Place des Halles, a few minutes before the start, the participants – waiters, cooks, bartenders or bosses – are in the starting blocks. No palpable stress, but a slight euphoria: everyone wants to give the best of themselves to represent their profession and win first place.
“We know that there is a small part of difficulty with formidable steps, but we are motivated”, advance three employees of the restaurant Les Vieux Garçons.The first race of waiters was held this afternoon, Friday April 29, in the city center of Chartres.
Théo Bligand and Jade Garnier, the winners
“I participate because I especially want to have fun and represent my establishment”, launches Thibault, from Very Superb. For him, no training or reconnaissance: “I’m going to follow the movement! But the event, organized for the first time by Vitrines C’Chartres, involves certain difficulties: a 2 kilometer course in the heart of the city, carrying a tray with one hand, with a bottle of water, a bottle of fruit juice, a coffee cup and two glasses filled with water. Speed is not enough: participants must limit the loss of water to the maximum to win.
Everything you need to know about the race of the waiters which will take place this Friday, in Chartres!
Let’s go ! Under an arch of balloons, a confetti gun starts the race. The pace is fast, but assured.
Barely twenty minutes later, Théo, a waiter at the Café du Général, arrives in a sweat, a little flushed. Little damage on his tray, only the water from the coffee cup was beautiful. “For that, it was impossible! In the middle of the race, I said to myself that I had to give everything and I managed to outrun the group. »
Once the forty-seven candidates arrived at Place des Halles, it takes long minutes to check all the trays and designate the winners.
Théo Bligand is the winner, with Jade Garnier, from Café Bleu, first among the girls. The two also won a place for the national race, which will be organized soon in Limoges (Haute-Vienne).
“We wanted to participate this year to highlight the job of waiter, which requires great dexterity,” explains Juliette Pichot, president of Vitrines C’Chartres. After the Covid crisis, it is important to find emulation. It’s also good training for the upcoming summer marathon…”
And to launch in front of the participants as an appointment: “Get ready for next year, there will be obstacles! »
Estelle Rosset
Video: Léa Trottier
Photos: Quentin Reix
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