INTERVIEW WITH AMAURY CLAMON, BUYER AT RUNGIS

 WHY DID YOU CHOOSE A CAREER IN FOOD?

When I was a boy I dreamed of running a small food shop in my neighbourhood. I always loved cooking. And when I was 16 I started to work on a fruit and vegetable stall in a Paris suburb. I’ve always been really passionate about food.

WHAT SKILLS DO YOU NEED AS A SUCCESSFUL BUYER?

A lot of organisation- we can’t miss a flight or a truck. And always be aware of the new trends. I have to keep an eye on what the big chefs are doing as this will be the next trend.

WHAT’S YOUR DAILY ROUTINE?

I generally wake up around 3am and am at Rungis by 4am. I am buying from 4am to 7:30am. Then I have to do the paperwork for export and customer relations. Then I leave around 1pm. Working here is like a big family.

WHAT WAS YOUR PREVIOUS JOB?

Before I was running my own business – the same thing but at a lower level. I was sending stuff to restaurants and shops in London. I had a partner living in the UK and we also ran a restaurant and delicatessen.