There’s perhaps nothing so Parisian as the theatrical tableside filleting of a sole meunière, and summer in the Sud wouldn’t be complete without a salade niçoise generously topped with tuna glistening in oil. But in the Loire Valley, freshwater fish like barbel and catfish are far more common than saltwater specimens–though, unfortunately, they have far from the same illustrious reputation.
“People have preconceived notions about Loire Valley fish,” explains professional fisherman Romain Gadais. “Like, it has no flavor, or it tastes muddy, or it’s full of bones.”
But Gadais wants to give freshwater fish’s rep a massive makeover. To that end, in 2016, he teamed up with Top Chef alum Ambroise Voreux in 2016 to create La Cabane à Matelot, a unique restaurant where the bounty of the Loire is center-stage.
“We wanted to showcase all of the fish of the Loire, not just the noblest species,” says Gadais. “The little-known species, the ones that have been a bit forgotten.”
How La Cabane à Matelot Came to Be
Gadais became a professional fisherman in 2014, after working first as a research engineer for the Institut national de la recherche agronomique (INRA) and Museum d’histoire naturelle, specializing in the migratory patterns of Loire Valley fish. The change from theory to practice was driven, he says, by “the passion for fishing, which I’ve had since I was small.” Voreux entered the picture in 2016, after partaking in a fishing course with Gadais. Soon after, he recalls, the idea of launching a restaurant together was hatched, and they found a space overlooking the Loire in the picturesque village of Bréhémont.
The first iteration of their culinary collaboration was “very simple,” according to Voreux. “Dishes were about 10, 15 euros. Fish and chips, fritures, things like that.” Soon thereafter, however, they decided to reposition themselves as a fine dining restaurant, with an ever-changing menu that may feature anything from garum-marinated asp, settled atop house focaccia and dotted with crispy capers, to barbel reimagined as boudin blanc, seasoned with miso and served with a rich crayfish bisque. The change, according to Voreux, came from two motivating factors. “First,” he says, “it was a cuisine that had more of me in it.” The creative joy and passion is indeed resonant in these dishes, and exclamations of surprise and wonder echo through the restaurant’s multiple dining rooms, which offer a blend of rusticity and refinement, with a décor that evokes the “sailor’s shack” for which the restaurant is named.
Gadais, too, finds this approach more rewarding. “We really get a global vision of our fish,” he says. “I couldn’t see myself just fishing and not knowing where my fish is going. Not knowing if people like it or not.”
River Fish are a Sustainable Choice for French Cuisine
But revisiting river fish in a fine dining context wasn’t just about the cachet. It also makes their project more sustainable, according to Voreux. Had they chosen to continue with the simpler, less expensive menu, he explains, “we would have had to catch more fish, to welcome more guests, so that the business could be viable.” The fine dining approach, on the contrary, “allows us to catch less.”
Sustainability is an essential undercurrent of their entire project, evident in the wealth of transformation Voreux’s team undertakes: simmering heads and bones into stock, and even fermenting their own garum, a fish sauce dating back to ancient Rome. And the ingredients that share the spotlight with their seafood are sourced locally, from producers who share their philosophy. “It means we don’t work with spices, pepper, or chocolate,” says Voreux. “Most of our products are organic, with a strong environmental engagement.”
This choice means that Voreux and his team must let nature dictate the menu.
“In fishing, you don’t decide what you’re going to get,” says Gadais. “The menu is based on what we bring back, and also what the other producers have to offer us. With vegetables, for example, we ask for them to bring us whatever’s freshest.”
This innate seasonality also impacts the restaurant’s opening hours. From June to September, the restaurant is open four days a week; from April to May and October to December, it’s only open on the weekend. In January, February, and March, it closes completely. This gives the pair time to produce shelf-stable goods like rillettes, smoked fish, and fish soup, which are served in the restaurant and sold in their on-site boutique.
Changing Minds, One Bite at a Time
Voreux also offers cooking classes, introducing home cooks to some of his favorite little-known fish, like chub, asp, and barbel. Over the course of the three-hour cooking class (120€ per adult, 90€ per child), participants learn to break down fresh fish and showcase it at its very best, with house-made sauces and restaurant-worthy techniques. Gadais, meanwhile, offers boat trips on the Loire. On an hour-long excursion (12€ per adult, 6€ per child), guests take advantage of his knowledge of the natural ecosystem and the history of the river. True enthusiasts can level up with a three-hour experience, which offers hands-on discovery of Gadais’ sustainable net and line fishing methods, accompanied by a tasting of local wine or juice, and fish rillettes (60€ per adult, 40€ per child). These engagements allow the two restaurateurs to transmit their passion to others, providing consumers with a more global view of the mission behind the restaurant.
As a result, the pair say, opinions surrounding the freshwater fish on their menu are changing. “It’s evolved a lot since we started, ten years ago,” says Gadais. While some do still come into the restaurant with preconceived notions, he adds, “There’s also curiosity. Fairly often, what happens is we change people’s minds.”
