The story
On the village square of Riec-sur-Belon, L'Atelier Mélanie brings a fresh chapter to a storied address. The restaurant’s name pays homage to Mélanie Rouat (1878–1954), a pioneering chef who opened her own restaurant here in 1923. With the endorsement of Curnonsky, the “prince of gastronomes,” she earned two Michelin stars and welcomed figures like Colette and Jean Cocteau. Her signature dishes – stuffed clams, lobster in cream, and the classic Breton galette – set a high bar.
Today, chefs Laura and Jean-Baptiste Caillarec carry that torch. Both trained in palace kitchens – Jean-Baptiste in brigades from Méribel to the Mandarin Oriental in Geneva under Thierry Marx, Laura in pastry at the Président Wilson in Geneva with Michel Roth. They met, worked together at Domaine Impérial, and eventually returned to Brittany to create their own place.
Theirs is a Modern Cuisine rooted in the region. The team works with fresh, seasonal products, letting the flavours of the terroir – vegetables, fruit, fish, game – lead the way. Each month, a new menu is built around what’s best, from the coast and the countryside. The atmosphere is warm and convivial, with an outdoor terrace in summer and a private room for events.
That commitment to craft and place earned L'Atelier Mélanie a Michelin Recommended distinction in 2026. For those seeking Modern Cuisine that is both refined and welcoming, this is a destination that honours the past while cooking squarely in the present.
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