Welcoming excellence to pass it on: a look back at the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France charity gala
Embracing excellence to pass it on more effectively
back to the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France charity gala at the École Hôtelière de Genève
On Friday January 30, 2026, the École Hôtelière de Genève was honored to host the second edition of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (MOF) Charity Gala on its campus.
An exceptional event, attended by over 120 guests, which fully embodied the school’s mission: to train through experience, pass on through encounters and give meaning to excellence.
A student-driven event
At the heart of the evening was the remarkable commitment of Semester 3 students, who imagined, organized and orchestrated the event from start to finish.
Supervised by the educational and operational teams, they were responsible for general coordination, welcoming guests, providing service and ensuring the smooth running of the evening.
Organizing a gala on this scale, alongside exceptional professionals, represents a rare educational experience. It illustrates the École Hôtelière de Genève’s determination to confront its students with the highest standards of hospitality, under real, demanding and meaningful conditions.
Involvement of teaching and operational teams
The evening’s success also relies on the commitment of many staff and teachers.
The École Hôtelière de Genève would like to extend special thanks to Gaëlle Delaeter, MOF Gouvernante des services hôteliers, who initiated this charity gala, as well as Roland Blanc and Dominique Cavaros, for their support and expertise.
A special tribute goes to the entire brigade of the Vieux-Bois restaurant, the school’s training restaurant, supervised in the kitchen by Stéphane Faval and in service by Cédric Minot, whose professionalism and commitment contributed greatly to the success of the event.
The contribution of the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France
The event was marked by the presence and involvement of numerous Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, several of whom actively contributed to the design, preparation and service of the gala menu.
Among them were :
David Alessandria (MOF Cuisinier), Didier Galopin (Maître du Service et de la Table), Jean-Pierre Fantoni (Maître d’hôtel), Laurent Banakila (MOF Primeur), Pierre Gay (MOF Fromager), Romain Pellet (MOF Charcutier-Traiteur), Mathieu Lerenard (MOF Chocolatier), Christophe Renou (MOF Pâtissier) and Éric Duret (MOF Sommelier).
Their presence offered guests and students alike a living demonstration of what excellence means when it is guided by sharing and transmission.
An emblematic guest of honor
The evening was attended by guest of honor Guillaume Gomez, MOF Cuisine 2004, former head chef at the Élysée Palace and culinary advisor to the President of the French Republic.
His presence lent a strong symbolic dimension to the event, reminding us of the essential role played by the transmission of know-how and high standards in the hospitality professions.
An evening of solidarity with concrete benefits
True to its values, this gala also had a strong charitable dimension. Thanks to a richly endowed tombola, significant funds were raised and donated to two associations:
- CHF 2,000 to the Association des MOF Pays de Savoie, to support the Meilleurs Apprentis de France in preparing for their competitions.
- CHF 6,000 to the La Farce association, a grocery store offering food and hygiene products to students in financial difficulty.
A concrete commitment, perfectly in line with the humanist vision of hospitality defended by the Geneva Hotel School.
Training differently, for a sustainable future of hospitality
By hosting the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Charity Gala, the École Hôtelière de Genève is reaffirming its vision of hotel training in Geneva and Switzerland: demanding, immersive, deeply human and forward-looking.
This exceptional evening will be remembered as a high point of transmission, encounters and shared values, all essential elements in training the talents who will shape tomorrow’s hospitality.
