Les Toques Engagées: How the ESSEC EMBA is Making an Impact on Inclusive Gastronomy

A spark in Singapore

 

As our alumni recall, it all started with “a chance meeting” during the program’s international residency in Singapore, where they met Seng Choon, founder of Dignity Kitchen, a food court promoting inclusion for people with disabilities. Motivated by this encounter, the cohort aimed to bring the vision to life in France, at the heart of our La Défense campus. 

Their mission: make the restaurant industry accessible, foster social inclusion, and change how employers and consumers perceive disability — a complex challenge, as each person deals with it differently.

“We had to act for all but with an individual approach.”

 

From idea to action

 

To bring their vision to life, the cohort immersed themselves in real-world exploration: engaging with government bodies like France Travail, specialized inclusive employment organizations, and forming partnerships such as with Médéric, the hospitality school in Paris.

This work quickly revealed a critical gap - Gabriel and Virginie recall:

“We interviewed designers of specialized equipment [...] and realized nothing was being developed for kitchen tasks. We needed to search for dedicated solutions that could make a real difference.”

Several challenges that came along the way: limited time, lack of expertise of the restaurant industry, and the complexity of coordinating 30 professionals from diverse backgrounds who have the only common point of having joined the EMBA journey. Yet, the team turned these obstacles into fuel, driven by their shared purpose. 

“Working with different people isn't always easy. We come from different places and work in different ways. [...] We make it work by talking clearly, being flexible, and respecting each other's culture.”

 

Building impact

 

Today, the association continues to raise funds to finance concrete solutions: digital tools, a sensory support toolkit to reduce stress during service, and other inclusion-focused innovations. Our alumni explain: 

“So far, we raised 11% of our target… this is still far from our ambition! So we keep working, communicating, to find additional funding among our professional, educational and personal networks.”

Anyone can contribute to this mission - an opportunity to help build a more inclusive and equitable society.

 

Beyond business: the ESG spirit

 

At the heart of the Executive MBA, the ESG Project goes beyond traditional business goals. Unlike the Entrepreneurial and Innovation project, which focuses on creating value for companies, the ESG Project drives a collective mission with human, social, and sustainable outcomes.

“The ESG project is a great opportunity to apply what we have learned in a way that truly matters. [...] When an obstacle arose, the mission pushed us to overcome it as a duty, in respect for each person with a disability.”

It’s not about running a business in the usual sense. Participants collaborate with people they didn’t choose, navigate cultural differences, and measure social impact rather than financial KPIs. Beyond skills, our alumni reveal it also teaches resilience.

“The best part? The mission has become deeply personal for our core team. [...] Failure is not an option when you deal with such an important topic. It is a fantastic way to learn to never give up.”

 

With Les Toques Engagées, the 2025 cohort shows that the ESG Project is more than an academic exercise: it is a catalyst for engagement and social innovation - shaping not only leaders, but responsible citizens, determined to make their Executive MBA a platform for real-world change.