Local gastronomy is writing an unprecedented page in its history, in the La Rochelle area, at the initiative of Benoît Lefer, 40 years old and founder, in 2017, of the La Rochelle restaurant L’Astrolabe. The restaurateur has just joined forces with Treuil Moulinier (work assistance service for people with disabilities) of Puilboreau, to exploit a fallow plot which adjoins the ring road, in Lagord, for which the Community of agglomeration had launched a call for expressions of interest targeting urban agriculture project leaders.
The land, bordered by trees which will be preserved and houses, provided with a water supply for watering, extends over two hectares. It has not been cultivated for years. Enough to enable the production of fruits, vegetables and aromatic plants that the restaurant brigade needs, on a daily basis, to delight the demanding taste buds of the customers who sit at n°35 rue Gambetta. The virtuous approach for the environment and health goes beyond organic farming, since it involves growing everything according to the rules of permaculture which are inspired by the functioning of natural ecosystems.
Fish, meat
The prospect of healthy, seasonal and local food products, in association with a social structure with recognized know-how in market gardening, which aims for inclusion through work… A project that ticks all the boxes of responsibility societal, while responding to a real need to secure supplies, both in quantity and quality.
“For fish, we work with Renaud Boutin Viviers, at the La Rochelle fish auction. There is nothing fresher or closer. The meat comes, for the most part, from the Penaud butcher’s shop at the market, which is a stone’s throw from the restaurant, explains Benoît Lefer. But for fruit and vegetables, it’s more complicated, because you have to go through a series of different small producers.”
The co-production of carrots, tomatoes, raspberries and other aromatic plants which are used in the composition of the dishes on the menu therefore appears to be a solution, which some star chefs are already experimenting with. Without going so far as to aim for food autonomy. The L’Astrolabe menu is in fact strongly inspired by world cuisines, discovered during a two-year journey of discovery. Spices, products and exotic fruits, from mangoes to the nuoc-mâm of Crying Tiger sauce, take pride of place and necessarily come from elsewhere.
A project that ticks all the boxes of social responsibility, while responding to a real need to secure supplies, both in quantity and quality.
After preparing the land this winter, the first fruits and vegetables will be harvested in spring. The principle of fair distribution has been established. Half of the fruits and vegetables will go to the restaurant, the other will benefit the Treuil Moulinier which has seen its cultivated area reduced over time. “They do a great job of organic market gardening. We must support them. I really want to create a bond between them and my team, for us to know each other, to share our respective professions. Let those who cultivate see how their work is valued on the plate.”
Culinary experts have already given their opinion, with a citation in the Michelin Guide in 2018 and the award of a first toque by Gault & Millau. The restaurateur makes no secret of aiming for “a second hat” and, why not, a first star. “Recognition from our peers is important. So, it’s a goal, yes, without being an obsession. »
In Paris, too
The Astrolabe, also ranked in the top 100 of the best wine lists in France for 2024, seems equipped to stand out even more. With a chef, Damien Chomont, previously working at Christopher Coutanceau (two stars in the Michelin Guide), as well as a second chef and a pastry chef who worked in the kitchens of the famous Landes chef Hélène Darroze.
First opened on rue des Dames, the restaurant moved to rue Gambetta three years ago to support its growth. It now employs twelve people, but is not enough to quench its creator’s thirst for entrepreneurship. The forty-year-old who arrived in La Rochelle “for its quality of life and its human scale” opened a second restaurant in Paris at the end of September. Named Octant (another ancient instrument for navigation at sea), it offers cuisine that is more bistro than gourmet. Benoît Lefer is also involved in the project for a new restaurant in the La Jetée Sud building, in La Pallice, which is due to open at the end of 2025.
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