ANTWERP: After the success of Blueness in Cadzand, Sergio Herman has announced that he will open Blueness Antwerp in spring 2002 in a classic building on the Lange Gasthuisstraat in the heart of the fashion district. The project will be in the hands of chef Jaclyn Kong and Maitre Dorine van den Eydne who both share a common professional past and a healthy dose of ambition. Both women used to work with Sergio Herman at Oud Sluis and The Jane. While Jaclyn has been part of the Pure C team and later was one of the two chefs at Blueness Cadzand, Dorine went to the UK to work at Dinner by Heston Blumnethal before going to Restaurant 108 in Copenhagen. The Blueness project focuses on modern French cuisine with Japanese accents and the two promise to provide a unique hospitality experience. The concept is based on a fine casual approach in which the bar plays a prominent role for signature cocktails, special wines and exclusive sakes. Opening hours and the actual date of the open … Continue reading
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Slovenia brings innovative thinkers for second edition of European Food Summit
The European Food Summit has taken its place as one of Europe’s most important gastronomy-oriented events. The event, in its second edition took place in Ljubljana in November. It was not just a forum for discussion offering delightful food for thought but also served to showcase some of the country’s most notable places also offering delightful food for thought. “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart”. Saint-Exupéry’s inspirational quote from “Le Petit Prince” was the first thing to read on the “reincarnation” menu of Hiša Franko, in picturesque Kobarid, helmed by Ana Roš. This was the location of a warm welcome on our first day in Slovenia, at the flagship restaurant of the country which is fast becoming the ‘green star’ of the culinary world. Chef Ana Ros is a champion of sustainability, and as Slovenia's leading chef and the one most internationally recognised, she has helped to pave the way for young Slovenian chefs to … Continue reading
Nick Bril gives helping hand to Thijs Meliefste with two week pop-up at Upper Room Bar in The Jane
ANTWERP: Chef Nick Bril has offered the Upper Room Bar of The Jane Antwerp to Thijs Meliefste and his team for an unusual and unique two-week pop-up in Antwerp. Like other restaurants in the Netherlands, Meliefste in the Netherlands are still closed. "After last Friday's news we have decided to help our northern neighbours and reach out a hand to our dear friends from restaurant Meliefste. As from Thursday 27 January, Thijs Meliefste, the acclaimed Dutch chef will takeover the Upper Room Bar for a temporary pop-up from Thursday to Sunday for lunch and dinner. There is still uncertainty as to when restaurants will be allowed to reopen and also in what form. "Will we be allowed to open until 5pm? Nobody knows." Meliefste said that this was a strange time but they had come up with this fun idea together with good friend Nick Bril. "This way we can still do what we love to do, which is to make our guests happy. We want to see that smile on our guests face again and we want to … Continue reading
Michelin postpones launch of Belgium and Luxembourg guide to May
The Michelin Guide for Belgium and Luxembourg will be released on May 23. The announcement of the new guide and stars had to be made on 21 February but the current health crisis has led to The new Michelin stars for Belgium and Luxembourg will instead be presented on May 23 at the Royal Theatre in Mons. Physical meetings for the time being are not possible due to the rules in Belgium. By postponing the 2022 star ceremony by three months, the Michelin Guide wants to try and do everything in its power to ensure that a physical event can be organised in a friendly and warm celebration of the new Michelin stars. “Around the world, the past year has been extremely difficult for the restaurant industry. Nevertheless, despite the challenges that professionals continue to face, our teams have been impressed by the level of commitment, dedication and creativity shown by the chefs and their teams, while continuing to offer gourmet experiences of great value” said Gwendal Poullennec, … Continue reading
Paco Morales: Let there be ‘Light’
CORDOBA: To have missed out on the first four seasons of Noor is akin to having started watching Games of Thrones directly in its fifth season. That’s an analogy Paco Morales, chef patron of Noor makes as he now enters the age of discovery or exploration as the 15th century is often known. Today you can say Paco is riding the crest of the wave. For five years, since opening his restaurant Noor, or Light as it is translated into English, he has constrained himself to explore his city’s glorious past limiting the scope of space and time while following a clear time path. Since 2015, when the restaurant opened, he has served guests a taste of Cordoba's culinary history researching past centuries starting from the 10th century, Paco chose a suburb where he grew up to open his restaurant. It is a modest neighbourhood that also reflects Paco's modest past. The neighbourhood was build in the 1950s and it would take years before it had power, telephones and paved streets. It is in this … Continue reading
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New year’s resolution for 50 Best: Hope for Hospitality 2022
50 Best has set out its resolution and ambitions for next year by launching the 50 Best Hope for Hospitality manifesto amid an ambitious programme of events which culminates with the World's 50 Best Restaurants award ceremony in Moscow. It is using the holiday season to reflect on the unprecedented nature of events of the last two years while looking ahead with renewed spirit and optimism for 2022. In 2020 and 2021, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 50 Best pivoted from publishing its annual ranking and hosting live events to focus on fundraising and supporting the hospitality sector through its 50 Best for recovery programme which included … Continue reading
Thierry Theys of Nuance in Duffel is Gault & Millau 2022 Belgian chef of the year
BRUSSELS: Thierry Theys, the chef of restaurant Nuance in Duffel was named chef of the year by the Gault & Millau Belgian guide to a digital audience on Monday, December 13. “With his sense of nuance - what’s in a name - this chef has reached new heights in 2021. His cuisine has a signature that is visible from the appetisers down to the desserts and coffee. Not a single detail is missing from the luxurious interior to the bread and butter selection,” the guide’s CEO Mark Declerck said when announcing the awards. He succeeds Christophe Pauly who was last year's Chef of the Year. This year’s young chefs off the year were Martin … Continue reading
Niko Romito fulfills dream of opening restaurant in Paris
Niko Romito, one of Italy's greatest contemporary chefs has fulfilled a dream of opening a restaurant in Paris. The restaurant called Il Ristorante Niko Romito has opened in the Bulgari Hotel in the French capital. "To open a restaurant in Paris is the dream of every chef," said the self-taught chef of Reale, a three Michelin star restaurant in Abruzzo. "If I could speak to those young guys who 20 years ago were beginning their adventure in a tiny village nestled in the Abruzzese mountains totally unaware of what they were doing and completely self taught I would say go for it, trust yourselves and believe in what you do always," Romito … Continue reading
Moscow to host 2022 World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards in July
The ceremony for the The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 awards will be hosted in Moscow, Russia in July 2022. This was announced by 50 Best earlier this week. The world’s most renowned chefs, restaurateurs and culinary icons gathered last month for the return of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2021 which was held in the Belgian city of Antwerp. It was the first in-person awards programme since 2019, representing an important milestone in the ongoing recovery of the restaurant sector. This will be the first time that the awards takes place in the city of Moscow. An extensive event programme hosted throughout the city will culminate in the … Continue reading
If it is dark enough you can see the stars
Go back some years and no one would have bet a dime on Eric Vildgaard. Maybe neither Eric believed that if it got dark enough he would be able to see the stars. Except Tina Kragh Vildgaard. She saw potential and she believed they could not just create a family together but also a restaurant. She had fallen in love with Eric despite his troubled past. "The most attractive part about Eric is that he is so passionate," she said as she looked him in the eyes. "He does everything at 100 per cent. That is what I fell in love with and I am still in love with. It is his passion and never being one to compromise." The minute Tina took Eric to the … Continue reading
In search of identity: Malta’s culinary scene has never looked brighter
VALLETTA: Malta’s culinary scene has never looked brighter. A six week stay on the island in summer only served to confirm what I have been observing over the past few years. The introduction of Michelin, despite some criticism, has really pushed the bar as ambitious chefs and restaurateurs step up their game amid the hardships and difficulties that the pandemic has created. There were two dinners over the summer that taken separately both could easily fit the bill as among the best I've enjoyed on this Mediterranean island. They say comparisons are odious and indeed it is unfair to compare the two experiences because one involved Alex … Continue reading
Geranium eliminates meat from menu
COPENHAGEN: Rasmus Kofoed, chef of Danish restaurant Geranium has announced that he will no longer be serving meat at the acclaimed restaurant in Copenhagen. "I have not been eating meat at home for the last five years so to no longer use meat on the new menu was a logical decision and a natural progression for Geranium." The Danish restaurant, which placed second in the World's 50 Best Restaurants list in Antwerp last month has long focused on vegetables, fish and shellfist as the star of the plate with only small quantities of meat being used. "The menu is a reflection of me and how I am evolving as a chef and human being," Rasmus Kofoed … Continue reading
Mads Refslund launches 12-month pop-up restaurant at Soneva Fushi in the Maldives
Acclaimed Danish chef and restaurateur, Mads Refslund, has launched a new pop-up restaurant at Soneva Fushi, the award-winning luxury resort in the Maldives. Located at Fresh in the Garden, a treetop dining destination that overlooks the resort’s extensive organic island gardens, the pop-up is based on Mads Refslund’s signature concept of Fire and Ice. “I always find inspiration in nature so to have the opportunity to cook among the treetops of Soneva Fushi is very inspiring,” says Mads Refslund. “The key focus of the pop-up concept at Fresh in the Garden is ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’, showcasing our natural instinct for how to work with nature’s … Continue reading
Daniel Humm to leave successful Davies and Brook restaurant as Claridge’s hotel don’t embrace his plant-based vision
Daniel Humm and Claridge’s will be parting ways at the end of the year. The London hotel has not accepted Daniel Humm’s decision to go plant-based at the restaurant Davies and Brook which has won accolades in the months it was open. David Humm said it was with sadness that he and the hotel management were announcing they would go separate ways at the end of the year. Over the last 18 months Daniel Humm as been taking the time to consider what his next chapter was. And that chapter is plant-based. He has turned his flagship restaurant Eleven Madison Park in New York into a plant-based restaurant and he wanted to do the same in London at … Continue reading
The World of Aperitivo: a new Antwerp pop-up store
ANTWERP: The Italian dolce vita icon Martini, versatile Belgian lifestyle brand Serax and Italian caterer Franceso & Julia have teamed up to open an aperitivo experience store at Korte Gasthuisstraat in Antwerp between November 26 and December 31. The pop-up store has the theme ‘The World of Aperitivo’ and is aimed at offering ideas on how to welcome and surprise guests during the festive season. The store is a gift shop for the holidays and offers a wide range of festive accessories, Italian snacks as well as limited edition Martini gifts and drinks. The World of Aperitivo shop has all the ingredients to organise special moments … Continue reading
Da Gorini: A highly personal interpretation of the terroir
SAN PIERO IN BAGNO: In an unspoilt part of Emilia Romagna there a small village called San Piero in Bagno. The whole commune has just around 6,000 inhabitants. It's just over 100 kilometres away from Bologna and Modena where we've spent a few days and the contrast is astonishing. There are no Ferrari's or Maserati's driving past in this sleepy village despite the fact that this is Italy's region that is known for its fast cars and its slow food. What there is instead, is this sense of peace, of time standing still, of authenticity, stunning landscape and exceptional produce. Just outside the village, as you exit the motorway there is a … Continue reading
Bar Bulot Antwerp: Perfecting the classics
ANTWERP: Joachim Boudens and Gert de Mangeleer, the duo behind the success of three Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan and now entrepreneurs in their own right have been keeping busy despite the pandemic. After the successful return of Hertog Jan in a new intimate format, they have opened a second branch of their highly successful classic French-Belgian brasserie Bar Bulot in Antwerp. The first one opened in Bruges and immediately was rewarded with a Michelin star and also voted as Brasserie of the Year by Gault Millau. That makes it two restaurant openings in the span of two weeks. And both have started with a bang. This is the first … Continue reading
European Food Summit returns for second edition
LJUBLJANA: One of Europe’s most important culinary events, the European Food Summit, is back in Ljubljana this November after its premiere in 2019. Food, food, food. With a healthy dose of food-focused events from culinary walks and dinners to a gastronomy-oriented symposium, the European Food Summit (EFS) attracts some of the top names in the food world for what has become an important culinary event on the continent. Even though it’s a fairly new event, premiering in 2019, people have been talking about it ever since. It was not held last year (2020) due to the COVID pandemic, which saw the cancellation of most major … Continue reading
Green Revolution: A morning with Michael Vrijmoed and Stephanie Le Quellec
It is a crisp autumn morning. The fourth session of the Saint Pellegrino Young Chef Academy is taking place in a new spot created by chef and entrepreneur David Martin. It is in an idyllic spot, perfect to transmit knowledge. For this session, six chefs have been invited to work with mentor chefs Stephanie Le Quellec of La Scene in Paris, France and Michael Vrijmoed of restaurant Vrijmoed in Gent, Belgium. The focus is on the green revolution. Michael Vrijmoed has been serving a vegetable based menu since he opened his acclaimed restaurant Vrijmoed in Gent. And it is well known because he leaves no stone unturned in making sure that … Continue reading
Digging up dirt on truffles
Author Tom Benjamin talks about what inspired his critically-acclaimed Bologna-set novel The Hunting Season. Today, authenticity is everything – we may not be able to travel to Italy but at least we can savour the flavours of the country, painstakingly following recipes proclaiming they’ve been handed down from one nonna to another using ingredients from Tuscan farms and Pugliese olive groves. Italians have an appreciation for food unlike any other culture I’ve experienced – they make small talk about it the way the British discuss weather, and have as many regional varieties as Inuits have words for snow. Italians take authenticity … Continue reading
Belgium for foodies: Favourite female top chefs
Belgium for Foodies is a new book that has just been released featuring 350 places in Belgium. It invites the reader to discover Belgium's extraordinary culinary scene by taking you on a trip through the country from the North Sea to the countryside as well as the vibrant cities. Written by Femke Vandevelde with photography by Tony de Luc, the book is made up of various lists which enables you to choose what you want from young talents to favourite female top chefs, Belgian fries done right, dining at the bar, places to eat drink and read and much more. The following is a list of favourite Female Top Chefs from the book published by … Continue reading
Highlights
Martini and Sergio Herman develop new limited edition cocktail
Martini and Sergio Herman have created a ready to serve cocktail called Martini Spritzante. This cocktail was born from a collaboration with the Dutch chef, lover of Italian cuisine and the Italian brand. For this collaboration, Sergio Herman has developed a completely new flavour palette together with Martini master blender Beppe Musso. He worked on it during a trip to Pessione, Italy, the heart of Martini in Italy. The result is a balanced, fresh cocktail with a subtle bitter touch that comes into its own in combination with snacks … Continue reading
The return of Hertog Jan: The devil is in the details
ANTWERP: They say the devil is in the details. And in this regard, it is difficult to find any detail missing at the newly opened Hertog Jan at Botanic in Antwerp. This has been a much awaited reopening. After Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens shocked the Belgian culinary scene with their decision to close their flagship 3 Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan in Zedelgem four years ago, they have not rested on their laurels. They’ve moved L.E.S.S. Eatery from the previous location to the centre of Bruges making it a destination restaurant … Continue reading
The World’s 50 Best Restaurants is back: a look back at the events in Antwerp
ANTWERP: When the number two restaurant was announced in the Flanders Meeting and Convention Centre in Antwerp last week René Redzepi, chef and face of restaurant Noma knew that this would be a special moment, one that had to be savoured because it would be the last time he would step on the podium of the World’s 50 Best as number one restaurant in the world. Rasmus Kofoed, chef of restaurant Geranium, also in Copenhagen had just been called as the second restaurant in the world meaning the top spot would end up going to the 79-strong … Continue reading
New book to celebrate 10 years of Septime
There is a reason why Septime in Paris has become a global destination for food lovers ranking 24th in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list unveiled in Antwerp last week. At the age of 30 Bertrand Grébaut and his high-school friend Théophile Pourriat decided to open Septime in the 11th arrondissement of Paris in 2011. Their ambition: to build a space they had not experienced anywhere else in Paris, liberated and unpretentious, “a place with first-class cuisine, a beautiful setting, friendly service and a list of natural wines that we … Continue reading
Bringing a bit of Champagne to Slovenia
One of the highlights of travelling is anticipation. Today, we’re travelling within the country of Slovenia, an hour’s drive east of Ljubljana, to the steep hills of the upper Dolenjska region. Slovenia boasts many culinary hotspots that are scattered all around the country, making it an ideal destination for food travellers. You can travel over the next hill or plain, and find yourself in a new gastronomic region marked by its own specialities. We’re heading to Domaine Slapšak—the house of Slovenian sparkling wine made using … Continue reading
Redzepi: Making Noma the best place to work is the next goal
ANTWERP: As René Redzepi walked into the auditorium of the Flanders Meeting and Convention Centre in Antwerp he was anxious. Not because there was a possibility that he could end up on the podium of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for the fifth (and last) time but rather because events like these have not happened for many months now and restaurants in part of the world are still struggling with COVID-19 outbreaks. He had come prepared with a speech even if he said he was not aware that his team would clinch the top spot in the list. … Continue reading
Noma is World’s 50 Best Restaurant of the year
ANTWERP: Restaurant Noma in Copenhagen, Denmark was crowned World 50 Best Restaurant for 2021. René Redzepi and his team crowned a spectacular year for them amid what has been the hardest 18 months of the restaurant industry when they regained the title they had won four times in their former location. After clinching a third Michelin star a few weeks ago this will be a year to remember for Rene Redzepi and his 79 team members. At a press conference after the event, Redzepi said the secret of this success was all the team at the restaurant. … Continue reading
We need radical change – Daniel Humm
“Speaking about 15 years ago made sense. Now it is too late. What we need is not talk about sustainability but radical change,” said Daniel Humm, chef of acclaimed restaurant Eleven Madison Park which turned plant-based when it reopened earlier this year. In his first public appearance after a scathing review of his restaurant Eleven Madison Park by food critic Peter Wells who revealed in passing that meat was still being served in the restaurant’s private room, Daniel Humm said that facing bankruptcy and suddenly getting comfortable with … Continue reading
The return of Gert De Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens at Hertog Jan
ANTWERP: Four years ago, Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens shocked the Belgian fine-dining scene when they announced they would be closing down their flagship restaurant Hertog Jan in Zedelgem to focus on other projects. Now, nearly four years after the closure, they are revving their engines to start the third chapter of the restaurant that brought them so much success. Hertog Jan at Botanic in Antwerp is the new chapter of their story. The restaurant will be open two weeks each month as from next week. In a very small and intimate … Continue reading
Mauro Colagreco takes the helm of two restaurants within The Maybourne Riviera
Roquebrune-Cap-Martin: Chef Mauro Colagreco will take the helm of two restaurants within The Maybourne Riviera. The soon-to-be-launched hotel joins London's iconic Claridge's, The Connaught and The Berkeley as part of the Maybourne Hotel Group. The restaurants will be housed in the strikingly modernist hotel, built on a rocky peninsula high above the town of Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. His flagship will be Ceto, focusing on the sea and will open on Saturday 9th October. Located on the hotel’s top floor with dramatic panoramic views out over the … Continue reading
Gucci Osteria Beverly Hills awarded with a Michelin star
Gucci Osteria Beverly Hills is the second Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura to clinch a Michelin star following the success of the first one that opened in Florence, Italy. Promoting modern Italian cuisine while embracing local Californian ingredients, Gucci Osteria is led by the young Italian chef Mattia Agazzi, under the guidance of chef Massimo Bottura of three-star Osteria Francescana in Modena, Italy and Karime Lopez, chef of the first Gucci Osteria in Florence. Gucci Osteria da Massimo Bottura are a series of three contemporary … Continue reading
Pop-up Kokotte: a culinary incubator in Brussels to test new restaurant concepts
BRUSSELS: Regine and Aline did not know what they would face when they opened a temporary pop-up restaurant at Pop-up Kokotte in central Brussels in March 2020. They still remember the day, a Tuesday. Little did they know that by Saturday, they would be shut for good in the first COVID-19 lockdown. Their concept was that of introducing African burgers to gastronomic burgers. The name of the concept, AfroBurgers. The two childhood friends had already tested their concept with a food-truck which worked well and their intention was to get a new … Continue reading
12 new entries in 51-100 position of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants list
There are twelve new restaurants in the 51-100 positions of the World's 50 Best Restaurants list which returns this year after the cancellation of last year's events. Ahead of the official announcement that will take place in Antwerp, Belgium on 5 October, the World's 50 Best Restaurants has already released the restaurants that have made it to the second half of the list. Among them are 12 new restaurants. The highest new entry is Alchemist, the Copenhagen restaurant the restaurant by Rasmus Monk. Other new entrants are Le Du in … Continue reading
Franco Pepe gets the Best Chef Pizza award
Franco Pepe is to pizza what Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo are to football. His work at Pepe in Grani has now be recognised recognised by the Best Chef Awards who awarded him with the Best Chef Pizza price at the 2021 Best Chef Awards that took place in Amsterdam earlier this week. This award highlights the key role the Italian pizzaiolo has had on the international scene. Franco Pepe is one of the most well-known and highly regarded pizzaiolos in the world. For generations, his family has been linked to the gastronomic world and to the … Continue reading
Chefs United: A big event at Bon Bon in Brussels
Christophe Hardiquest and his Brussels restaurant Bon Bon is not new to big and ambitious events. A few years ago, he welcomed some of the World’s best chefs for a GELINAZ! Brussels Headquarters event that played over four shifts. Now, on the occasion of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants awards taking place in Antwerp in October, he has invited a number of chefs for a one night dinner called Chefs United. Together, the chefs will create a 10 course menu that is expected to create an electric atmosphere. The event takes place on Wednesday 6 … Continue reading
Why everyone rooted for Noma and Redzepi
They say life is not about reaching the destination but rather about the journey. So it must have felt ironic for René Redzepi and his team to clinch a third Michelin star that has been eluding them for the past years in what was probably been the most difficult year for the restaurant. Social media was on fire as the food world applauded a decision that for many has come way too late. Noma’s photo of the three Michelin stars had over 100,000 likes and over 4,000 comments congratulating the restaurant. Instagram stories were on fire as was … Continue reading
Chef Dabiz Muñoz wins the Top100, followed by Björn Frantzen and Andoni Luis Aduriz
Chef Dabiz Muñoz of DiverXo in Madrid won The Best Chef Top100 Award during a live awards gala that took place in Amsterdam. Chef Björn Frantzén of Frantzén in Stockholm repeated his second place and also took the award for The Best Chef voted by Chefs. To round up the top three, Andoni Luis Aduriz of Mugaritz in San Sebastián made a huge jump from his previous 45th position on last year's list, to clinch the third spot. “Getting the number one in the Best Chef Awards is the biggest joy. An incredible pride and responsibility. For me, The … Continue reading
Ikoyi is restaurant to watch 2021
The World's 50 Best Restaurants announced that the winner of the American Express One to Watch Award 2021 is London's Ikoyi, co-founded by childhood friends Jeremy Chan and Iré Hassan-Odukale. The award recognises a restaurant that is considered to be a rising star on the global dining scene and aims to recognise and celebrate gastronomic excellence and innovation. The restaurant was developed after an initial conversation Chan and Hassan-Odukale had that ignited a spark around the possibilities of African-inspired food. A period of … Continue reading
‘Belgium for Foodies’ gourmet guide launched by Luster
Next month, Belgium will be in the spotlight as it hosts The World 50 Best Restaurants awards in the city of Antwerp. There has never been a better time to launch a guide for foodies. In Belgium for Foodies, culinary journalist and food writer Femke Vandevelde has gathered some of the best places to eat and drink in Belgium. This guide is different from many others. It encourages you to discover places that you might even think about from fantastic food shops to top restaurants and cafes as well as extraordinary locations to dine in. It … Continue reading
Michelin works in mysterious ways: Noma finally clinches 3 stars
COPENHAGEN: Noma, the acclaimed restaurant of René Redzepi, considered by many as one of the most influential restaurants, if not the most influential restaurant of the last decade has finally clinched 3 Michelin stars. It has been one of the most mysterious questions among food lovers as to how noma had never received 3 stars in its 18 year history. But Michelin has finally solved the conundrum by awarding noma three Michelin stars. In its note, it says René Redzepi’s urban oasis Noma has a strong connection to nature and its holistic … Continue reading
The return of Table d’Amis and a new pizzeria
KORTRIJK: Matthieu Beudaert and Sofie Delbeke are not afraid of change. Two years after closing gastronomic restaurant Tables D'Amis and after their successful opening of Trattoria La Bicicletta they are again embarking on a new chapter in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. After having served 1366 pasta dishes with truffle, grilled 1753 entrecotes and sold 4888 arancini during the COVID-19 pandemic they have announced the closure of their highly popular Trattoria La Bicicletta. This will make way for a return to a gastronomic restaurant … Continue reading
Area Talks to feature discussions on the future of fine dining and sustainability among others
Amsterdam: Area Talks will feature discussions on the future of fine dining, the dark and bright sides of gastronomy, dutch gastronomy and sustainability. The talks will take place on September 14 as part of The Best Chef Awards that will take place in Amsterdam. After last year's #VIRTUAL2020 edition, chefs, foodies, journalists, and experts from the culinary world will meet in person to share knowledge and discuss these four topics. “We are convinced that discussion is really important and we aim to encourage experts like chefs, … Continue reading
Michelin Stars II – Nordic By Nature to feature at the San Sebastian film festival
Michelin Stars II - Nordic by Nature will feature at the Culinary Zinema: Film and Gastronomy section at the 69th edition of the San Sebastian International Film Festival. Nordic By Nature is a culinary documentary filmed over an 18 month period that follows the endearing and brutal destiny and everyday life of the Faroe Islands and its culinary pearl KOKS, helmed by chef Poul Andrias Ziska. While the COVID-19 pandemic forced people to focus on core values and what was important, for Ziska and the restaurant this was nothing new. The two … Continue reading
Gault & Millau Belgian chef of the year to release recipe book in October
Christophe Pauly, Belgian chef of the year 2021 of the guide Gault & Millau will publish his first recipe book Le Coq aux Champs on 14 October. The book, named after his restaurant, will capture some of the restaurant dishes that have made it one of the best tables to dine in Wallonia (the south of Belgium). Apart from some of the classics, Christophe will also showcase his creativity and harmony in the recipes. His cuisine is always focused on excellent produce that surrounds him. There are more than 100 recipes in the book which … Continue reading
All good things take time: GELINAZ Silent Voices returns with a bang
The sun was setting at Tenuta di Valgiano on the rolling hills above Lucca. GELINAZ! Stay in Tour Silent Voices was about to come to life. Months of hard work, stress all came together to create what turned out to be a magical evening. All good things take time. The first Silent Voices Chapter 1 took place in November 2020 with restaurants mainly in Asia since restaurants there were not facing any lockdown restructions. In other places, however, the event had to be postponed not once but twice because of the pandemic. Originally pencilled … Continue reading
ADMO: Alain Ducasse, Albert Adria and Romain Meder’s Paris restaurant is 100 day Pop-up
PARIS: The much awaited restaurant by Alain Ducasse, Albert Adria and Romain Meder will open on 10 November. The ADMO project, as the venture is called will be a 100 day pop-up and is located at the Les Ombres restaurant at the Quai Branly museum in Paris. The much awaited restaurant will celebrate the unprecedented encounter between Spanish and French cuisines and is united by the same conscious and sustainable approach. The ADMO project is expected to be one of the year's most anticipated openings. Bookings for the restaurant open on 10 … Continue reading
Soilmates to organise series of events in Brussels in September
BRUSSELS: Brussels will host the second edition of Soilmates on 12 and 13 September. This will include a series of events committed to improve the way we think of the hidden – and living – world beneath our feet. The Soilmates collective aims to create a paradigm shift in which the living earth becomes the centre of the culinary and artistic experience, rather than the chef, artist or farmer. The movement was created by restaurant owners Caroline Baerten and Nicolas Decloedt (Humus & Hortense), farmer Dries Delanote (Le Monde des Mille … Continue reading
Michelin UK changes way it reveals new restaurants in the guide
The Michelin Guide in the UK has announced a new approach to revealing its restaurant recommendations making it more modern and more agile. Away from the constraints of a physical publication, the Michelin guide will be releasing some of its newest additions to the guide ahead of the annual launch event. This will be done on a monthly basis, on the last Wednesday of every month. The first restaurants to make it to the new guide were released on Wednesday 25 August. They feature both on the website and the app. Restaurant entries are being … Continue reading
Flanders Finest promises to be a spectacular culinary evening
ANTWERP: Ten Belgian chefs from Flanders will be kicking off a festive week around The World's 50 Best Restaurants with what promises to be a spectacular culinary event called Flanders Finest. The World's 50 Best Restaurants will be held in October. On Friday 1 October, 10 of Belgium's top chefs will prepare a 10 course dinner that will be bring together some of the leading three and two Michelin star chefs in the country. This is a first for Flanders as these chefs, which total 23 Michelin stars between them, will cook together for the … Continue reading
‘The quality of the fish and seafood in Malta has been outstanding’ – Alex Dilling
VALLETTA: Chef Alex Dilling was probably at the peak of his career at The Greenhouse when the pandemic hit and the restaurant ended up closing for good. The Greenhouse was the talk of the town in London and in global food circles because of Dilling’s cuisine and precise focus on quality ingredients. During the lockdown, he was working on creating new dishes and was focused on getting back to the kitchen as soon as possible but it was not to be as news of the closure of one of the most famous restaurants in London spread like wild fire in the … Continue reading
New uniforms for Hisa Franko as Ana Ros enters collaboration with designer Matea Benedetti
Ana Ros, chef of Hisa Franko and Matea Benedetti, a Slovenian award-winning fashion designer have created a new range of uniforms for the restaurant which not only use non-animal textiles but also reflect both their deep love for nature. "The new uniforms of the service team reflect the soul of the restaurant and the beautiful environment the restaurant is part of," Ana Ros said about the new collaboration. Ana and Matea met through a common friend and they immediately understood each other and became friends which was no surprise. Matea … Continue reading
Meat or no meat and food in space are this year’s Food meets Science topics
Food meets Science is one of the main events that will be organised as part of The Best Chef Awards taking place on 13 September in Amsterdam. The conference will connect the world of science and gastronomy. The event will include cooking shows and presentations that focus on two main subjects, Food and Space and Meat - No Meat. “Science is an amazing tool to educate and to have a better understanding of things in the culinary world. With that knowledge, farmers, producers, chefs and even guests can make better and more conscious decisions … Continue reading
When wine and food are in perfect symbiosis
Jonathan K. Berntsen is not just a chef but also a sommelier. Hit by the terrible year his Michelin-starred restaurant CLOU had to close but he has now returned with The Samuel, a restaurant located in an old historical villa from 1891 north of Copenhagen in Hellerup. What makes Jonathan special is that for him food and wine are in symbiosis and hence they need to be precisely equally weighted. These means that he often selects the wines before creating the dishes. This devotion to pairing has been acknowledged with numerous awards such … Continue reading
Gelinaz! returns louder, bigger and ‘hopefully bolder’ on August 29 with 150 chefs in 25 cities worldwide
Over 150 chefs in 25 cities worldwide will join forces to conclude the last chapter of the Grand GELINAZ! Shuffle Stay in Tour. What started on 3 December will be finalised on 29 August when some of the world's greatest chefs pay tribute to chefs that have suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic either because their restaurant was forced to close or because they were in between projects. GELINAZ! curator Andrea Petrini, a food writer par excellence told Food and Wine Gazette that this event has been the most complicated to organise. "The … Continue reading
Hélène Darroze at Villa La Coste opens as part of new partnership near Aix-en-Provence
This is a special year for Hélène Darroze. Fresh from the recently awarded three stars in the Michelin guide for her London restaurant Hélène Darroze at The Connaught" and two stars for "Marsan par Hélène Darroze" in Paris she has now announced a partnership to take over the entire food and beverage operations of Villa La Coste, a grand luxury hotel in Provence, France. She will be serving a cuisine in her image, imbued with emotion, sincerity and authenticity. Nestled at the heart of the Château La Coste Estate near Aix-en-Provence, the … Continue reading
Belgium and Luxembourg Michelin Guide to go digital in 2022
MONS: The 2022 edition of the Belgium and Luxembourg Michelin Guide will only be available in digital format, the guide has announced. The presentation of the guide and results will be announced on 21 February at the Royal Theatre in the city of Mons. Announcements for Belgium and Luxembourg used to take place late in the year but the guide announced that this new edition will be held in February to enable the inspectors and Michelin Guide team to have more time to visit restaurants given the difficult context linked to the COVID-19 … Continue reading
Onigiri for love: A project by Yoshiro Narisawa and Hisato Hamada
Two Japanese chefs Yoshiro Narisawa of Restaurant Narisawa and Hisato Hamada of Wagyumafia have teamed up together for a charity project called Onigiri for love. While collaborating on a recent project together, both chefs discovered a common love for sake and onigiri - a handmade Japanese rice ball. The onigiri is a simple yet very meaningful traditional comfort food. It is typically made by a loved one - most people in Japan have fond childhood memories of their mother preparing one for school lunch or as a snack. A symbol of love … Continue reading
Sergio Herman and Foodfest open mussels and fries pop-up restaurant in Zeebrugge
ZEEBRUGGE: Sergio Herman has opened a pop-up mussels and fries restaurant on the beach of Zeebrugge in Belgium. The restaurant Moules//Frites opened on 1 July and will remain open till 15 August. It is being organised by FoodFest set up by Sergio Herman and Syrco Bakker to organise a festival in Cadzand. Last year, Foodfest also opened a pop-up store in Antwerp bringing some of Sergio and Syrco's delicacies to Belgian foodies. Under a spacious tent, 120 guests will be able to enjoy lunch or dinner in a relaxed atmosphere with music, wines … Continue reading
Redzepi launches two garums as part of new Noma Projects
Fermentation and garums have been one of the sources of success of Noma as it shifted to a more vegetable based cuisine over the years. Now, two of their favourite garums will be available to the general public as part of a venture to help people bring more vegetables into their everyday cooking. Chef Rene Redzepi and his team have used the time during lockdown to create a new venture called Noma Projects which aims to share all their accumulated knowledge, craft and experimentation in this new project. "We will be launching products for … Continue reading
Second chapter of GELINAZ! Silent voices on tour starts in Vienna
VIENNA: The second chapter of the GELINAZ! Silent voices on tour will be held on 11 July. The collective of chefs headed by Andrea Petrini and Patricia Meunier returns after a forced pause because of lockdowns making the organisation of such dinners impossible. The first chapter was held last December in various cities around the world and while the European leg was scheduled for the end of January, the pandemic wrecked havoc with those plans. Now, the Healthy Boy Band, three Austrian chefs who have been embracing improvisation and anarchy, … Continue reading