Photo : © Delphine Piau / Ça s’anime en cuisine
In the kitchen of the Culture and Solidarity Encounters
Come and discover the fruit of the meeting between neighborhood associations, people in emergency housing, and the Robert Sabatier library. Because every dish tells a story — that of our hands, our memories, our languages, our roots.
Bibliothèque Robert Sabatier (Paris 18th)
About
Reservation recommended: online registration from October 30
The libraries of the 18th arrondissement invite you to a 15-day highlight (November 17 – December 5, 2026) where cooking becomes storytelling. Together with people in emergency housing, they orchestrate a meeting between cooking pots and memories, between culinary gestures and cultural stories.
The project deploys a sound collection of gastronomic narratives: during cooking workshops, led by Dalila from the Graine et Noyau association, in the heart of the partner structures, Géraldine from the Racines Barbares association and the librarians support the gathering of stories — the recipes passed down, family anecdotes, kitchen sounds, and words in mother tongues. These recipes and testimonials then become artistic material: kamishibai illustrations, created collectively in the library, embody the dishes and the stories behind them.
The final presentation, which will be held on December 5 at the Robert Sabatier Library, releases these stories in the form of an exhibition and a show, where recorded voices resonate alongside the illustrations. A booklet brings together visuals, recordings, and quotes and will circulate in the participating structures and libraries of the arrondissement.
Photographer Stéphanie Poisson has accompanied these encounters with her sensitive gaze, documenting these moments of creation and sharing, and highlighting the richness of the recipes and stories collected. The opening of the exhibition of her photographs will take place on November 21 on the occasion of the screening of the film by Delphine Piau: Ça s'anime en cuisine (Bringing the Kitchen to Life).
Racines Barbares ; Credits : Racines BarbaresGraine et noyau ; Credits : Graine et noyauOur take on this event
Forget standard cookbooks and discover how simple ingredients can carry the weight of an entire personal history. This creative project turns kitchen memories and ancestral anecdotes into an immersive sensory exhibition in the heart of the district. It is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the diverse voices and hidden talents that bring our local neighborhoods to life.
Join the Bibliothèque Robert Sabatier on Saturday, December 5, 2026, from 15:00 to 17:30 for the grand finale of the Rencontres culture et solidarité program. This event showcases culinary stories gathered from individuals in emergency housing, blending personal recipes and family memories into a unique artistic display. Through a mix of exhibitions and performances, visitors explore the collaborative work facilitated by the associations Graine et Noyau and Racines Barbares. Admission is free with online booking starting October 30, and the venue is fully wheelchair accessible.
The Rencontres culture et solidarité initiative concludes at the Bibliothèque Robert Sabatier on December 5, 2026. Over a two-week period, cooking has been used as a medium to share life stories and heritage. Supported by the associations Graine et Noyau and Racines Barbares, participants in emergency housing shared their culinary traditions, family anecdotes, and native-language expressions.
From 15:00 to 17:30, these oral accounts are presented through a combination of an exhibition and a performance. Highlights include kamishibai illustrations created by participants, a commemorative booklet, and the sensitive photography of Stéphanie Poisson, which captures the essence of these creative encounters.
This event is free to attend. Please note that online registration is required and opens on October 30. The library, located in the 18th arrondissement, is equipped to welcome visitors in wheelchairs.
