Discover the interview of Florence Bouyala, an events, F&B and hospitality consultant.
“Could you introduce yourself?”
“I’m Florence Bouyala, and I’m an events, F&B and hospitality consultant. I’ve had an eclectic and varied carrier, with experience in temporary work (I have a Master in HR Management), as a Sales Development Manager and Key Account Manager in the intellectual services sector, and in team management. I set up a baking business (I also have a degree in this field) and I was Production Manager for trade fairs in the events sector. Today I offer my services as a management consultant and project manager to restaurateurs, hoteliers, and event organisers. I wear two hats: as an operational professional in the field and as a training instructor in higher education and in companies. Vatel Bordeaux was the first establishment to put its trust in me when I arrived in Bordeaux.”
“What is La Fresque de l’Evénementiel ?“
“It’s a tool for collective reflection. It’s modelled on La Fresque du Climat, which has existed since 2015 and has inspired other frescoes. These days, you can’t organise events without asking certain questions about ecology and social issues. The fresco is a time for reflection and exchange between participants, enabling them to realise that when you’re a sponsor, a project manager, etc…, certain processes that you undertake will have consequences that are not insignificant in terms of biodiversity, climate, etc. This will inevitably have consequences for the organisation. The idea is to be aware of the link between cause and effect. For example, I want to organise an event but there’s COVID, what do I do? What are the consequences for my organisation? Similarly, if I want to organise an event but the weather is bad, what do I do? How can I minimise my impact on the climate?”
“When was it created and who is it aimed at?“
“It was created between 2019 and 2021. Arthur Lecercle (the consultant who accompanied me for the 2nd table of this workshop) and I are in the process of becoming facilitators. It is aimed at all those involved in the events industry and event organisation: professionals, students, future professionals, and even students who organise events within their schools, for example students at Vatel Bordeaux with a student association evening.”
“Why did you choose Vatel Bordeaux to promote La Fresque de l’Evenementiel?“
“For 2 reasons. A very practical one: I needed a room, and in my approach to events, it’s imperative to be welcoming. I knocked on the door of Vatel Bordeaux because the establishment has the “European ecolabel”, which is also one on my criteria when choosing a partner. The 2nd reason is that I give talks at Vatel Bordeaux during the “Expertise Week” to the Bachelor 3 students on the theme of events: how to organise and market an event. I also give talks on practical management and self-image.
It was an obvious choice… I wanted Vatel Bordeaux to organise my first workshop: It was the logical next step and a continuation of the relationship of trust we’ve had up to now.”
“In the hotel and catering sector, how do we manage to think in terms of climate?“
“There are logical things like working with local producers and seasonal produce. As far as catering for events is concerned, it also means, for example, thinking about different proposals, vegetarian alternative and not systematically meat. We know that people in France like to eat meat; the idea is not to ban everything, because if I close doors, I’m also closing myself off from visitors and customers. More generally, to avoid food waste, more and more restaurateurs and caterers are deciding to limit portions, to offer 2 sizes of container, to recycle leftovers or to give them to beneficiaries. These are just a few examples: it’s all about thinking differently.”
“Thank you, Florence! “