François from Récit de voyage, in Saint-Malo and Clara from Gusto and Co in Chantepie, posed in front of the photographer Bernard Haultcoeur.

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Bernard Haultcoeur

  • In Brittany, the photographer Bernard Haultcoeur produced “portraits of chefs” to make them smile.

  • Produced free of charge, these photos allow catering professionals to “think of something else” during a shoot.

  • About a hundred portraits have already been taken by the photographer.

He is one of the collateral victims of the closure of bars and restaurants.

Culinary photographer, Bernard Haultcœur has been on technical unemployment for a few months.

Without a chef to meet, without a dish to immortalize, without flavors to peddle, the artist is bored.

Installed in Lancieux, on the border of Côtes d'Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine, he has also seen the morale of regular customers decline over the months of closure.

Faced with the total lack of visibility for restaurateurs, Bernard Haultcœur decided to take out his case to photograph them in the middle of their closed establishments.

Called “Portraits of chefs”, this solidarity series has met with great success in Brittany.

Because it is well done.

But above all because it allows some to escape, the time of a relaxed shooting.

The chairs are upside down, on the tables.

The tidy kitchens, stationary.

“I saw some chefs put on their jackets for the first time in months.

I saw teams come together for the first time in months.

There was emotion, the joy of being there, ”says the photographer.

In recent weeks, he has often been asked by the large catering network to print these portraits for free.

Made thanks to a clever Photoshop editing, his photos show producers, restaurateurs, market gardeners, juggling their products.

A way of paying homage to them when they are deprived of their profession and their passion.

"We see that it makes them feel good, that they can think of something else for a while," explains the photographer.

Me too, by the way.

It's a way to occupy myself and then it makes me a business card for the future ”.

"It was like a breath of fresh air, a way to think about something else"

François is one of those who passed in front of Bernard Haultcœur's lens.

With his partner Valentine, he had the good idea to open a tea room in the old town of Saint-Malo on March 13, 2020. After two short days of activity, the couple had to close.

Since then, the “Travel Story” pastry shop has regained a semblance of normality, but still cannot work during the week, due to a lack of customers in the old streets of the inner city.

“A couple of friends told us about this initiative.

It really did us good.

It was like a breath of fresh air, a way to think about something else, ”explains François.

The photos were given to him free of charge by the photographer and will be used to promote them on social networks.

On the other side of the Rance, Julie and her team also faced the Breton's camera.

The occasion for the owner of the small restaurant Dicidelà, in Dinan, to pay tribute to all the professions which are at a standstill.

“We are fortunate to have take-out jars so we can work.

But others cannot.

I feel very sorry for those who will never be able to reopen.

We have to show solidarity, create links while waiting to find our customers, ”said the young woman.

After having surveyed the triangle connecting Dinard, Saint-Malo and Dinan, Bernard Haultcœur even allowed himself a few trips to Rennes to widen his focus.

“If I listened to myself, I would go to Paris, Brest and elsewhere.

But it is the finances that will be lacking, ”slips the photographer.

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