The Yvelines have their castles, their forests, their farmers’ markets… but until now, no savory dish really summed up the department. At a time when the Ile-de-France region is attracting a new generation of gourmets, a starred chef has decided to fill this void by imagining a specialty designed for everyone, from gourmet restaurants to village festivals. A simple idea on paper, but very ambitious on the ground.
It was in Rambouillet, in the trapper’s cabin and the woods highlighted by the show and its version on France 3, that the cameras followed the birth of this dish. A dish made from eggs, flour and milk, anchored in the local terroir, which could well become the new culinary signature of Yvelines: Yolin.
The Yvelines were looking for their culinary specialty
For Laurent Trochain, everything started from a very concrete observation about his department: says the starred chef, quoted by Actu.fr. Despite this wealth, no popular dish truly embodied the Yvelines.
President of the EAT association (Entrepreneurs, Artisans, Terroirs) and chef of restaurant Number 3 in Tremblay-sur-Mauldre, Laurent Trochain already works 90% with local products. His priority: creating connections. , he explains. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games served as a trigger for imagining a specialty capable of carrying this identity.
Yolin, a simple savory dish and 100% Yvelines
Yolin is presented as a savory preparation, similar to a quiche without dough: cereal or legume flour, eggs, milk, salt, pepper, cooked gently in the oven in a round and hollow dish. To be entitled to this name, the specifications require at least three products from the territory. , insists Laurent Trochain. These partners are listed on the yolin.fr website.
The chef wanted a dish accessible to all, infinitely flexible depending on the season. , he specifies. Even the name sums up the project: Y for Yvelines, O for Olympique, L for Local, IN for Inclusive.
Competition, book and town halls: how the Yolin is spreading in Yvelines
From 2023, Laurent Trochain launched a Yolin competition, shown in the France 3 program in Rambouillet, open to individuals and professionals. He also challenged elected officials: , suggests the leader. In total, one winning recipe per municipality, i.e. 259 variations, was selected.
These creations appear in the book, sold for $19.90, including $5 donated to the Restos du Cœur des Yvelines. To anchor this dish even more in local life, Laurent Trochain focuses on events: , he explains. Food artisans are invited to register for free on the le-yolin.fr website.
What is Yolin, a culinary specialty of Yvelines?
Yolin is a savory dish, similar to a quiche without dough, created by Laurent Trochain to become the emblematic specialty of Yvelines.
What ingredients do you need to make Yolin?
The base combines cereal or legume flour, eggs, milk, salt and pepper, supplemented by at least three products clearly identified as originating from Yvelines.
Where to taste a Yolin in Yvelines?
You can find Yolin in restaurants like Number 3, at partner bakers and caterers, at markets, village festivals and municipal events.
