Paris, 17 September 2015 – After four editions in France and two editions in Spain, the Olivier Roellinger contest is now open to Europe to mobilize young European chefs regarding seafood preservation.
Marine resources are depleting while fish and shellfish continue to attract more and more consumers. It is in order to educate future generations of chefs and young professionals to the fragility of fishery resources and the role they can play in the sector (fishing and aquaculture) that the Olivier Roellinger contest was created by SeaWeb Europe and the FERRANDI Paris school in partnership with the catering school of Dinard and the Relais & Chateaux association.
As a genuine link between industry professionals and consumers, chefs have a key role to play in preserving resources by choosing species whose stocks are in good condition. Moreover, chefs know better than anyone how to encourage consumers to discover equally delicious species commonly overlooked or considered less “noble” and whose stocks are not vulnerable.
The Olivier Roellinger contest aims to bring together young chefs and students trained in the catering sector and encourage them to promote sustainable species. The objective of this competition is primarily to allow professionals to consider environmental and social issues and to make them aware of the role they can play in preserving resources.
For Olivier Roellinger, Chef of Bricourt Houses in Cancale and Vice-president of Relais & Châteaux, the message carried by the competition is a priority: “Thanks to the philosophy of this competition, young chefs give added meaning to their business which becomes a daily act for the preservation of marine resources. Candidates show that cooking can be as sustainable as tasty. It is a pleasure to see that the new generation is very receptive to these messages. With the opening to Europe this year, we hope to reach even more young people who will contribute with greater awareness to changing the world through more respectful practices towards resources and the environment.”
