REPORTAGE
It was surely one of the most awaited decisions during the announcements of phase 2 of the deconfinement: the reopening of bars and restaurants. From Tuesday, the French will be able to come back to the table. But in the Bouffay district in the heart of Nantes, Jean-Pierre Le Bot, co-manager of the restaurant "La Prison", decided to take government instruction to the letter, taking advantage of this new freedom from the first second. It is therefore from this Monday at midnight sharp that Nantes residents will be able to come to this establishment to certainly participate in the first post-containment service in the territory.
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"People want it so much"
A great success, since the restaurant phone keeps ringing to take reservations. "I did not expect to have so many people, this night we will make 100-120 covers. People want it so much, it is especially to give happiness", slips Jean-Pierre Le Bot at the microphone Europe 1 between two calls.
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"We felt like a lion in a cage"
And customers are not the only ones in a hurry to reconnect with restaurants: in the kitchen too, it was starting to take a long time. "I felt like a lion in a cage," breathes Fred, the chef, who has been present since this morning to prepare for the event. If more than two months of closure have not lost his hand with the whip to prepare his sauces, he still admits having "ants in his arms".
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But never mind, behind the stove, in the dining room or on the terrace (since Nantes is in the green zone), the 25 employees will struggle until two in the morning to satisfy customers. An exceptional and temporary service: from Tuesday, "La Prison" will resume its rhythm by opening seven days a week from noon. And midnight will sound the end of service time.