“Gusti di Corsica” restaurant quality seal

The Concept

The "Gusti di Corsica" quality mark will be awarded to Island restaurants that stand out thanks to the quality of the Corsican produce they use in their offerings.
This seal of quality will guarantee that restaurant chefs use Corsican produce of recognised quality.
It will become a means of showcasing Corsican gastronomy, which values local resources.

The Objectives

  • Create a trustworthy point of reference for consumers and tourists who are looking for quality regional products.
  • Add value to island produce and the skills of Corsican restaurant chefs.
  • Offer a pledge of quality to consolidate the island producers’ quality processes.
  • Enhance Corsica’s gastronomic image.
  • Add value to “short channels", offering new opportunities to local producers.
  • Highlight the restaurant chefs who showase quality local produce.
  • Acknowledge the skills of the island’s chefs and those of our producers as part of Corsican culture and culinary heritage, especially for its traditional and innovative characteristics.
  • Create a local network of restaurants with the seal of quality. 
  • Encourage partnerships between farmers and the restaurant industry.

The “Gusti di Corsica” Charter

The goal of the charter is to explain how the “Gusti di Corsica” quality seal can be obtained.
All restaurant chefs wishing to apply for this seal must comply with the charter.

Planned:

Commitments from the service providers:

  • Only certified products can be offered on the à la carte menu, on the set menus and used in recipes (Corsican AOP chestnut flour, Lonzu, Coppa di Corsica, Prisuttu, Corsican honey, brocciu and IGP Corsican clementines, Cervioni hazlenuts, Corsican Pomelo).
  • Only AOP "Corsican olive oil" should be used in restaurants.
  • When dishes are prepared with Corsican AOC olive oil, this must be specified on the menu.
  • The exact names of products must be used on menus (e.g. "AOP Miel de Corse", "AOC prisuttu", etc.) even if it refers toingredients in a recipe (e.g. “flan prepared with Corsican AOP chestnut flour”).
  • All meat products (veal, lamb and kid) must be of Corsican origin.
  • Fresh produce must respect the seasons, especially cold meats, fruit and vegetables.
  • Fruit and vegetables of Corsican origin will be favoured (especially tomatoes, lettuce, melons, watermelons, peaches and nectarines).
  • The cheese board must include at least three types of Corsican cheeses.
  • The wine list must include a wide selection of regional wines, especially regional AOC wines from the area where the restaurant is located.
  • The dishes are well-presented.
  • All dishes are prepared in-house.

Commitments to the process

  • Acting as an ambassador for local producers
  • Showcasing Corsican agricultural produce
  • Participating in the communication and promotion of the Corsican culinary heritage
  • Promoting the Routes de Sens Authentiques
  • Promoting the “Gusti di Corsica” seal of quality
  • A document presenting the quality process and Route des Sens Authentique must be available in a prominent place.
  • Being capable of explaining the origins of produce tocustomers.
  • Play the role of advisor about the Route des Sens in his / her local area (offer an explanation and advice tocustomers).

Quality control

Internal and external audits are carried out in restaurants with the quality seal. The goal of these audits is to :

  • Ensure that all the undertakings in the "Gusti di Corsica" charter are followed
  • Safeguard the credibility of the process
  • Increase the restaurant’s professionalism
  • Improve the visibility of the quality of the offering
  • Showcase the professionals committed toquality

Internal audit

For every establishment an assessment grid, covering the commitments in the quality charter, will be completed.

This tool will allow each member tocarry out a self-assessment of the obligations set out in the charter. Implementation of this self-assessment and compliance with the charter will be checked by ODARC during unscheduled visits.

This internal audit aims toassess the establishment’s performance with regard tothe charter and, if necessary, help the member find solutions tobetter adhere tothe specifications and improve quality.

This inspection will result in a personalised report including, where necessary, recommendations. In parallel, ODARC may be involved in order toadvise and help the establishment with improvements.

External audit

All members are regularly inspected, at least once every three years. These inspections are carried out by an external auditing company, using assessment criteria that matches the different undertakings in the “Gusti di Corsica” charter.

A review session takes place at the end of the audit with the member and an audit report is sent toboth the establishment and ODARC. Where there are discrepancies in comparison with the specifications, the member will be issued with a warning. In this case, ODARC will visit the establishment totry toresolve the problem with the member.

A second audit will then be conducted by an independent inspector. If the problem continues, the establishment will no longer be a part of the “Gusti di Corsica” network.