Food made good

Laurent Bolon, 35, is the owner of Respec’Table, an environmentally and socially responsible restaurant in Paris. At this entreprise solidaire there is respect for everything, from the decoration, to the food, to the staff, to the prices. The food is fair-trade, organic and sourced as sustainably as possible. The best bit? Prices are reasonable too. The staff is guaranteed a fair salary and the business provides training. As if this weren’t enough, Respec’Table also employs people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds.

Why did you decide to open a restaurant with a social aim?

I studied in a hotel school to become chef. Then I worked for many years as a social worker after a masters in education. I worked as a professor with people who find it hard to be employed and taught them about the catering business. At that time I was working with young people through the Ministry of Justice. I then decided to continue working in this field applying my experience in an entrepreneurial activity.

Is it your first restaurant?

I had worked before in other restaurants, but Respec’Table is the first restaurant I own.

Is your activity profitable?

It is a difficult moment right now, but the aim is to make the restaurant profitable and to manage to build a social model, in other words a business model based on social principles. At he moment we manage to break even and even to earn some money. I think that, after this model is improved, it will be perfectly possible to replicate it.

How much does it cost on average to eat at Respec’Table?

Although organic raw materials are expensive, Respec’Table  offers low prices. For example, at lunchtime, 12.50 euros is the price for two courses and 9 euros for a single dish. 

Where do your organic products come from?

They all come from nearby and from very reliable producers. The meat comes from the Oise region, which is very close to Paris, from a small meat producer that we know, so it is a local production, and fresh vegetables come from Rungis, a town in the southern suburbs of Paris where there is a very big purchasing platform.

What type of cooking/food do you do/serve?

Our chef, Prisca, is from Ivory Coast and I am originally from Réunion: we serve both French and world cuisine. Respec’Table only uses natural products coming from organic agriculture and has a list of natural wines. For example we have scallop carpaccio, steak of salmon with pesto sauce, salad with goat cheese and acacia honey and crème brûlée.

You define yourself as a militant…

As an environmentally and socially responsible enterprise we advocate for a more social and more humane economy. We have embraced a militant philosophy based on sustainable development and on personal development that we believe should enrich society through positive actions. For example all materials used to renovate and build the restaurant are rigorously environmentally friendly, even the paint, the floors and the ceilings!

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to open other restaurants with the same vision, to replicate this model in other places.

Are there many restaurants like yours in Paris?

Very few. There are some shops, but restaurants with a social aim like ours are not so common.

How are you financed? We are mainly backed by Garrigue, a solidary venture capital firm, and by France Active.

 

Respec’Table, 5, Rue de La Tour d’Auvergne, 75009, Paris. Metro Anvers

Tel: 0033 +1 42800344

mailto:laurentbolon@yahoo.fr

www.respec-table.fr

Facebook: Respec’Table