Maxime Blot

🍳 Les Petites Cantines, un réseau de cantines conviviales en France, compte 14 établissements avec projets d'expansion pour 2025, incluant une ouverture à Bordeaux. Fondé par Diane Dupré la Tour, qui a traversé une épreuve personnelle en 2013, le concept est né à Lyon en 2016. Les lieux encouragent la participation des convives dans la préparation des repas, avec un système de prix libre. Le réseau emploie 35 salariés et est soutenu par des entreprises, des collectivités et des fondations. En février 2025, 18,557 adhérents actifs et 6,265 couverts servis témoignent de l'impact social du projet. Diane Dupré la Tour et le chef Christian Têtedoie collaborent pour « Recettes du Collectif », une formation destinée à améliorer les pratiques dans la restauration collective.

👨‍💻 Frédéric Robles, an attorney turned tech entrepreneur, co-founded Namastay to connect reservation and payment technologies for hotels. Launched in July 2022, the company now partners with over 300 hotels in 29 countries and is an official partner of Relais & Châteaux. Namastay's solution, embedded via iframe in hotel websites, enables secure online payments, including Apple Pay and Google Pay, with tokenization and encryption. Offering faster, secure transactions and mobile adaptability, it improves customer experience and hotel operations, charging around 1% commission per booking with no setup costs. Namastay plans future integrations with PayPal, deferred payments (Clarna), and cryptocurrencies, and is exploring new markets like Morocco.

📊 Matthias Vivier Merle founded digital communication agency KZN in 2014, specializing in high-end clientele and complex sales. His team utilizes digital tools like social media, SEO/SEA, and digital campaigns for client communication in the hospitality industry. As of 2025, communication in the hotel sector is predominantly digital, with social media, SEO, SEA, and digital campaigns as the three main pillars. Masterclasses are available to navigate the evolving digital landscape, focusing on understanding the current digital environment, defining communication strategies, optimizing social media presence, leveraging SEO/SEA potential, and anticipating future trends such as AI and algorithm changes. ????

🍴 Denis Courtiade, recognized as the world's best maître d’hôtel, has been the director at the restaurant in Plaza Athénée for 25 years. He started as an apprentice at 16 and became a director at Louis XV in Monaco by 25. Courtiade co-founded the association "Au Service des Talents De Demain" and created the Trophée Maître d’Hôtel competition. He authored two books, "Pour Vous Servir" and "L’Hospitalité, le Mentorat," and emphasizes the importance of transmission, human valorization, and a positive work environment. His management style focuses on understanding team needs, autonomy, trust, and a tailored approach to each individual. Courtiade's mentoring involves sharing his experience and knowledge to help others grow.