Is vi-gétale a new way of cooking?

Have you ever heard of vi-gétale cuisine? This word, a contraction of "meat" and "vegetable", comes straight from the imagination of Laurent Trochain, of the Numéro 3 restaurant in Le Tremblay-sur-Mauldre (Yvelines). Behind this catchphrase lies a true cooking philosophy, through which the chef expresses his love for vegetables.

A cuisine witha name

For almost a decade, many chefs have been reducing the proportion of animal proteins on their plates, in favor of vegetables, cereals, herbs and fruit. Examples include Alain Ducasse and Romain Meder, who banned meat from the menu at the Plaza Athénée in favor of "Naturalité", and Laurent Petit, who, at the at the Clos des Sens in Annecy, who liked to create "inverted plates", where plants took precedence over animals.

This leitmotif is more or less the same for Laurent Trochain, with the difference that meat or fish is used to season vegetables, like a condiment. At Numéro 3, the vegetable dictates the plate and the animal protein simply enhances the dish. "When a conventional restaurant will serve 200-300g of protein in a meal, we limit the intake to 60g", sums up the chef, who has been adopting this philosophy since 2009. Today,he tries to educate his customers to promote this more sustainable gastronomy .

Nicolas Samouth

Three questions for Laurent Trochain, chef at Numéro 3 restaurant in Tremblay-sur-Mauldre

Originally from northern France, Laurent Trochain and his wife Julie opened their restaurant Numéro 3 in the Yvelines region in 2004. The duo have brought their own vision of cuisine to the table, which is predominantly plant-based, with a few touches of beef, poultry and fish to liven up the dishes. The chef tells us more about his vi-gétale cuisine.

Why did you choose to reduce animal protein?

Julie and I grew up in families with vegetable gardens. Vegetables were always at the center of the meal, whether in salads or gratins. Meat was already expensive, and we often ate what you might call "working-class meals". This DNA has never left me, even if meat is not completely forgotten.

The little meat or fish on the menu is therefore carefully sourced. ..

As for fish, we're lucky enough to have a few trout and sturgeon farms, but I also work with houses that smoke fish, and of course their products come from further afield. It's true that it's always easier to find good vegetables close to home.

Can you give us a few examples of meat or fish-based condiments?

Meat and fish are not at the center of the plate... So we take the opposite approach. Meat can be chopped or minced, but also smoked, braised or dried. At the moment, for example, we're serving a potato with saffron and sorrel, on which we'll place small pieces of smoked sardines. Just the right amount of spice is added, without overpowering the taste of the fish .