Mathieu Pérou designs the menu for the Bateau-Lavoir in Nantes
Le Bateau-Lavoir, which reopens its doors in April, called on Mathieu Pérou, from Manoir de la Régate in Nantes, to write its new menu. The chef tells us more and makes our mouths water!
Le Bateau-Lavoir is a well-known address in Nantes. This barge, located opposite the prefecture in the heart of the city, hosts a bar every summer and offers its customers a small cold buffet. New decor and a new menu are on the agenda, with cuisine by Mathieu Pérou, voted Grand de Demain by Gault&Millau 2024, for his restaurant Le Manoir de la Régate.
Renovations and a new menu
Before welcoming its first customers of the season on April 15, 2024, the Bateau-Lavoir is undergoing major renovations. François Delarozière, who is also behind the famous Machines de l'île, is working with the city of Nantes to decorate and refurbish the quays, as well as expand the terrace. Eventually, the barge will seat around 130 guests.
On the catering side, the kitchens have been entrusted to Mathieu Pérou, already at the helm of the Manoir de la Régate on the banks of the Erdre. "Theidea is to offer a more sophisticated catering service than what has been available until now. I didn't want to betray my culinary identity, so we're going to offer a fine menu, highlighting local produce", explains the young chef.
What's on the menu? Three sandwiches, including a freshwater fish hot dog, a pig loin sando cooked for 72 hours, and a vegetarian offering, priced between 12 and 13 euros. "I'd like these three sandwiches to be the staples of the menu," hopes Mathieu Pérou, who points out that it will also be possible to order dishes to share, such as Loire mullet ceviche and freshwater fish and chips, as well as cheese and charcuterie platters from the Nantes region. A simple, short and effective menu, executed day by day by Ewan Pisigot, who trained for nearly three years alongside Mathieu Pérou. "He knows my cooking, so it's easy to convey my identity through him," he enthuses.
Le Bateau-Lavoir will be open from mid-April to October, every day of the week, to "take full advantage of the season". In one or two years' time, a floating platform should also be connected to the barge to accommodate a further hundred or so people.
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