 points
8. Tasting Scoring → Out of 70 points
• Theme compliance → 10 points
• Aesthetics of the dish → 10 points
• Cooking – Seasoning → 10 points
• Garnish – Seasoning → 10 points
• Harmony of the whole → 10 points
• Sauce → 10 points
9. Composition of the jury
The jury will consist of personalities from the restaurant industry (MOF, Bocuse d’Or, Members of culinary and gastronomic associations and our partners) as well as personalities from the medical-social world.
10. Competition proceedings
• 06:30: welcome of the first teams in uniform
• 07:00: start of the competition
• 08:30: service of the first dish
• 17:00: announcement of results followed by a cocktail
Every 15 minutes, a team will start their preparation. A new dish will therefore be presented to the tasting jury every 15 minutes.
11. Use of recipes and photos
Each participant agrees that the organisers of the competition may use the recipes and photos taken on this occasion for promotional purposes, for dissemination on social media, and for transmission to the print and audiovisual press.
12. Prizes
• 1st prize: Trophy that will be put up for grabs each year, qualification for the international competition in October, internship at Ceproc in Paris, and various prizes
• 2nd prize: Qualification for the international competition in October, various prizes
• 3rd prize: Qualification for the international competition in October, various prizes
Prizes will be offered to each participating pair.
Our suppliers: MOUTARDES DES HAUTS-DE-FRANCE
7. IMAGE RIGHTS AUTHORISATION
In accordance with the provisions relating to image rights, I authorise Assiette Gourm’Hand to take photographs and videos during the World Final 2026 of the international competition L’Assiette Gourm’Hand, on 10 October in Bailleul.
The images may be used by the organiser, on all media (digital, social media, communication), worldwide and without time limitation.
The organiser undertakes not to infringe the privacy or reputation of the participants.
I acknowledge that I will not receive any remuneration for this use.
In accordance with the RGPD, the data is used solely for the management of the competition. You have the right to access, rectify, and delete your data by contacting: rgpd@lassiettegourmhand.com.
Participation in the competition implies acceptance of these conditions.