In Roubaix, a pizzeria school to restore confidence in job seekers

This is a restaurant with human ambition that opened in December in Roubaix. “It’s up to you”, means “your turn” in Italian, and it sounds above all like an invitation made by Gilberto D’Annunzio. This restaurant, which already heads several establishments in the area, has just created its own pizzeria. From the kitchen to the service in the dining room, all the staff are young people under training.

The restaurant that welcomes customers from Tuesday to Saturday It will therefore support dozens of young people who have little difficulty finding work and who need to regain their confidence.

In the kitchen, just before lunchtime, Barakat is very focused and listens to instructions when preparing pizza dough. “It’s not complicated, but you have to be very careful. In this job, I like everything. Before, I didn’t even know I could like it”Explains the young man’s job seeker.
Ahmed handles the pressure and makes sure that customers don’t miss a thing. “I’m a bit like their older brother”, The 56-year-old captain laughs and has gone through several careers. “Serving food is a requirement, but we’ll get there.”

Waiter, waiter, cook, hygiene manager: During the due diligence period of 4 months which can last up to 2 years, each person touches all areass, allowing him to gain solid training and experience.

Pizza maker on stage. He looks at him and thanks him and all thanks to the work of his hands.

Gilberto D’Annunzio is convinced, pizza has an almost magical side. “The pizza-maker is on stage in front of his oven, he is an observer, thanked and congratulated, all thanks to the work of his hands.”

The restaurateur never selects his employees according to their resume. “I have so many examples around me, of people I’ve hired and seen as open-minded. I myself was a so-called school failure. When I first touched flour, I felt it give meaning. It opened up to me, nourished me.”

Nobody is unemployed

This philosophy is shared by Mustafa Al-Zabadi, Head of Integration Plans in North Protection, a partner in the project. “No one is unemployed, this is our creed. Of course, there are rules that must be respected, but for the rest, come as you are.”

In setting up the project, the two men also realized that they had grown up on the same property, in Dineen, where they had already dreamed of opening a new school one day.