This chef had a great idea to allow his employees to work while his hotel was closed.

Mathilde Bourge | 9/21/23

Nicolas Carro, director and chef of the Hôtel de Carantec in Brittany, is preparing to carry out major renovations to his establishment. Here's his bright idea for keeping his staff working during the shutdown.

When a hotel embarks on a major project, it's not uncommon for staff to find themselves out of work for several months at a time. This forced break sometimes results in the departure of employees who don't want to remain idle for such a long time, especially in the restaurant business. To prevent his team from falling apart as much as possible, Nicolas Carro, chef and manager of the Hôtel de Carantec in Brittany, came up with a brilliant idea...

A relocated restaurant

Since 2019, the 34-year-old chef has taken up residence in northern Finistère, in Patrick Jeffroy's former establishment. As soon as he arrived, this formerOlivier Nasti disciple was keen to federate a solid team, which has been working around him for more than three years, helping him win three Gault&Millau toques and the title of "Grand de Demain".

Starting in October, Nicolas Carro will be undertaking major renovations at theHôtel de Carantec, which are expected to last six to eight months, in order to "bring the rooms up to the standard of the restaurant", explains the young chef. "Given thestructural scope of this renovation, we have no choice but to close the establishment", he adds, adding that part of the kitchen, such as the hood and piano, will also be changed.

Still scarred by the global pandemic and the forced closure of restaurants across France, Nicolas Carro doesn't want "togo through a Covid remake", so he's come up with a new offering to keep his teams on the move. "We have a countertop bistronomy project that will be set up within the walls of the former tobacco factory in Morlaix, starting on October 11." This ephemeral restaurant, which will be open for the duration of the works, aims to continue to showcase the work of his team, but also that of his producers, with whom he has collaborated for several years. "I didn't want to leave them out," Nicolas Carro assures us. "Some of them won't follow because they want to work exclusively for gourmet establishments, and that's perfectly understandable. In this short-lived address, the cuisine will be more accessible". In all, some fifteen employees are expected to follow Nicolas Carro in this new adventure!

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