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In recent years, more and more graduates have been leaving well-paid jobs to go into the restaurant business. Laureen ESMANGART (who graduated the Grande École Program in 2013) is one of them and has found herself in a world that is exciting, but also very demanding. Now head of culinary projects at Sublimeurs, she shares her vision for a sector that has experienced an unprecedented crisis and upheaval in recent months. For worse or for better?

What is your first memory of eating well?
Growing up in Brittany, I was lucky to be surrounded by great produces, especially from the sea. My parents are real foodies and always prepared all their meals from scratch. I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my grandmother, and there were also incredible Sunday lunches with all the family, wonderful times for sharing and indulgence. After that, I continued to enjoy eating well, but without any intention of making a career of it.

What made you change your mind a few years after graduating from IÉSEG?
After five years in the airline industry, I felt a need to do something practical, but also a desire to make an impact and be in direct contact with customers. I spent a few months wondering “What will people around me think if I change direction?”. Fortunately, I was able to count on the total support of my loved ones and I went for it. I joined the Ferrières school of hospitality and gastronomy where I obtained my CAP cuisine diploma and then I spent two years getting experience in different establishments (for short stints in everything from two-star Michelin restaurants to delicatessens). In 2019, I returned to Lille after seven years away and discovered Sublimeurs whose concept I found very attractive. I contacted Alaude and Valentin, its founders. It was love at first sight when I saw the job! I joined them a few weeks later.

What can you tell us about Sublimeurs?
Its main aim is to let as many people as possible know about the expertise, chefs and producers of the region who all share the same values – authenticity, sharing, proximity and responsibility – and who are committed to meaningful cuisine. Today, Sublimeurs is a culinary consulting and communication agency, dedicated to eating well, with partners who support these values. We offer individual guidance in consulting, communication and creation, as well as training. The company brings together a collective of 150 businesses in responsible gastronomy from around Hauts-de-France that we want to let everyone know about. Our region does not have a high enough profile in France!

What is special about the food scene in Hauts-de-France?
We are lucky to be one of the finest agricultural regions in France with an infinite variety of expertise and chefs proud of their region, both traditional and modern. The key words are dynamism, friendliness and a sense of sharing, as well as innovation, but the general public is not sufficiently aware of this. We have to move away from the clichéd image of beer, mussels and chips and show off the variety and elegance of our region using the talent and inventiveness of our chefs. Another thing that makes our region special is its variety. Each area has its own culture and culinary approach: if you eat grey shrimp croquettes on the Opal Coast and then Picardy gateau in Compiègne, you could literally be in another country.

Covid has hit your industry particularly hard. Despite everything, has this crisis had any positive effects?
During the lockdowns, consumers were brought back to local shops or local producers and changed their habits. Some have even discovered what vegetables really taste like! Subsequently, many have gone back to their old habits, but we have managed to hold on to new followers of a more virtuous mode of consumption. As for restaurateurs, they got out of their comfort zone… and their kitchens! They have learned to adapt, innovate and sell differently, but also to better communicate their values and their vision. They have changed a lot thanks to this ordeal.

What challenges will they face in the coming months?
First and foremost, raising awareness of eating well from an early age. This involves schools and canteens, but also training young cooks. We need to do some groundwork to educate customers: eating strawberries in winter just doesn’t make sense! Restaurant owners have a role to play in the CSR approach in the broadest sense, something which more and more citizens are aware of. They must avoid giving in to convenience and have a medium and long-term vision by offering high-quality cuisine that is accessible to as many people as possible.

What can IÉSEG graduates bring to the sector and what are the pitfalls to avoid when going into the industry?
Graduates can bring an entrepreneurial, managerial and administrative outlook, but above all a vision. IÉSEG teaches us to be open to other cultures and other ways of working, which is a definite plus. More and more senior executives are attracted to a career change into the restaurant business, but beware: it’s nothing like you see on TV shows. It’s physically and psychologically demanding. Before giving up everything, I recommend doing a short placement of one or two days to open your eyes to the daily routine and reality of a restaurant. You also have to know why you are doing it: if you want to make a lot of money or have a quiet week, forget it! Cooking is first and foremost about loving people, fine products and working as a team.

What do you think makes a good restaurant?
The taste, the experience and the atmosphere. A place where you lose track of time, where you don’t just come to eat but where you leave feeling like a different person thanks to what you have experienced or learned there. It should be an establishment which does its job while respecting its ecosystem, which values its products and knows how to pass on its values to others. Visit our site to discover some great addresses…

This article was written by Luna Créations for IÉSEG Network’s magazine, IÉS #11.