At La Mare aux Oiseaux, in Brière, chef Éric Guérin chose to publicly thank his apprentices. A rare gesture in a world where we talk more often about pressure than gratitude.
His message, published at the end of August 2026 on Instagram, comes while the season is still in full swing and the start of the school year on September 1 suddenly deprives the house of its young people in training. A pivotal moment that brings back fatigue, doubts and, above all, a lot of emotion.
A moving end of summer for Éric Guérin and his apprentices
To tell about this void and his questions as a business leader, Éric Guérin took the time to write a long text, almost a confession addressed to his team and their families. He describes his vision of the house, but also the reality of bodies and minds tested by months of intense service.
wrote Éric Guérin on Instagram, cited by Food & Sens.
La Mare aux Oiseaux, a house that helps its apprentices grow
In this house located in the heart of the marshes, the team consists of around fifty people, with several apprentices and interns integrated in their own right. Kindness, training, team spirit, mutual respect: these values structure daily life as much as the quest for high standards.
The young people go through different positions, learn the kitchen and the dining room, and benefit from regular interviews with the chef and his partner Félix Rigaud. Limited hours, 2.5 days of rest per week, few breaks: everything is designed so that they progress without burning out and want to stay, in a sector where lack of commitment and turnover weigh heavily.
From Éric Guérin’s tribute to initiatives for young chefs
The view on these apprentices echoes broader initiatives in favor of youth and transmission. RATIONAL France is thus launching the 6th edition of the national competition, open to pupils, apprentices and students in the hotel and catering industry.
From fall 2026 to spring 2027, candidate-mentor pairs defend more sustainable cuisine, under the sponsorship of Régis Marcon and Cédric Burtin. While these competitions put young people at the center of the plate, Éric Guérin’s tribute reminds us that in the land of Birds, each apprentice can find their place and, sometimes, start to feel themselves growing wings.
How does chef Éric Guérin pay tribute to his apprentices?
He publishes a long text on Instagram where he thanks his apprentices and also relays the very touching messages sent by their parents.
What is the role of apprentices at La Mare aux Oiseaux?
They are integrated into the brigade, pass through several positions in the kitchen and in the dining room and participate fully in the reputation and operation of the restaurant.
What is the Cooking for Tomorrow competition?
It’s a national RATIONAL France competition where student-mentor pairs imagine more sustainable cuisine, sponsored by chefs Régis Marcon and Cédric Burtin.
