It became a habit. In Rennes, every Wednesday at lunchtime, a small crowd of onlookers and regulars gathers around an opaline green food truck that stands out at the bottom of Place Hoche. Inside her “Wap Mobile”, Céline Périclès cooks a sausage galette like no other… because this version of the emblematic dish of the Breton capital is 100% vegetable.
Based on ingredients from organic and mostly local producers, the chef prepares a sausage with a stuffing made up of legumes and spicy vegetables, all inserted in an envelope made from seaweed. A way of combining tradition and a committed gastronomic approach.
It’s still a brake for some people but they are not that many. It’s just that we hear them a lot
Offer an alternative street food
Recently trained at the School of Master Crêpiers in Rennes, Céline Périclès launched her food truck in 2021 after noticing a shortage of supply in the field. “Personally, I’ve been eating plant-based for five years and I’ve often thought to myself that there were too few plant-based street food offerings. The sausage patty is nice, but there are still more and more people who don’t eat meat and are looking for alternatives”.
Through a project “good to taste, good for the planet and good for health”, the 30-year-old wants to introduce her customers to various textures and flavors. “With plants, there is a diversity between seasonality, colors, textures, it’s really very rich. So, it’s still a brake for some people but they are not that many. We just hear them a lot.”
A growing success
Despite the doubts of several banks about the viability of her project, Céline launched herself and quickly experienced growing success. First present in three different places in Rennes: Place Hoche, Villejean and Mabilais, the young woman left the last two to find the time to respond to requests from companies and festivals, in order to cook during events in the region.
Today, accompanied behind the biligs by her brother Louise, Céline is the only one to offer 100% vegan food in street food in Rennes. Enough to attract a varied clientele looking for alternative dishes for lunch.
“It’s just too good”, confirm Michael and Julie, two fans from the start. “We discovered the truck thanks to colleagues and since then we have been coming back regularly. Visually it is successful, it really makes you want. In addition, the owner is very nice.
Soon Place des Lices?
This Wednesday, Céline once again exhausted her stock quickly after serving around fifty meals. Faced with this craze, many customers encouraged him to go to the Lices market, a sausage galette sanctuary in Rennes. “I am told that it will be a guaranteed success, but there are a lot of steps to be taken. We’ll think about it.”
In the meantime, the “Wap Mobile” will be present at the special “Chefs” edition of the mythical Rennes Food Market on Sunday 4 September. “It’s nice to be selected in the company of many restaurateurs who do very interesting things in Rennes”, confides Céline Périclès. A new opportunity for her to discover vegetable food through the sausage pancake.