It is barely 1:15 p.m. but the restaurant U is gradually emptying. On the displays of the Métronome self-service, students from Rennes still have a few choices: cooked ham, mashed carrots, eggplant tart or potato crumble and butternut squash. A range of original dishes that would never have had their place on the slate of the big Crous restaurant a few months ago.
Located on the Villejean campus, the Métronome faces Rennes-2 University and sees up to 2,500 students pass through every day, who we know are not very wealthy. Offered at one euro for scholarship holders and 3.30 euros for non-scholarship holders, the Crous meal had been the subject of strong criticism at the start of the school year: too expensive for some, too thin for others. Less than six months after the start of the school year, the Breton regional branch has just distinguished itself by being labeled “Green Plates” by the Vegetable Plates association. A prize that highlights the work done to rethink recipes in a complicated ecological and economic context.
“It’s a complete questioning”
Since January 1, the Egalim law requires public establishments to offer a vegetarian alternative. The Crous de Bretagne had taken a little head start by offering two vegetarian dishes every day from September, in addition to a dish based on fish or meat. “We did that from time to time. But sometimes, it was limited to serving only as an accompaniment, ”recognizes Marcos Martinez. Since his arrival in September, the technical catering coordinator has been able to take advantage of training sessions dedicated to vegetable food with his kitchen teams. “It’s a complete questioning and it’s destabilizing for us. In most schools, we start with meat or fish to make up the meal”. In particular, man discovered the power of legumes such as chickpeas, lentils or broad beans. “They are very rich in amino acids so it is very balanced. We weren’t used to working with these products. We started cooking again,” assures Marcos Martinez.
This idea of offering two daily vegetarian dishes was born from an alert that arrived in the summer of 2022 at the Crous Bretagne offices. “We were warned that there could be disruptions in the supply of meat and fish. We wanted to think differently, by developing real vegetarian recipes,” explains Yann-Eric Prouteau. To those who would cry out for the desire to make things cheaper, the regional director of the Crous responds firmly:
We were criticized, saying that we were doing this to save money, that’s not true. We had to give ourselves some time. We moved on to another way of thinking, we improved, we trained. Vegetarian cooking is not cheaper because it requires a lot more work in the kitchen. »
To those who cry foul of vegan lobbying, the Crous responds just as vigorously through the voice of Blandine Lucas, the establishment’s deputy director: “The request for vegetarian meals comes from students. But we have also been asked to maintain a good offer of meat and fish because outside the Crous, many students cannot afford it. We will not abandon it. For many students, Resto U is the only opportunity to eat animal protein.
Chickpea curry and soy chili
At the start of 2023, half of the plates served in U restaurants in Brittany are vegetarian. The impact is enormous on the environmental level because of the weight of the collective catering service. In Brittany, university restaurants served more than three million meals last year, making the Crous de Bretagne the largest in France. “This label is a way of highlighting what is being done here. Brittany is an example in the face of certain regions which do not yet comply with the law. It works with the students but it also works with the Crous teams, for whom it allows them to cook differently,” explains Mostafavi Keyvan, campaign manager for Vegetable Plates.
For several months, his association has been training kitchen teams in new recipes, some of which have become essential: chickpea curry, eggplant lasagna, or soy chili. “We have too often seen plates of dry pasta served to students who had no alternative to a bolognese sauce. There is a real societal challenge in turning to an increasingly plant-based diet. You have to be able to give the choice”, adds Morgane Paris, in charge of administration of the association.
And what do the students think? On the whole, they seem to be satisfied with this new offer, underlining the efforts made by the Crous. “When I come here, I eat my fill, it’s varied,” says Charlotte. “I feel like it depends on the day. But they try things, things that we are not used to eating, ”adds Diane, in 2nd year. She admits to having loved the vegetable pie. A little less the homemade carrot puree. For Elisa, this is the first year in the U restaurants. “I didn’t have a scholarship last year. There I can eat for one euro. It’s great, I don’t even ask myself the question.
Her friend Soundous is less excited, cooled by the price of 3.30 euros: “It doesn’t seem like much but if you come every lunchtime, it weighs. The young student, however, appreciates the “varied offer” offered. A little further on, Luis barely finished the plate of carrots. “But frankly, I eat well. When you come here, you always find something you like”. The young man puts a damper on the vegetarian offer. “I feel like it’s taking over. It’s important to keep meat. The management of the Crous promises that it will always be present. And should even go up in quality.