Sébastien Richard: The protean inclusive

It is almost noon at République in Marseille. The tables, draped in white, are adorned with fresh flowers gathered from the gala dinner of the Ligue contre le Cancer, organized by chef Sébastien Richard. The vintage chairs, each uniquely decorated by an artist, await the guests. These guests may be business owners or homeless individuals; this solidarity restaurant welcomes everyone, with a differentiated pricing structure. A symbolic €1 for those in the greatest need, and €35 for a complete menu for others. This social mix was intentional, as Sébastien Richard aimed to offer not just a meal, but “the experience of a gourmet restaurant” to those who cannot afford it.

Sébastien Richard does not define himself as a chef but as an “engaged actor” in the food industry. Alongside the opening of his restaurant, he founded an association, La Petite Lili, which works towards the integration of individuals distanced from employment. Men and women can be found in the kitchen and serving at the restaurant. A jack-of-all-trades, République is a protean space where Haussmannian columns coexist with monochrome portraits by artist Sébastien Marron, where you can see business suits and worn-out sneakers, where you can play pétanque in the basement and enjoy a cocktail on the ground floor. The venue features a classic dining room with 200 covers and a gourmet space that hosts resident chefs for a more upscale dining experience. You can even indulge in a “Dans le Noir” experience, where meals are served in complete darkness by visually impaired individuals.

A true jack-of-all-trades, Sébastien Richard also opened a pizzeria, Mia Bella, in La Joliette, which operates on the same principle of a restaurant for social integration with meals priced at €1. He is also planning to open a venue on the Canebière, the iconic avenue of Marseille, and is taking on the capital with the opening of a République restaurant on Quai de la Râpée in Paris in spring 2025. This visionary entrepreneur wants these locations to serve as “a makeup to train people for jobs in the food industry.” The restaurants opened by Sébastien Richard aim to be diverse, showcasing the vast array of careers, sourcing, and skills in the restaurant business to young trainees. This year, he established a training center, EMAHI (Ecole Marseillaise de l’Alimentation et de l’Hôtellerie Inclusive). This school trains individuals in career transition and those distanced from the job market for jobs in the food industry (catering, bakery, pastry, etc.), which are desperately in need of workers.

Chef CMA-CGM, the man brings his peers along with him in his 'inclusive vision': he has managed to unite 100 chefs within his association, La Petite Lili. The evening before we met him, he organized a gala dinner featuring the most renowned names in Marseille's gastronomy.

At a high-profile banquet, he raised €113,000 for the Ligue Contre le Cancer. Originally from Tours, the chef is nonetheless deeply connected to Marseille and Mediterranean cuisine. He honed his skills alongside Thierry Marx and Alain Couturier. He arrived in Provence 20 years ago, in Istres, where he opened La Table de Sébastien, which earned a Michelin star. Sébastien Richard then never left the South, becoming the chef for the President of CMA-CGM in Marseille while also running a discreet restaurant in the working-class Panier neighborhood. Sébastien Richard is committed to social integration and accessibility, as well as promoting responsible food practices. As an ambassador for the Agence Bio, he also collaborates with the Marseille restaurant Le Présage, which operates solely on solar energy. His restaurants are labeled Ecotable and offer between 35% and 60% organic and local products. He exclusively uses seasonal ingredients. There is never foie gras or salmon on the menu at République; it doesn’t matter, as the Provençal terroir is rich enough in exceptional ingredients to more than make up for it.

Sea Urchin Tarama
On the plate this noon, there’s Mediterranean red tuna, of course; and sea urchin and Camargue oyster tarama in tempura — just the thing to leave the table recharged with iodine. The daily menu features no less than 11 varieties of fruits and vegetables: pak choi, cauliflower, fennel… all enhanced by expertly executed cooking techniques and tangy condiments, such as this sweet potato purée accented with a soy-yuzu gel. For dessert, a delicate quince mousse with white grape, crumble, and clementine. Quince, this rustic and forgotten Provençal fruit, does not easily reveal its flavors, but it is beautifully showcased on the plate by Sébastien Richard and his team.

The menu at République is intentionally limited to offer quality products, and there is always one or two vegetarian or vegan options available. In a bid to reduce waste, half portions are also offered for smaller appetites. This choice by the chef impacts revenue but helps limit the waste produced by the restaurant.
On the beverage side, Sébastien Richard collaborates with Rouge Provence, a collective of winemakers that offers solidarity cuvées from colleagues who have faced difficulties in their vineyards. Beer and soda come from La Minotte, a Marseille craft brewery. The spirits for the cocktail bar are produced in Aubagne. The juices are made from downgraded fruits, processed locally at a solidarity vegetable processing facility. Named Les Moches, the brand offers juices, but also jams and transformed vegetables made from unsold products. This gives a second life to fruits and vegetables, saved from the trash to be featured on restaurant tables, as well as in Marseille canteens or supermarkets. This anti-waste project is accessible and supportive, concocted by… Sébastien Richard. A man who is truly committed.

By Pauline Petit