Meet the team

Dedicated to promoting overlooked edible plants, he shares his knowledge through lectures, training programs, publications, and media appearances. Passionate about food, from the Paleolithic era to the present day, he collaborates with renowned chefs worldwide to revive forgotten flavors.

For over fifty years, François Couplan has traveled the world, exploring traditional plant uses from an anthropological perspective. He works with universities in Southeast Asia to restore the use of wild edible plants and has led similar projects in Africa, Lebanon, and Japan.

His core mission is to help individuals cultivate a personal relationship with plants, fostering self-discovery and a deeper understanding of the world. He believes this is essential for acting wisely and effectively, free from the constraints of modern cultural norms. His ambitious goal is to reshape society by restoring the rightful place of the non-human living world in our daily lives. François Couplan seeks to unite individuals and communities who share this vision and wish to explore the vast potential that plants offer at every level.

Born in Japan, Keiko is a passionate chef who has been sharing the art of traditional Japanese cuisine for over 25 years. She’s also an expert of macrobiotic cooking.

Born near Nagoya, a city between Tokyo and Kyoto, she blends ancestral knowledge with creativity to introduce a cuisine that harmonizes precision, diversity, and aesthetic refinement.

An official master of sado (“the way of tea”) from the Omotesenke school, Keiko also teaches the art of the tea ceremony, a cornerstone of Japanese cultural heritage.

Her journey has taken her to France and Switzerland, where she now lives, and expanded her culinary vision. With a unique approach that incorporates European wild plants and local ingredients into Japanese cooking, she builds a bridge between East and West.

Keiko also offers refined meals and workshops focused on wild plants and the Japanese tea ceremony, hosted in a traditional house under the name Kusakanmuri 艸, located in Minamiyamashiro, Kyoto Prefecture. This charming village, nestled among verdant hills, is renowned for producing exceptional teas such as Ujicha. Its landscape, dotted with tea farms, provides an idyllic and serene setting. The place beautifully embodies the spirit of harmony between nature and culture that Keiko is committed to sharing.

Keiko shares her expertise through a variety of themed courses and workshops:

• Foundations of Japanese cuisine: theory and practice
• Everyday Japanese cooking: simple, wholesome, and delicious meals
• Bento: balanced and budget-friendly packed lunches
• Sansai: discovering edible wild plants
• Seaweeds: their health benefits and culinary uses
• Regional Japanese cuisines: a gastronomic journey across Japan
• Festive cooking: osechi (New Year’s dishes), and more
• Japanese breakfast: starting the day with harmony
• Gluten- and dairy-free cooking
• Shojin ryori: traditional vegan Buddhist cuisine
• Longevity cuisine: the secrets of a long and healthy life
• The authentic Okinawan diet
• Soy-based products: tofu, miso, shoyu, and beyond
• Tea ceremony (chanoyu): an introduction to sado
• Kaiseki: the art of refined Japanese dining
• Japanese desserts: subtlety and sweetnessWith Keiko, step into the refined world of Japanese cuisine and let yourself be guided by a devoted teacher who shares her knowledge with authenticity, generosity, and grace.

The Tea Ceremony – A moment of serenity

The tea ceremony (chanoyu) is a centuries-old Japanese ritual in which matcha, powdered green tea, is prepared and served in a meditative and serene setting. More than just a beverage, it is a true art of living — an invitation to pause, to contemplate, and to connect with the present moment.

Keiko has practiced the way of tea (sado, Omotesenke school) for over 30 years. She shares this unique experience by hosting ceremonies in Paris, in Switzerland, and during immersive retreats in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence and beyond. In tranquil natural surroundings, allow yourself to be carried by the beauty and harmony of this timeless tradition.

Francis Collet, a native of the Haut-Jura, in eastern France, is a senior certified physics teacher working in a high school in the Massif Central where he teaches both physics and chemistry. Deeply passionate about the mountains, he is also a qualified hiking guide. Years of dedicated gardening gradually sparked his interest in the rich and complex world of plants.

Driven by a thirst for knowledge, he crossed paths with François Couplan – first through the introductory course to the Collège Pratique d’Ethnobotanique (CPE), then by completing the full three-year CPE program.

As he enters the second chapter of his life, Francis aims to serve others by making accessible the knowledge that brings clarity to the nature of life itself. His scientific training shapes a rigorous, rational approach – but one always guided by a deep sense of wonder.

For him, understanding means breaking things down, grasping the mechanisms – and ultimately, marveling at their beauty. He believes it is more necessary than ever to share, in the field, the intricate web of connections that science has revealed among living beings. Yet without fostering this emotional connection to nature, without rekindling that childlike awe, he fears humanity will continue to chase material comfort and dominate other life forms – blind to the fact that they are cutting off the very branch they are sitting on.

Jacques Falquet holds a PhD in biochemistry from the University of Geneva in Switzerland. After specializing in plant molecular biology at Paris-XI University in France, he shifted to the non-profit sector and now works independently. A lifelong passion for plants led him to focus on their medicinal properties, and he has participated in numerous research missions across tropical regions, including Haiti, Mauritania, Mali, Benin, and South Sudan.

His central concern is local health autonomy. Convinced that natural remedies for most common ailments can often be found right at our doorstep, he strives to prove it with scientific precision. In collaboration with traditional healers, physicians, pharmacists and botanists, he is currently leading targeted research on an antimalarial plant whose healing potential was once known only in a few remote African villages.

Bernard Montreuil, pharmacist and lifelong learner, has continuously broadened his expertise across diverse health disciplines, which he eagerly shares with others. Trained in orthopedics, micronutrition, phytotherapy, aromatherapy, and bioelectronics, he co-teaches aromatherapy at the Collège Pratique d’Ethnobotanique alongside his son Laurent. He also serves as our trusted health advisor.

Pharmacist Laurent Montreuil combines a doctorate with advanced degrees in Therapeutic and Health Education, Structural and Functional Biochemistry, as well as certifications in dietetics, nutritherapy, nutraceuticals, orthopedics, and phytotherapy. A passionate aromatherapy practitioner, he applies his extensive knowledge daily in his pharmacy.

Passionate about wild plants, history, and digital technology, Yvann Robinet is dedicated to sharing his knowledge about the plant world. As head of online learning in our courses, he designs and manages the educational platform, also acting as its webmaster. A true digital all-rounder, he handles video editing and ensures every piece of content is clear, accessible, and engaging.

Driven by natural curiosity and a deep desire to explore the connection between humans and plants, Yvann joined the Collège Pratique d’Ethnobotanique program in 2022. With a degree in history, he enjoys blending disciplines – combining historical narrative, scientific insight, and a sensitive appreciation of nature.

Fueled by a genuine passion for innovation, he believes that while digital tools can never replace direct experience, they are essential for making knowledge accessible to all. Through his website, Bosquet Sauvage, he offers both online resources and guided wild plant discovery outings.