Mandatory training to open a restaurant

Getting ready to open a restaurant? Join the 1 million French hotel and restaurant professionals! 

What do you need to know before you start? Is a diploma required to open a restaurant? Are there any specific training courses required? Malou's experts explain it all 🔎

You can also read our testimonial article: 8 things I wish I'd known before opening a restaurant...

Do I need a diploma to open a restaurant?

No, you don't need a diploma to open a restaurant. 

On the other hand, 4 training courses are compulsory to open a restaurant in France: 

• Business licence (sale of alcohol) ;
• Hygiene training (HACCP);
• Permit to sell alcohol at night (PVBAN);
• The Document Unique d'Evaluation des Risques Professionnels (DUERP).

💡About 6 days minimum to complete these 4 training courses.

4 compulsory training courses to open a restaurant 

Operating permit

Would you like to sell alcohol in your establishment? If so, you'll need a business permit to obtain a license!

Compulsory since 2006, a restaurant operator's license is a certificate obtained after training in the sale of alcoholic beverages.

It makes sense: you're responsible for your customers. To be authorized to sell alcohol, you need to know your rights and obligations with regard to..: 

• Principles of civil and criminal liability ;
• Conditions for opening a public house ;
• Preventing and combating alcoholism ;
• Repression of public drunkenness ;
• Drug legislation ;
• Protection of minors ;
• Noise control.

The operating permit is the first step before you can apply for : 

• Licenses 2 and 3 (also known as "la petite licence") authorize you to sell group 2 and 3 drinks (wine, beer, cider);
• Licence 4 (also known as "grande licence"), which allows you to sell group 4 and 5 drinks (rum, distilled spirits, etc.).

💸 Duration and price : to obtain an operating license, expect to spend 20 hours on the course (2 modules) for between €200 and €500 maximum, valid for 10 years. Please note: this does not include the price of the alcohol license!

Nb: if you have at least 10 years' catering experience, you don't need to take 20 hours of classes - an 8-hour refresher course is all you need. 

Good news: this license is one of the training courses eligible for the CPF! Apply to Pôle Emploi.

HACCP, hygiene training

Mandatory since 2012, HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point, in French, "méthode d'analyse des risques et de contrôle des points critiques." 

HACCP is THE training course that teaches restaurateurs everything they need to know about hygiene standards and food management. It can also be financed through your CPF account.

Above all, it's a method based on 7 criteria and 12 phases, which enables hazards to be analyzed at every stage in the production of a foodstuff. Only one member of your team needs to be trained (you, your boss, your manager, etc.). 

Did you know: HACCP was originally created for NASA in the 60s to guarantee the safety of food consumed by astronauts 🚀

💡HACCPis not mandatory if you hold : 

• A level 5 diploma in hotel and restaurant management;
• At least 3 years' experience as a manager or operator in the agri-food sector.

💸 Duration and cost : 14 hours (2 days) of face-to-face or distance learning training at an average cost of €200 to €450. Many organizations offer this training, but they must be state-approved. At the end of the course, you'll receive a certificate that is valid indefinitely. Keep it in case of an inspection!

PVBAN (sale of alcohol at night)

Will your restaurant serve alcohol after 10pm?

If so, you need PVBAN training! 

As the name suggests, the "night-time liquor license" authorizes you to serve alcohol between 10pm and 8am.

Training is relatively similar to that for a business license: 

• Safety and prevention ;
• Identifying intoxicated customers;
• Managing difficult situations ;
• Compliance with regulations on the sale of alcohol at night;
• Raising awareness of the health risks of alcohol.

💸 Duration and cost : allow around 8 hours (1 day) of face-to-face or distance learning training, at an average cost of €250. Once issued, your license is valid for 10 years.

The DUERP

The DUERP (document unique d'évaluation des risques professionnels) is mandatory when you hire your first employee. It applies to all companies, including the food service sector.

The DUERP is an HR tool that measures all the hazards and risks present on your premises.

This is normal: according to the French Labor Code, employers are responsible for the safety of their employees. 

👉 To help you drafting your DUERP, we recommend the advice of our partner Combo!

💸 Duration and cost : allow 7 hours' training (over 2 days) for prices ranging from €200 to €1,500. It must be updated once a year and kept for 40 years. 

The ideal training courses for opening a restaurant 

Although you don't need a diploma to open or manage a restaurant, certain training courses can help you succeed in your project. 

A restaurateur is often a one-man operation, wearing many hats. He has to be a manager, in charge of HR, marketing, accounting...

The training courses we recommend to make your project as profitable and sustainable as possible:

• Training in entrepreneurship;
• Basic accounting and management skills;
• Training in marketing and digital ;
• Restaurant training.

On this last point, there are several possible courses of study. 

Traditional training to become a restaurateur

Finally, in the land of gastronomy, the more traditional long courses for working in the restaurant business are : 

• CAP Cuisine (vocational school, CFA or private schools) ;
• BTS in Hospitality and Catering (hotel high schools, private schools) ;
• Bac Pro Cuisine (apprentice status at the school) ;
• BP (Brevet Professionnel) Arts de la cuisine (CFA). 

Short courses to become a restaurant manager

In France, you're spoilt for choice: practical workshops, short courses, Masters... There are a number of private and public organizations offering training to become a restaurant manager: 

• Your local Chambers of Commerce and Industry;
• BPI France training courses ;
• CNFCE (Centre National de la Formation Conseil en Entreprise);
• The BGE network;
• Private incubators for entrepreneurs (Startup Palace, La Frégate, Smart Food Paris);
• ANC (Académie Nationale de Cuisine) training courses;
• Philippe Etchebest's L'Académee;
• Thierry Marx School;
• MBAs in Management and Marketing (HEC, Sciences Po, business schools);
• Bachelor's degrees in Restaurant Management(Institut Paul Bocuse, École Ferrandi, École Ducasse, ESCP, Vatel, École Hôtelière de Lausanne). 

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For training in communication and marketing (which will enable you to promote your restaurant, attract more customers and generate more revenue), we recommend : 

• Read our digital marketing guide ;
• Do Malou visibility diagnosis ! 

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Rest assured: the tool is 100% free. It analyzes your establishment's strengths and weaknesses and generates customized recommendations. Make the most of it! 

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Finally, if you're ready to find that special someone, take advantage of our our guide to successful recruitment in the foodservice industry.

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