Georgiana Viou

She made a name for herself in France through the cooking programmes Un dîner presque parfait, MasterChef and Toque Show. Every time she appeared, her originality, outspokenness and energy made a lasting impression. And so, Georgiana Viou’s career as a chef took off nearly 15 years ago, in the public eye and through sheer hard work, teaching herself to cook in a change of career. “It’s the job I’ve chosen to do and I really love it. Today, I wouldn’t swap it for another job for anything in the world”. Since coming third in Le Taittinger des Cordons Bleus competition in 2009, she has worked her way to the top, earning a Michelin star in 2023 at the Rouge restaurant in Nîmes (which she has since left). 

Her cooking is like Georgiana herself: impossible to categorise. “We have a tendency to pigeonhole people and I’m against all that. I don’t want to be labelled. I just try to create food that is really tasty, is good for you and is accessible to lots of people. For the past five years, true to the promise I made to myself, I’ve made it a point of honour to share the flavours of my childhood, whether through traditional recipes from my home country or through certain ingredients such as okra, gari (cassava root flour) and palm oil… In short, I create a contemporary cuisine, drawing inspiration from who I am and the travelling I’ve done”.

When Philanthropic ArsNova asked Georgiana Viou to be the patron of its ArTABLE! programme, she didn’t hesitate for a second. “I’ve always been drawn to charity and humanitarian work, especially when it involves children – perhaps because I was in an extremely vulnerable situation myself when I was a very young mother. When I was offered this role, I jumped at the chance. All the more so as I have a particular affinity for Maison Taittinger and the people who work there". In her view, eating healthy, balanced food is a habit that should be established right from the start. Not because it’s fashionable or for environmental reasons, but simply out of good common sense. “Being the patron of ArTABLE! means sharing some of my expertise with the next generation, but above all, raising awareness, using my profile to give this project a voice and inspire others to join us”.

Depending on her availability, Georgiana Viou will help run the ArTABLE! workshops. A presence that won’t go unnoticed. “I turn up, put on a bit of a show, but it’s Manon, the nutritionist, who does the bulk of the work”, she says. “Last year, our audience consisted of people with disabilities of various ages. I met some brilliant, witty people. Besides the recipes we made together, what interested me was finding out about their life stories, what they do, what they want to do, why, how, and so on. Cooking – whether you speak the same language or not, whether you are from the same background or not – brings people together. It’s good for your head and it’s good for your tummy. It’s like a release valve".

Once again, ArTABLE! proved its worth this summer in Reims with its food truck tour, which, in particular, set up shop for the first time in the heart of two priority neighbourhoods, Orgeval and Europe, where it helped bring residents together who would regularly pass each other in the street without ever speaking. Other community organisations, such as L’Arche for adults with learning difficulties, the Foyer Saint-Remi children’s home and Le Renouveau maternity centre, were also able to benefit from the cookery workshops. 

Organised in collaboration with Reims City Council and in partnership with Cueillette de Muizon which supplies the fruit and vegetables, the programme also receives support from Maison Taittinger and funds raised at Philanthropic ArsNova’s first charity dinner in February 2026. 

These one-off initiatives, organised over the past three years by the Culinary Arts division of Philanthropic ArsNova, have given rise to an annual programme featuring two key events this autumn 2026: workshops* for children on 19 September at La Belle Enchantée in Reims (44 Boulevard Lundy), which will open specially as part of Les Relais du Goût food festival, and the launch on 29 October at the Foyer Saint-Remi in Reims of a programme aimed at educating children about taste and preparing young people for independence.

*Charges apply, booking required: lesrelaisdugout.fr/event/visite-animee-de-la-belle-enchantee/

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Text : Catherine Rivière