Chef

Olivier Roellinger

© Photo credit: Benoît Teiller

An iconic Breton chef, Olivier Roellinger is also a writer and a thinker of gastronomy, renowned for placing flavor, spices, and meaning at the very heart of cooking.

Based in Cancale, in his childhood home, he earned three Michelin stars for his restaurant at Les Maisons de Bricourt, before voluntarily stepping away from haute gastronomy to focus on transmission and engagement. His son Hugo has since taken over, maintaining the same level of excellence and commitment at Le Coquillage, which regained three Michelin stars in 2025—along with the prestigious Green Star.

From an early stage, Olivier Roellinger made the preservation of marine resources a central cause, warning against overfishing and the fragility of ocean ecosystems.These convictions guide both his cooking and his reflections, deeply rooted in respect for all living beings and natural cycles.

During his time as Vice-President of Relais & Châteaux, he played a key role in shaping the association’s environmental direction. He was notably behind Relais & Châteaux’s official commitment to ocean protection, enshrined in the association’s manifesto. In this role, he helped raise awareness among chefs and hoteliers about sustainable fishing, seafood traceability, and the collective responsibility of the sector.

In 2017, he published an opinion piece denouncing a growing food divide and calling for collective action so that future generations may enjoy better food systems and quality of life than those of today.

As patron of the organization Ethic Ocean, he also created the culinary competition that bears his name, designed to encourage young chefs to act responsibly, understand their impact on marine resources and the world, and make cooking a cultural, ecological, and civic act.

Alongside this work, he founded Épices Roellinger, a spice house committed to ethical sourcing and respect for producers.

Author of several books, Olivier Roellinger has developed a deeply humanist philosophy linking gastronomy, ecology, and culture.

Association

L’école comestible

We dream of a world that gives everyone the right to eat well, and where all children have access to healthy, sustainable, and delicious food education.”
The preamble of the École Comestible manifesto sums up the goal of the association: to educate the youngest generations about food and taste, from soil to plate. Inspired by the American model of Alice Waters’ Edible Schoolyard, L’École Comestible was founded in 2019 by food journalist Camille Labro, who explains:
Inspirée par le modèle américain de l’Edible Schoolyard d’Alice Waters, L’école comestible a été fondée en 2019 par la journaliste culinaire Camille Labro qui explique : « “Eating remains one of the rare human actions that are both necessary and pleasurable. And what astonishes me—and ultimately drives me—is seeing how this vital part of our lives is so often pushed to the background, especially in times of crisis. With more than 20,000 children reached, 3,000 workshops delivered, 150 schools involved, and five edible gardens established, the association is sowing the seeds of a new food culture all across France.. “Most schoolchildren have no idea how vegetables grow or how animals are raised… And let’s not even talk about how raw ingredients are transformed into food products. The majority have little or no access to food diversity, natural flavors, or unprocessed, fresh produce. They far too often consume ultra-processed foods that are as harmful to their health as they are to the environment,” says Mathilde Libourel, project manager for the association.
L’école comestible brings together a community of chefs, farmers, teachers, parents, and volunteers in hands-on projects, cooking workshops, educational gardens, and initiatives to improve school canteen offerings. Many chefs, such as honorary member Olivier Roellinger, support the movement.
Chefs leave their kitchens to go to schools—not to talk about their jobs, but to show children, and to let them cook,” Camille Labro says with a smile.
A beautiful lesson in hope… and in taste.

Competition

Olivier Roellinger competition

The Olivier Roellinger Competition, co-founded by Ethic Ocean, the Lycée Hôtelier de Dinard, FERRANDI Paris and Relais & Châteaux, mobilizes those involved in the catering industry (professionals and students, cooks and waiters) around the challenges of preserving aquatic resources. As the real link between fishing and aquaculture professionals and consumers, chefs have a vital role to play in preserving resources by selecting species that are not overexploited.

Created in France in 2011, the competition has crossed borders, becoming European in 2016, then international in 2018 (Canada, China and Japan).

Association

Ethic Ocean

Ethic Ocean mobilizes all professionals in the fishing and aquaculture sector by encouraging good practices in favor of preserving the ocean and its resources. For restaurateurs, Ethic Ocean provides information and support to help them better understand the resource issues at stake, so they can make responsible, sustainable purchases to limit overfishing and respect marine biodiversity. Ethic Ocean provides them with a Species Guide (updated every year) to guide them through this process. The Species Guide is now available as a mobile application for consumers.

Other engaged people

Discover the inspiring faces of committed chefs. We’re highlighting these culinary enthusiasts who stand out for their societal actions and their commitment to a better future. Explore the profiles of renowned chefs, rising stars and emerging talents, and dive into their projects and initiatives. Each featured chef offers a unique insight into his or her personal commitment.