Training required to open a restaurant

Updated November 30, 2022

When it comes to opening a restaurant, you'll probably wonder if you need a degree. The answer is... not quite: there is no specific diploma required to open a restaurant, but you will still have to follow certain mandatory training courses to obtain licenses and permits (in order to be able to sell alcohol for example). We explain you everything!

A diploma to open a restaurant?

Having a diploma can be a plus when it comes to look for financing. Indeed, banks generally appreciate that at least one of the people who will be carrying the project has experience in the restaurant business. This gives credibility to your project, but it is by no means mandatory. Anyone who wants to open a restaurant can do so.

Compulsory trainings to follow

However, be careful: it is not because no diploma is required that you don't need any knowledge to open your own restaurant. Several training courses and permits are required.

1. Training to obtain an operating permit

To obtain an operating license, which is mandatory when you want to open a bar or a restaurant, you have to follow a paid training whose duration varies according to your past professional experiences

• 20 hours of training for people with less than 10 years of experience as a liquor store operator
• 6 hours of training for people with more than 10 years of experience as a liquor store operator

This training is provided by training organizations approved by order of the Minister of the Interior or by the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (a list of these organizations can be found on the website of the Ministry of the Interior).

Once obtained, the license is valid for 10 years. It must then be renewed through a one-day training course.

The purpose of this training is to make future entrepreneurs aware of subjects such as the fight against alcoholism, the protection of minors, narcotics, drunkenness on the public highway as well as the principles of civil and criminal liability.

It is essential to obtain, thereafter, the restaurant license or the license IV to sell alcohol.

2. Training to sell alcohol after 10 pm

Since 2010, establishments wishing to sell drinks with alcohol between 10 pm and 8 am must follow a specific training. Following this training, you will obtain a permit to sell alcoholic beverages at night also called PVBAN.

This permit is valid for 10 years. At the end of the 10 years, it must be renewed by a one-day training.

3. Food hygiene training

In terms of food hygiene, it is also mandatory to follow a training course.

This training must be followed by at least one of the persons of the restaurant. There is an exemption if one of these people has at least 3 years of experience as a manager or operator.

The training lasts 14 hours. It aims to teach the restaurant owner the possible risks in terms of food hygiene and the mandatory rules to respect.

The list of the establishments issuing it appears in the directory of theMinistry of Agriculture.

In case of lack of respect of these rules of hygiene, you risk a warning if the infraction is benign but it can go up to a legal proceeding or even a closure of the establishment if the health of the consumers is put in danger.

The training courses that it is recommended to follow

If there are only three mandatory training courses, some training courses are still useful and recommended in order to have a global vision of the restaurant business and to be at ease with the basic notions. Management, accounting, cooking, room service, wine sales... are all skills that are not easy to learn "on the job".

Many structures are able to provide training in all these areas: AFPA (National Agency for Adult Vocational Training), CCI (Chambers of Commerce and Industry), IFOCOP (Institute for the Development of the Wine Industry), etc.IFOCOP (Institut de Formation Commerciale Permanente), CNFCE (Centre national de la formation) or CNED (Centre national d'enseignement à distance). Do not hesitate to visit their websites.

Restaurant incubators are a real trend. They allow people wishing to open their own establishment to become real entrepreneurs and to have all the keys in hand to succeed in their opening. Development of the concept, writing a menu, communication strategy, calculation of ratios... all aspects of the business are studied.

We recommend :

• La Frégate: future restaurateurs learn how to better define their positioning, their product offering, their prices, how to calculate their costs, how to plan their production... all essential reflexes and techniques to become a successful restaurateur.
• Émergence Concept: supports entrepreneurs in the restaurant and food service industries.
• Ferrandi Entrepreneurs: training leading to certification (CCI France certification), eligible for financing by your CPF. It is intended for anyone with an entrepreneurial project in the restaurant, pastry, take-out or food delivery business.

For cooking courses, we recommend :

• Cuisine mode d'emploi: free training courses in cooking, baking, restaurant service and seafood aimed at people who are far from employment. The course lasts 11 weeks. The result is a diploma recognized by the State and the professional sector.
• Cooking schools: French cooking schools are internationally recognized. And for good reason: the best chefs in the world train there every year. These schools offer courses of study ranging from Bac +1 to Bac +6. These are courses of excellence that attract large numbers of students every year.
• L'école des pros: L'École des Pros provides you with a personalized follow-up throughout your online education, a Student Area where you will find all your courses and a 100% money back guarantee on all their degree courses.

For wine sales training, we recommend :

• Les GrappesThe training is conducted by a specialist in the sale of wine in restaurants. It lasts 7 hours over a day and allows you to acquire the basics of wine making and tasting as well as the techniques to better advise, serve and sell the wines on your menu.

Need to be accompanied?

Les Grappes is a platform for the sale of wines from winegrowers, online for professionals. We accompany cafés, hotels, restaurants, wine cellars in their choice of wines, but also in the realization of customized wine lists! According to your project, your tastes and your budget, we help you to choose the best wines, among more than 800 wine growers, in short circuit.Register for freeto have our team contact you! For more information, go to our website.