Born into a Franco-Italian family, Clémentine Venck spent a good part of her childhood in the kitchen, preparing dishes and, most importantly, sharing time with family and friends around the table. “The restaurant and hotel business has always fascinated me. From a very young age, I would design hotels, imagining restaurant concepts, envisaging new worlds to offer those who loved the pleasures of dining,” she confides. When she was a teenager, she used to go and work in hotels in Italy during the summer. That’s how the restaurant business took hold of her.
After completing her baccalaureate in the sciences, she enrolled on a hotel and restaurant management course, which gave her the opportunity to gain initial experience in the United States. In 2009, she arrived in Luxembourg to assist with a number of openings in managerial roles (Hôtel Place d'Armes, and Café de Paris).
Offering a new experience
In 2014, she joined the Cocottes project, headed by Stéphanie Jauquet. “At the time, there weren’t many players in the ready-to-eat sector in Luxembourg. The important thing was that I found a project that matched my values, with a strong focus on quality food, respect for the products and staff, and a strong commitment to eco-responsibility,” she explains. It was also an exciting new challenge for me. It was a real gamble. Although the concept is very different and more retail-oriented, the aim is to offer an experience comparable to what one can enjo v v b v y in a restaurant.”
As Food & Beverage Manager, Clémentine helped to define and implement the concept and all the processes that underpin the smooth running of Cocottes, from product selection through to sales and preparation of dishes in the kitchen. “When I joined Cocottes, I encountered a new world, with new challenges. The retail sector works in a very different way to the restaurant sector. A lot of trial and error went into developing the operational processes to ensure, for example, that a cooked dish would still be tasty even if it was eaten several hours after it had been prepared,” she explains. At the start of this adventure, my office was located right in the centre of the kitchen, so that I could have full contact with the staff and understand how things worked and what the operational challenges were. I also spent a lot of time out in the field alongside our teams and talking to customers. You can’t manage and make sure you’re offering the best experience without having a feeling for it, without experiencing it yourself and mastering all the ins and outs that contribute to the quality of the service.”
400 employees
The Cocottes enterprise got off to a flying start in 2014. In 2017, Clémentine was offered the position of Managing Director, a challenge she accepted with equal enthusiasm. “Being offered this position and the responsibilities that go with it, when I was only 29, was a great mark of confidence in me,” she confides. “It was a new challenge, but above all it was a great opportunity to advance further along the same path, to continue to fulfil myself professionally.” Although she describes herself as generally introverted and even shy, these personality traits fade into the background when she’s in her element. “I work in an environment where you can express yourself with all five senses, where I feel good and where I enjoy taking on new challenges,” she tells us.
In 10 years, Cocottes has opened 16 outlets across the country. The ready-to-eat chain has now expanded its team to 280 employees. In addition, there are the staff of the Um Plateau restaurant, the Baraque friterie and the new GANG Foodhall in La Belle Etoile. In total, the brand employs 400 people.
Using digital technology to enhance the experience
The Cocottes group has grown, adapting to the vagaries of the market. “The Covid health crisis was a major ordeal, and forced us to reinvent ourselves,” the Managing Director explains. This has chiefly been reflected in the rapid digital transformation of our business. We rethought the experience we offer, from order-taking to delivery, making use of the technological solutions available. In our business, it’s people and relationships that make all the difference, but digital technology is with us every step of the way, helping us to work better and make informed decisions.”
As a partner, POST has supported this development, helping to ensure permanent connectivity between all the outlets and the company’s headquarters, where the dishes are prepared each day. “Now, by relying on POST's connectivity solutions, all the links in the value chain have been integrated into our ERP global management solution, including procurement, sales, production, hygiene and quality control. Everything can be traced,” she explains. “As a connectivity service provider, POST is an essential partner in the company's operations, helping to improve communication between teams.”
Surround yourself with the right people
Clémentine Venck believes that the key to success is having the right people around you. “It’s important for you to be able to rely on your partners. This is the case with POST, whose after-sales service is very responsive. It has helped us get out of complicated situations on several occasions,” she explains. When you lose connectivity, for one reason or another, you’re no longer able to work. POST enables us to find quick solutions every time.”
While you need to have the right people within the company, it’s also essential to develop a network that allows you to explore different horizons and exchange ideas with management from other sectors. “When you hold a position of responsibility, you can sometimes feel isolated. However, when you talk to other players, other managers, you realise that the problems encountered are the same everywhere. By talking to each other, we can find solutions, gain confidence and tackle problems more calmly,” explains Clémentine Venck who, with this in mind, has joined the Luxembourg Federation of Young Business Leaders.
Enabling everyone to fulfil their potential
As it gets ready to celebrate its 10th anniversary, the company is enthusiastic and ambitious about its future. “There are many challenges ahead. It’s a question of continuing this growth, developing the structure while maintaining quality and upholding the spirit and culture that prevail inside the company,” explains Clémentine Venck. Diversity, respect for our employees, the will to move forward together and to enable everyone to grow within the company are key factors in our success.”
If Clémentine Venck has succeeded in establishing herself as a woman manager, it’s mainly because of her passion and her desire to do well. “You also have to be determined,” she explains. When I was young, the idea of choosing a career in this sector was not necessarily very well received by those around me. This profession suffers from a lot of preconceived ideas. And yet it offers many career opportunities in a wide variety of professions. My own career history bears this out. And I’m keen to share my experience with future generations, to encourage them to consider the opportunities our sector has to offer.”
A focus on inclusion and diversity
Recently, Clémentine took time out to meet secondary school students in Africa, in countries where the population is young and heavily affected by unemployment. “I visited schools to talk to young people about training and the many opportunities offered by our fast-growing tourism, hotel and catering sector,” she tells us. Our industry acts as a real social ladder, enabling everyone to develop and grow through a host of different professions. Innovation, digital transformation, authenticity, CSR and the customer experience are all aspects that find expression in our business.”
In Clémentine’s view, the sector is all about inclusion and diversity. If you’re up for a challenge, you can thrive and go far. “You can’t win if you don’t play,” the managing director maintains. “In the catering business, everyone has the chance to be themselves. Over and above skills and attributes, and going beyond differences, it’s the desire to do well that makes the difference.”
