Terms of use of the “homemade” logo in catering

Verified 12 December 2025 - Entreprendre Public Service / Directorate of Legal and Administrative Information (Prime Minister)

The mention homemade flags dishes cooked or processed by the restaurateur, at his workplace, from fresh products raw. Some prefabricated ingredients are allowed.

All restaurants can display the mention “homemade” if they meet the criteria.

These are the following types of restores:

  • Traditional catering on site
  • String Restore
  • Fast Restore
  • Collective catering (canteen, cafeteria, school and company)
  • Takeaway of prepared meals (catering service, food trucks, sale in open-air markets, in covered halls, on a stand for a fair, a party, etc.)

Please note

A professional who bears the title of master restorer must offer only dishes homemade.

The restaurateur must meet the following 2 criteria if he wishes to display the mention “ homemade ’:

  • Dishes must be prepared in the restaurant (except for caterers and street vendors).
  • Dishes must be made from raw, fresh or raw products.

Dishes made on site

General rule

The dish must be cooked or processed on site, i.e. in the restaurant where the customers are served or the place of sale.

Exceptions: caterers and food trucks

Caterers and street vendors (food truck, stand on a market, etc.) may display homemade even if their dishes are made outside the place where they are sold and where they are consumed.

Please note

If the dishes are made by a central kitchen that delivers collective restaurants, they cannot display the mention homemade.

Dishes made from raw, fresh products

To bear the mention homemade, dishes must be made from raw products, fresh, i.e. raw food. These are products that have been received by the restaurateur without having been modified beforehand. They were not mixed (assembled) with another product or heated beforehand.

If these products are put in a package, packaged or preserved, they must be raw and without the addition of any other food except salt. Freezing or deep-freezing is possible, as long as the product remains raw.

This rule is necessary when the acquisition or receipt food products. After their reception in the establishment, the professional can, to ensure the preservation of the products, blanch vegetables or offal, pre-cook foie gras, etc.

Please note

Some non-raw (or prefabricated) products can also be used by the restaurateur. These include bread, cheeses, pasta or cereals.

“Prefabricated” products are processed beforehand by a professional other than the restaurant cook. They serve as basic primary ingredients for the manufacture of dishes.

Some of these products areauthorized in the " homemade ». These products are:

  • Salting, saury and cold cuts (except terrines and pâtés)
  • Cheese, dietary fat, cream and milk
  • Bread, flours and cookies
  • Dried or candied vegetables and fruit
  • Pasta and cereals
  • Yeast, sugar and gelatin
  • Condiments, spices, herbs, concentrates
  • Chocolate, coffee, herbal teas, teas and infusions
  • Syrups, wines, alcohols and liqueurs
  • Sauces: white, brown, smoked and semi-iced (subject to written notice to the consumer).
  • Raw sauerkraut
  • Blanched offal

Example :

A restaurant offers cakes, cakes and various desserts based on chocolate, candied fruit, spices, butter and flour. It can display the mention homemade on these dishes, provided that they contain at least one fresh ingredient outside this list, such as eggs or fresh fruit.

A dish that is made exclusively from one of these ingredients or exclusively with these ingredients cannot use the term “homemade”.

The display mode depends on the number of homemade dishes offered by the restaurateur.

Tableau - Rules for displaying the logo and the mandatory statement

Situation

Display Rule

No dishes are homemade

No logo, no mention

Only some dishes are homemade

Logo and/or mention homemade opposite each dish concerned

All dishes are homemade

Logo and/or mention homemade the choice of:

  • In front of each dish
  • At a unique location on the map

    • Only a restaurateur who offers dishes homemade part or all of its card may display the logo and/or the mention.

    The logo depicts a pan topped with a roof and a fireplace.

    It must be placed in such a way as to be visible for customers. It can be affixed to all the information media of the restaurant: menus, cards, slate, window, front door, possibly website, etc.

    The use of the logo is subject to a graphic charter:

    • Only in black (on light or colored background) or in white (on dark background) 
    • Printed or reproduced by hand on a slate 
    • Minimum size (5 x 6 mm).

    It is possible to download the logo in different formats.

    There is no certification or labeling procedure to obtain the right to affix the words “ homemade ».

    It is the restaurateur who chooses or not to use it, without prior authorization from the administration.

    However, the agents of the DGCCRF: titleContent carry out regular checks in catering establishments. In particular, they may check whether the display of the words and/or the logo ‘ homemade ” complies with all conditions.

    If this is not the case, the restaurateur may be sued for deceptive marketing practices. He then faces a sentence of 2 years' imprisonment and a fine of €300,000.

    Who can help me?

    The public service accompanying companies

    Do you have a project, a difficulty, a question of everyday life?
    Simple and free: you are called back within 5 days by THE advisor who can help you.

    Get a phone call with an advisor