High flow fries. A month ago, Aurèle Mestré won the title of world champion of professional fries during a competition organized for the first time by the town of Arras, in Pas-de-Calais. Since then, this manager of an eponymous chip shop in Lille, in the Wazemmes district, has seen his clientele increase by two or three times. A success that this thirty-year-old, originally from Laon, in Aisne, had already managed to build since the opening of his business in September 2022.
“I decided to open just before the clearance sale last year. It’s true that the beginnings were quite chaotic, because straight away there were a lot of people,” he admits. Especially since the restaurant industry was unknown to him. With his general engineering diploma in hand, Aurèle Mestré had mainly worked as a construction manager and project manager in industry: “I was looking for a job that would allow me to do something more concrete. I had in mind working for myself to create my own wealth. »
“Making good fries is not that simple”
This is why, in December 2020, he did not hesitate to leave his job, ready to invest in a “dining bar”. “But this kind of place works well, especially in Old Lille where rents are very expensive. The initial stake was therefore too high and I finally settled in a more popular area where there is a lot of traffic. » The location was found at the end of 2021. Nine months of work later, the Mestré chip shop could open. “A chip shop seemed the simplest to me. And yet, making good fries is not that simple. » Its asset: freshness. The potatoes are peeled, washed and cut the same morning.
Very quickly, the reputation of the establishment was forged… until it was awarded the World Fry Championship at the beginning of October. “I was contacted by the organizers and I thought it could be funny. It was a great challenge and the promise of great media exposure. » Even if his double fryer blew the lead in the semi-final, Aurèle Mestré nevertheless managed to win the title. Today, every day, 300 kg of potatoes are sent in trays. At the weight of the fries, it’s bite-sized.