Olivier Roellinger

Olivier Roellinger was born in 1955 in Cancale, near Saint-Malo. He spent his childhood at the Maison du Voyageur, which was built in the 18th century for a ship-owning family. The house once belonged to the Heurtaut de Bricourt family, who were related to the famous pirate Robert Surcouf. His father was a doctor and saw patients in the manor, while young Olivier dreamt of the adventures of a pirate’s life. Later, the manor became home to the Michelin-starred Le Bricourt restaurant, where today the Roellinger spice blends are made.

At the age of 21, Olivier was attacked in Saint-Malo. He was left in serious condition and survived only by a miracle. Previously, he had planned to become an engineer at the Paris Arts et Métiers, but the trauma abruptly ended his career path. His recovery took a long time, and, according to him, he regained his zest for life thanks to visits from friends and his mother’s home-cooked meals. Thus, instead of pursuing engineering, he turned to literature and cookbooks. In 1982, he and his wife Jane opened the Le Bricourt restaurant in the Maison du Voyageur building, which operated as a family business and was named the discovery of the year by Gault & Millau just one year later.

In 1983, he created his first spice blend, Retour des Indes. The blend combines the fourteen spices that could be found in the port of Saint-Malo in the 18th century, which were supplied by the French East India Company and the West India Company. For Olivier, the blend became a tool to emphasize his cuisine and to tell the story of Brittany—his land enriched by the histories of distant countries.

He earned his first Michelin star in 1984 and his second in 1988. In the same year, he opened a hotel called Les Rimains on the Cancale rocks, which had once been the home of a composer.

In 1990, he became a member of the Relais & Châteaux association, and in 1992, he and his wife opened Château Richeux, personally overseeing the design of the thirteen rooms and the Coquillage restaurant in the villa.

In 1993, he joined the Les grandes tables du Monde association, and from 1997, he served as president of the Tables et Saveurs de Bretagne association.

In 1994, Olivier Roellinger was named Chef of the Year by Gault & Millau, receiving 19.5 points out of 20. In 2006, Jane and Olivier’s Le Bricourt restaurant was awarded three Michelin stars for its cuisine, which combines inspiration from the sea with the finest spices.

In 2008, for health reasons, he had to retire from the kitchen. He transformed the Le Bricourt restaurant into a test kitchen for spice blends. The staff moved to Château Richeux, where they embraced its elegant and cheerful simplicity. Since then, Olivier has focused primarily on creating and storing spice blends (Épices Roellinger in Saint-Malo and Paris), assisted by his daughter and daughter-in-law.

In 2009, he was elected vice president of Relais & Châteaux. In 2019, he received his second Michelin star for the Coquillage restaurant, which his son Hugo, also a chef, helps operate.

He runs a pastry shop and guesthouses, produces artisanal beverages, has published several books, frequently appears on thematic TV programs, and is associated with numerous organizations, including UNESCO.

Source: roellinger-bricourt.com, www.etonnants-voyageurs.com