After studying engineering Pieter Raeymaekers went to New Zealand to work with winemakers because he did not want to start work immediately. That was in 2005 and the experience had a huge impact on his professional and personal life. Today, 13 years later, he is fulfilling his dream as he is the winemaker of a new winery Valke Vleug that is set to fully open next year in time for the 2019 vintage. On land that was used to grow asparagus, Pieter, Johan Stoffels and Jan Van Lancker are betting that they can produce quality Belgian wine at their Valke Vleug estate in Liezele near Puurs in Little Brabant. The three have joined forces to pursue their passion for wine and introduce a new concept that aims to not only produce around 23,000 bottles of Belgian wine but also to introduce wines from cold climates. With the motto Cool Things Happen on the Edge they say that this is the first such project in Belgium since they will not only produce wine but also sell wines from … Continue reading
Latest Posts
Retro Bottega: Modern Italian cuisine in the heart of Rome
The dessert spoon has already been placed on the table at Retro Bottega in Rome. I've been chatting to one of the two chefs Giuseppe Lo Iudice who owns this place in the centre of Rome together with another chef Alessandro Miocchi. He leaves and soon after returns to replace the spoon with a fork and knife. "We've changed plans he tells me. We want you to try another dish before dessert," he tells me. The dish that follows is pigeon cooked in a Peking Duck style. "My business partner and chef Alessandro Miocchi was in China and he got inspired by this dish which you can find everywhere. We love to work with pigeon and thought we could use the method to prepare pigeon this way," he said. It is cooked to perfection. The pigeon is perfectly seasoned, crisp on the outside and perfectly cooked on the inside and is served with spinach and savory. In the space of a year I’ve eaten the best pigeon dishes I've ever eaten at Reale in Castel di Sangro and Le Chalet de La Forêt in … Continue reading
Dow’s Aged Tawny Ports launched in Belgium
Dow’s Port, a family-owned business of more than 200 years which was founded in 1798 has launched a range of aged tawny ports in Belgium. The Symington family have called the Douro their home since 1882 and five generations of the family have owned and managed Dow's since they became partners in the business in 1912. Drawing on the knowledge that the Symington family have drawn over many generations, the family legacy is reflected in every bottle of the Dow’s 10, 20, 30 and 40 year old tawny port. Johnny Symington, said during a presentation at The Cobbler in Gent, a bar that forms part of De Post hotel, that constant attention is needed by the master blender, the cellar master and the coopers who all play a part in nurturing the maturing wines which are essential to have a balanced tawny Port. The Symington’s like to say that vintage port is made in the vineyard while tawny port is made in the cellar. This statement highlights the painstaking and decades long work that is … Continue reading
The wine battle: biodynamic vs natural wines
Around 10 years ago, I sat for a five session course on wine tasting. The sommelier who was organising the wine course presented us with a range of natural wines, a few excellent, most foul. The scope was not to convince us about the merits or not of natural wine but rather to allow us to spot the defects in a wine whether it was natural or not. Move 10 years and in 2018, most restaurants and wine bars worth their salt are offering many natural wines and biodynamic wines on their wine lists. But have we reached peak natural wine? What’s the difference when it comes to taste with biodynamic wines? Can they be both? And has there been improvement in natural wines. These were the questions we tried to explore at a wine tasting club I am a member of. Together with a friend, we selected 10 wines from philosophical European winemakers who in one way or another have a vision and who translate their vision into their wines. This was an atypical wine tasting moving where we compared … Continue reading
Influential wine writer James Suckling opens wine bar in Hong Kong
James Suckling, one of the top wine writers in the world has fulfilled his dream of opening a wine bar. The wine bar on the second floor of Staunton Suites in Staunton Street, Soho, Hong Kong has softly opened its doors and is welcoming people for a glass or bottle of wine. The brand new wine bar and restaurant is called James Suckling Wine Central and includes a personal selection of wines which have scored between 90 and 100 points by him or his team. "It’s been a dream of mine for many years to open a wine bar. I want to share my lifelong passion for wine with every single one of you in Hong Kong. I want you to know that whether you purchase a rare old bottle or a good-value wine by the glass at my restaurant, you can be assured of a great experience," he told readers of his newsletter. Opening James Suckling Wine Central has taken many months of preparation and careful planning. "But I felt it was something I had to do as a natural extension of the large-scale consumer … Continue reading
More stories
CostardiBros in Amsterdam for one off pop-up dinner at Peroni Risotteria
Christian and Manuel Costardi, also known as the CostardiBros, rose to fame for their risotto. Two brothers that are often considered as twins despite an age difference of 9 years where in Ristorante Hangar in Amsterdam on 9 October for a one evening pop up with Peroni Nastro Azzuro. They brought with them a number of iconic dishes that have made them famous not just in Italy over the past few years. Their focus was on rice, serving two main dishes as well as a dessert using rice that is so popular in their region. They presented Diversamente Tonnato by CostardiBros, a dish that is their interpretation of Vitello Tonnato, one of the … Continue reading
Rodolfo Guzman to cook with Hans Neuner at Ocean Restaurant
A trip that Hans Neuner took to Chilean chef Rodolfo Guzman led him to discover how he could use cactus from the prickly pear for one of his dishes. It was an eye opener for Hans and led to the creation of an exceptional octopus dish. The Chilean chef will now be reciprocating that visit spending a few days in the Algarve discovering the produce, the fishermen and what the region has to offer. He will cook with Hans Neuner at the 2 Michelin-star Ocean Restaurant, located at VILA VITA Parc Resort & Spa, in Porches, Algarve and the dinner will take place on 17 November. Guzman is chef of Chile's Borago restaurant which was considered to … Continue reading
The search for tattoo-free chef and tweezer-free kitchen is on as World Restaurant Awards categories are announced
The World Restaurant Awards which will be held for the first time in Paris on 18 February will have 12 big plate awards and 6 small plate awards that will change on a yearly basis in consultation with the judging panel. The awards, the brainchild of Joe Warwick who is the creative director and Andrea Petrini, the chair of the judging panel has a list of 100 judges which include some of the top names in the restaurant world as well as top international food writers from around the world. Joe Warwick is an editor, writer, broadcaster and co-founder of the World's 50 Best Restaurants. The third edition of his bestselling international … Continue reading
Joan Roca tops list of The Best Chef Awards 2018
In Milan, Joan Roca came top of the Top300 list of the Best Chef Awards 2018, an event that started in 2015. The Spanish chef of restaurant El Celler de Can Roca placed in front of René Redzepi and David Munoz. The results were announced during a gala evening at the Teatro Vetra in Milan. In the presence of more than 300 chefs and industry professionals. Fourth place went to Bjorn Frantzen and 5th to Jonnie Boer. Niko Romito followed in 6th place, Alex Atala in 7th, Massimo Bottura in 8th, Yannick Alleno in 9th and Vladimir Mukhin in 10th place. Nick Bril, of Belgian restaurant The Jane placed 15th in front of Peter Goossens of Hof … Continue reading
Riccardo Camanini joins the ‘seven wonders’ of Italian cuisine
Riccardo Camanini, chef of Lido 84 has been working under the radar since he joined his brother at Gardone Riviera. In the latest publication of the Guida Espresso, one of the most influential food guides in Italy, if not the most influential he has won 'five hats' together with the new three Michelin star restaurant St Hubertus del Rosa Alpina of chef Norbert Niederkofler. They join the top five chefs of Italian cuisine, recognised by many guides including the Michelin Guide as well as World's 50 Best Restaurants among others. These are Casadonna Reale of chef Niko Romito in Castel di Sangro, Le Calandre of chef Massimiliano Ajamo in … Continue reading
Pepe Nero Lebanese fusion and the chef who came out of retirement
I am acutely aware of my softer, self-indulgent attitude to dieting now. After a summer spent on the water or beside it, invariably ending the day in a good restaurant, I decided to give it a bit of a break. This does not mean swapping to a diet of dust and greens. Indeed, I have been in the company of too many good men who started out that way and then dined on wine, leaving their plate looking like a garden in autumn: strewn with basil leaves. No, I only resolved to refrain from going to restaurants for about six weeks. This seemed reasonable and manageable......two weeks ago. Tonight I decided to follow Oscar Wilde’s (rather than my … Continue reading
Bon Bon sommelier Antoine Lehebel to represent Belgium in Best Sommelier competition
Antoine Lehebel, sommelier of Brussels restaurant Bon Bon will be representing Belgium in the 15th edition of the most prestigious sommelier competition in the world. The Best Sommelier in the World competition takes place in Antwerp in March 2019. Lehebel has already been crowned the best sommelier in Belgium in 2014. Born in 1982, he has vast experience having worked in Longon at Rasoi Vineet bhatia (1 Michelin star) and at three Michelin star restaurant Les Pres d'Eugenie in France. He has also worked at Michel Chabran and Charlemagne (both 1 Michelin star) before moving to Belgium in 2013 to work at Villa Lorraine. He moved to the … Continue reading
Going, going, gone: 15,000 euros for a bottle of Riesling
The last bottle in the estate cellar of the Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Trockenbeerenauslese 1921 vintage has been sold for a record EUR 14,992 becoming the most expensive German riesling ever sold. This was the last bottle of the wine that remained in the Rarities Cellar of Gut Hermannsberg, a bottle that that is not only historical but also comes from an exceptional vintage. vintage. The neck of the bottle is decorated with a banderol, where one can read the ornamental script: Presented as a celebratory libation to honour the President of Germany, General Field Marshall von Hindenburg, at the liberation festivities in Cologne, on 21 … Continue reading
Perfecting the Hierbas de las Dunas, a liqueur created by chef Syrco Bakker
When Syrco Bakker created Hierbas de las Dunas he did not give it much thought. He combined 18 different types of herbs, flowers and plants from Cadzand’s dunes to create what would turn out to be a versatile drink that had a pure salty-sweet flavour that made it perfect for an aperitif, after-dinner drink or even a cocktail ingredient. The chef of Michelin star restaurant Pure C in Cadzand-Bad who works closely with Dutch celebrity chef Sergio Herman created the liqueur in his kitchen taking inspiration from a drink he had tried in Ibiza but he had no idea how to distribute it or the difficulty to compete with the marketing budgets of the … Continue reading
Loimer to release Langenlois ‘blanc des blancs’ sparkling wine
In 1991, Fred Loimer, the Langenlois winemaker experimented with bottle fermentation to produce Sekt for the first time. Three years later, he launched his first Winzersekt (grower sparkling wine) on the market. Since then he simply cannot resist his fascination with bubbles. He is now set to launch the Langenlois Blanc de Blancs Grosse Reserve, his best yet. It will be released to the market in mid-October 2018 and will be available at the winery (Haindorfer Vögerlweg 23, 3550 Langenlois, weingut@loimer.at) and in the onlineshop (www.loimer-shop.at) or at selected retailers for around 30 euros. A lot has happened since 1991. Loimer … Continue reading
Restaurant Ocean: A view on the ocean and on Portuguese cuisine
Hans Neuner, executive chef of Restaurant Ocean at the Vila Vita resort in the Algarve Ocean loves to travel. When he left Austria to head to Porches in the Algarve he did not know he was going to end up staying there. But the region, the sea, the quality of the produce both from the land and the sea have made him stay. Nothing maybe exemplifies this story more than the Octopus dish that he served me recently at the restaurant. Octupus is a staple in Portugal like in other places on the Mediterranean as is the ‘prickly pear’ plant which is found pretty much everywhere in hot climates. And while it costs a fortune to buy one such fruit … Continue reading
International Chefs Summit Asia to be held in Taipei in October
Taipei will host one of this year’s biggest culinary events in Asia in October 2018 when a total of 18 top chefs from 8 major cities from around Asia come together for 4 gourmet feasts, 2 summits and culinary performances that take place between October 16 and 18. This four-day International Chefs Summit Asia 2018 (ICSA2018) is co-hosted by Favorable Impression Media (FIM Media) and Fine Dining Lovers and is co-organized by the Marriott Hotel in Taipei. The best tastes of Asia will be seen in Taipei all at once. This is the second consecutive year ICSA is hosted in Taipei. This year is the first year the Taipei Marriott Hotel was … Continue reading
Zaiyu Hasegawa returns to Belgium to cook with Gert De Mangeleer at LESS
Zaiyu Hasegawa and his team from Jimbocho Den in Tokyo were in Brugge as guests of Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens for two four hands dinners between the teams of Den and Bistro L.E.S.S., the second restaurant of the successful Belgian duo of 3 Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan. Last year, Zaiyu Hasegawa had cooked at Hertog Jan in Zedelgem together with Hiroyasu Kawate chef of Florilège as well as Yusuke Takada from La Cime in Osaka while Gert de Mangeleer has often cooked in Japan including as guest of Zaiyu at his restaurant Den in Tokyo. Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens returned back to the place where it all started in … Continue reading
Michelin star for Niko Romito’s Il Ristorante at Bulgari Hotel in Shanghai
Chef Niko Romito knows how important recognition can be. When he started Reale in Rivisondoli, a village of only 450 residents in Abruzzo as a self-taught cook, the people believed it was a miracle. Today, Reale is one of the best restaurants in the world and the chef is becoming one of the most internationally recognised Italian chefs in the world for his three Michelin star restaurant in Castel di Sangro. So the first Michelin star for his Il Ristorante - Niko Romito at the Bulgari Hotel in Shangai has notes of something very special because this is a completely new project that aims to showcase Italy's traditional cuisine in a … Continue reading
Blueness: the new Japanese food bar concept by Sergio Herman and Syrco Bakker in Cadzand
Syrco Bakker, chef of internationally renowned restaurant Pure C in Cadzand Bad, Zeeland, the Netherlands is hoping that the opening of Blueness, a Japanese food bar, gives him the opportunity to take the restaurant to the next level as Sergio Herman's vision for this seaside resort takes shape. After the successful opening of Air Republic, a bistrot and cafe overlooking the new Cadzand marina, Blueness had a soft-opening during the summer months when the new wing of the Strand Hotel opened in July. Housed on the ground floor, Syrco Bakker and Sergio Herman have worked together to create a bar and casual restaurant with a Japanese style … Continue reading
Antwerp to host Best Sommelier of the year in 2019
The 15th edition of the most prestigious sommelier competition in the world will be held at the Elisabethzaal in Antwerp between 11 and 15 March 2019. The event returns to Belgium after 50 years when the first ever competition took place in Brussels. This unique triennial world championship is the initiative of A.S.I. (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale/ International Sommelier Association). It will be organised in conjunction with the Belgian Sommeliers Union and their president William Wouters, a resident of Antwerp. The first edition of this competition took place in Brussels in 1969. Now three years after it was last held in … Continue reading
Highlights
First Pizza Rossini festival showcases Italy’s most heretic pizza
Mention a pizza with pineapple and it is likely to make most Italians cringe with shock and awe. But the most heretic pizza with unusual and unexpected ingredients is the Pizza Rossini, a pizza margherita with egg and mayonnaise that will take centre stage at the first ever festival organised in Pesaro, Italy between 28 and 30 September. This pizza, a tribute to Rossini is very simple. It is made with a margherita base, generous amounts of hard-boiled egg and mayonnaise are added. It may sound bizarre but according to the most sceptics, it … Continue reading
The Jane Instantly, an Instagram account to help you secure one of the most sought after tables in the restaurant world
The Jane restaurant in Antwerp, Belgium considered to be one of the most sought after tables in the world has made it easier for customers looking to book at The Jane to get a table. Nick Bril, chef of The Jane and co-owner of the restaurant with Sergio Herman said that after hearing a million times that it is impossible to get a table at the restaurant he thought it a good idea to launch an active platform instead of posting about last minute table availabilities in in their normal feeds. To this end, the restaurant has created a new … Continue reading
Virgilio Martinez opens Ichu Peru in Hong Kong
Virgilio Martinez Véliz, the celebrated chef behind Central restaurant in Lima, Peru, has launched ICHU Peru in H Queen’s. Located in the heart of Hong Kong, ICHU serves contemporary Peruvian cuisine in a modern, bistro-style setting. “Our intention is to replicate the atmosphere of Lima’s local cevicherias,” explains Martinez. “We want to honour Peru’s no-fuss dining culture where the atmosphere is relaxed, the dishes are shared and the recipes highlight fresh ingredients and traditional flavours.” Although the mood is relaxed and … Continue reading
10th edition of Jong Keukengeweld: getting young chefs to cook for young people in Flanders
67 young top chefs from Flanders, Belgium will be taking part in the 10th edition of Jong Keukengeweld which offers young people between the ages of 18 and 30 the possibility to dine in one of 67 restaurants across Flanders for the price of 49 Euros including wine, water and beer. The price rises to 50 euros if the restaurant has a Michelin star or a Gault & Millau score from 15/20. The Flemish tourism minister Ben Weyts launched the campaign earlier this week saying that the 10th edition features a record 67 top chefs each with a … Continue reading
Lineup for Chef’s Table season 5 and 6 announced
Chef's Table, the successful documentary series that focuses on innovative chefs around the world has announced the new lineup for seasons five and six. Season 5 debuts on Netflix on September 28. The chefs featuring in this series include Albert Adria, the brother of Ferran Adria who today runs a restaurant empire in Barcelona with restaurants like Engima, Tickets and Pakta among others. The season also features Cristina Martinez who is known for her Philadelphia based barbecue and taco restaurant and her work advocating for immigration … Continue reading
Bookings for Noma’s second seafood season to open on September 18
Bookings for next year's seafood season at Noma will open on Tuesday, September 18 at 4pm CET. Bookings will be open for the season that starts of January 8 and will run till June 1, 2019. Noma, the Copenhagen restaurant of René Redzepi will be closed between the Game season which ends on 23 December and January 8. This is the second seafood season after the launch of the new restaurant earlier this year. With the reopening of the restaurant, the Noma team have changed the way they work. They divide the year into three seasons during … Continue reading
The chicken piri piri in Algarve
Renowned author Malcolm Gladwell came up with the concept that 10,000 hours of practice are needed to become world-class in any field. That principle seems to hold true for Restaurante Algarve in the sleepy village of Guia. Since the 1960s, the same family (through different generations) have been serving chicken piri piri using the same recipe. There were four generations of the family when we visited, the great-grandmother still supervising the cooking in the kitchen. You will not find much information about the restaurant online. It has … Continue reading
The last wine: Going once, going twice…. sold
When Gut Hermannsberg's general manager and oenologist Karsten Peter opened a bottle of the Schlossböckelheimer Kupfergrube Trockenbeerenauslese 1921 vintage in 2017 to replace the cork he was astonished by the concentration, complexity and freshness of the wine. He was heard exclaiming 'the wine is as fresh at the new morning'. This was the last bottle of the wine that remains in the Rarities Cellar of Hut Hermannsberg, a bottle that that is not only historical but also comes from a phenomenal vintage. The neck of the bottle is decorated … Continue reading
Earliest harvest in decades for 2018 Austrian wine vintage
Extreme heat and lack of rain and moisture has characterised the 2018 Austrian wine harvest but for the most part, Austria's grapevines were able to withstand the heat. "We had an early and very ripe vintage on our hands, one in which persistent high temperatures led to consistently higher levels of alcohol and lower levels of acidity. Volume will be just above average: we are looking forward to a harvest in the magnitude of some 2.6 million hectolitres," said Johannes Schmuckenschlager, president of the Viticultural Association. The 2018 … Continue reading
Franco Pepe, the biggest name in pizza, arrives in Hong Kong
Franco Pepe, today's biggest name in pizza worldwide, has ventured outside of Italy for the first time with the opening of KYTALY which he co-owns with Alessandro Bortesi. The pizzeria and first Hong Kong Campari bar has officially opened its doors in the heart of Hong Kong. Born from the perfect harmony between “Ki”, the Japanese symbol of life’s energy, and “Italy”, the cradle of Mediterranean culture, the two values give identity and character to the concept. KYTALY has risen to the global stage for serving the best pizza in the world … Continue reading
Finger Lakes wine region named best wine region by USA Today
The Finger Lakes wine region has been named the “Best Wine Region” by voters in the USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice 2018 Contest. Regions were selected by a panel of wine industry experts with the Finger Lakes topping a list of 20 regions including the Willamette Valley, Santa Barbara County, and Walla, Walla Valley. “We were thrilled to be nominated and would like to thank everyone who voted for the Finger Lakes region in the contest” stated Tracey Dello Stritto, Executive Director of the Finger Lakes Wine Alliance. “To top this … Continue reading
Return leg: Christophe Pauly to visit three Belgian chefs
Christophe Pauly who hosted three Belgian chefs last year at his restaurant Le Coq aux Champs in Soheit-Tinlot, Belgium, is returning back to cook in their kitchens in the second leg of an interesting round trip After the success of these four-hands dinners at his restaurant, it was always the intention of the Belgian chef to reciprocate the visit by visiting the chefs in their restaurants. The dates for these dinners have now been announced. He will cook with Dimitry Lysens in Tongres at his Michelin star restaurant Magis on 20 September … Continue reading
What I have been up to this summer
I’ve spent over a month in Malta and writing went on the back burner for a few weeks. Despite the good intentions, including the desire to wake up early morning to write and exercise, the tiredness and heaviness of the previous months took their toll. I did not realise the extent till I found myself waking up late in the morning on the first days of my vacation without any energy and desire to do anything other than cook and be lazy. Add to that a WIFI free house and the stifling heat of a Maltese summer and you will sympathise with my … Continue reading
Hans Neuner: The Austrian chef who fell in love with Portugal
It has been a hot summer’s day in Portugal. Temperatures have soared to 43 degrees celsius at the Herdade dos Grous farm in the Alentejo region which we visited with Hans Neuner, chef of two Michelin star restaurant Ocean and Kurt Gillig, the managing director of Vila Vita Parc who has invested in this 1700-acre farm to produce organic products for its hotel and restaurants. The heat is stifling. It is like nothing I’ve experienced before. But the evening promises to be cooler as we head to the Atlantic Ocean to fish for calamari. We set foot … Continue reading
‘We are here to preserve what we have’ – Jorge Raiado of Sal Marim
Idyllic location for the Sal Marim salt pans in Castro Marim Jorge Filipe Raiado of Sal Marim knows his salt. Since taking over the salt business in 2007 he has been perfecting the art of flor de sal or (sea salt) in the idyllic surrounding of Castro Marim, a nature reserve in the Algarve. “We are here to preserve what we have,” he tells us on a visit to harvest salt together with Hans Neuner chef of the two Michelin star restaurant Ocean at the Vila Vita Parc in the Algarve. The salt pans have been there since the Romans with canals … Continue reading
ALT, the new project by Niko Romito in Castel di Sangro
ALT is the new project which Niko Romito, chef of three Michelin star restaurant Reale, considered to be one of the best restaurants in Italy if not the best. The project is part of the Niko Romito academy which will enable students of the school to run and operate this place along the road (the Statale 17) of Castel di Sangro where he and his sister operated their first restaurant before it moved to Casadonna. Niko Romito said the new spot will be completely managed by the students including the communication and social media. The idea … Continue reading
It is time to rethink Italy again: Why Italians hope Bottura’s rise to the top can put the country in the culinary spotlight
Italy is not just heritage. Under the surface, there is a lot going when it comes to food. It is time to think of Italy again When Ferran Adria placed at the top of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list successively he not only helped to make a name for himself and his restaurant el Bulli but he also lifted the fortunes of Spain and its gastronomy for good. Italians are now hoping that Massimo Bottura’s second top position in the space of three years will have a similar effect. Look at the world’s leading chefs today and most of them will … Continue reading
Pino Cuttaia to organise Cooking Med in Agrigento, Sicily next year
Pino Cuttaia, chef of La Madia in Licata (photo courtesy of La Madia) Pino Cuttaia, chef of two Michelin star Sicilian restaurant La Madia will be organising Cooking Med, an event that will bring to the fore sustainability of the sea and focus on themes like marine pollution, seasonal fishing, cooking ‘humble fish’ and the geopolitical role of the Mediterranean. The first edition of the event takes place in Agrigento in September 2019. Cuttaia loves to call the Mediterranean Sea his garden and has decided to launch this project which … Continue reading
Chef of the century Joel Robuchon dies aged 73
Joel Robuchon, the French chef who owned and ran restaurants around the world including several that were awarded three Michelin stars, died today in Geneva aged 73. French newspaper Le Figaro reported that the French chef, one of the most influential chefs in the world who inspired a generation of chefs, died of cancer. The French chef was named the "chef of the century" by the Gault et Millau restaurant guide in 1990. Among his most iconic dishes was the Humber mashed potatoes cooked with a decadent amount of butter. He owned restaurants … Continue reading
Dealing with loss: Cherishing the memories of a loved one through food
A few Christmases ago, my father was standing next to me at the stove as I was preparing the traditional Christmas lunch which I’ve been cooking pretty much since I met my wife in 2000. He asked me a very simple question. Where did your love for food and for cooking come from? And while that might look like a very simple question, my relationship with food, as Facebook would say, is complicated. It is a question I’ve often been asked and the best answer is probably centred around the key people in my life, that is my wife, my parents and my … Continue reading
Ana Ros: ‘Every ingredient is a challenge for a chef. The less valuable it is the bigger the challenge’
When Ana Ros, the Slovenian chef of Hisa Franko cooked at Christophe Hardiquest’s Bon Bon earlier this month she brought dishes with very bold flavours to reflect her style of cooking. “This is my character. I am very explosive. I cannot say that 100 per cent of my dishes are like this but 70 per cent of our dishes are very intense. They call me thunderstorm and I can be very emotional but this is how my kitchen is,” she told Food and Wine Gazette after the fourth Bon Bon dinner at the Brussels restaurants. “I don’t think the cooking is … Continue reading
Matthieu Beudaert: “Tasting menus are dead, we want gastronomic freedom”
Chef Matthieu Beudaert, a former art historian turned chef and his wife Sofie Delbeke have announced that they have decided to close their fine-dining restaurant Table d’Amis and gastro bar Gust to reopen in a more casual style a new restaurant called Beudaert. The decision comes a few weeks after the 9th anniversary of the opening of the restaurant in the Belgian city of Kortrijk. “We have been reflecting for a long time and on a trip to Bordeaux and San Sebastian last summer we became convinced that fine dining and long tasting menus was not … Continue reading
Nick Bril: “People want to dine in a fine dining restaurant but don’t want to dine in finesse”
Holidays are meant to calm you down and relax you before you are ready to face the daily grind again. And as many people in high stress positions know, that feeling of relaxation can immediately turn sour on return to work. Chef Nick Bril, one of the top European chefs who runs The Jane in Antwerp faced just that last weekend after he returned back to work from a deserved holiday. He went on to Instagram Stories to say that it was impossible to work properly because over a given service, there were 38 out of 80 customers who asked for … Continue reading
Gelinaz! to return with events in Los Angeles, Berlin and an Asia shuffle
GELINAZ! is set to return before the end of the year in Los Angeles with an event Vespertine plays Gelinaz! A series of events is currently being planned for 2019 including ones in Berlin and a shuffle in Asia. Just under a year after the highly successful Gelinaz! does Upper Austria at the Muhltalhof, Andrea Petrini one of the co-curators of the chef collective together with Alexandra Swenden told publisher Gestalten that the event in Los Angeles will be a gig staged at chef Jordan Kahn’s restaurant. “15 or so Gelinaz! chefs, boys and girls, … Continue reading
Second NEU dinner in Berlin to feature Will Goldfarb with René Frank
The second NEU Dinners will welcome Will Goldfarb, fresh from the latest season of Chef's Table of restaurant Room 4 Dessert in Ubud, Bali to cook one dinner in Berlin with René Frank from CODA in Neukölln. The dinner takes place in Berlin on Sunday 29 July from 7pm. The second edition of Berlin's most exclusive dinner series united two of the most recognised and forward-thinking chefs in their field to conceive a once-in-a-lifetime dinner at the Kreuzberg rooftop Atelier Berlin that organisers promise will 'blow minds on all levels'. "Think … Continue reading
Chef Nick Bril to deejay at the Best Chef Awards Gala in Milan
Nick Bril, chef of one of the trendiest restaurants in the world The Jane in Antwerp Belgium will be deejaying at the Best Chef Awards Gala that will take place on 1 October 2018 in Milan. The chef who together with Sergio Herman opened The Jane is also one of the finalists of the awards who is in the running to win the awards for 2018. The global selection of The Best Chef Top 300 has started with all the finalists in the running to win the award for 2018. Last year, the 2017 The Best Chef Awards, held in Warsaw, Poland was awarded to … Continue reading
CKBK: The ‘Spotify for cookbooks’ launches kickstarter campaign
ckbk, a new service providing seamless digital access to the world's best cookbooks, today announced the launch of its kickstarter campaign with exclusive early access, benefits and rewards for founder subscribers. The service has been compared to Spotify as it enables you to have unlimited online access to a curated collection of cookbooks including over 100,000 recipes for a monthly fee. The cookbooks were selected with the input from hundreds of leading chefs and food writers including Nigella Lawson, Yotam Ottolenghi and Fergus … Continue reading
Q&A with Kasper Kurdhal: ‘Intellectual stimulation leads to creativity’
Kasper Kurdhal, the executive chef of Le Chalet de la Foret, a two Michelin star restaurant in Brussels loves intellectual stimulation and discussion. It is what guides him at work in his interactions with chef patron Pascal Devalkeneer but it is also something he cherishes in his friendships as you can see from the second part of our interview with this talented chef. He is at his best cooking in a fine-dining environment but away from the cooking he looks for authenticity and simplicity. For our in-depth conversation with Kasper head to … Continue reading
Opening the senses to something new as Ana Roš cooks with Christophe Hardiquest at Bon Bon
Before she decided to take up cooking around 14 years ago, Ana Roš was heading to Brussels to work with the European institutions where she had just been offered a job. As fate had it her partner’s father was retiring from the restaurant he owned, the Hiša Franko and there was no one to take over his work expect Victor who would become her husband. On the spot and against the will of her father she decided to stay in Slovenia and build her career in the restaurant. Having knowledge of 5 languages, she did not start in the kitchen but soon … Continue reading
Belgian chef Yves Mattagne to cook at gastronomy week in Crete
Belgian chef Yves Mattagne is currently the guest of the Radisson Blu Beach resort in Crete. He is there for a gastronomy week which started on Wednesday and will come to an end on Sunday 8 July at the Bellevue Restaurant. Guests for the dinners will be able to savour the food of the two Michelin star Brussels restaurant Sea Grill with a view of the Aegean Sea. The Belgian chef will be preparing Red Tuna with a baked goose liver nougatine, fried garlic, daikon, fennel and combava followed by a Tiger Shrimp with Coconut bouillon, verbena, … Continue reading
Andy Gaskin: The world is far more food oriented than it was in the past
You could say Andy Gaskin is a nomad. Born in London in 1962, his cooking journey has taken him from London to Anguilla with stops among others in Malta, Porto Cervo, Rome, Paris, Monte Carlo, Sicily, Africa, Thailand, China, the Pacific island of Bora Bora and more recently in Croatia. His love of travel has given him the opportunity to move and discover new places, get new ideas and create recipes and memories along the way. In the years he has been inspired by Professor Hubert from his culinary school, who taught him the … Continue reading
Vegetarian menu is biggest challenge of my entire career – René Redzepi
Last week, Noma 2.0 turned fully vegetarian as the first ever full vegetarian menu was served at the restaurant. Guests at the Copenhagen restaurant were served a full vegetarian menu from start to finish. Chef René Redzepi has said on his Instagram Stories feed that the vegetarian menu is without a shadow of doubt the biggest challenge of his entire career. "We are very happy even though it was difficult because there is something that feels like you are cooking the future by choosing the plant kingdom," Redzepi said. "We will see," he … Continue reading
Sergio Herman to open third restaurant in Cadzand called Blueness
Sergio Herman, the Dutch chef who closed one of the best restaurants in the world, the Oud Sluis, is set to open his third restaurant in the seaside resort of Cadzand-Bad in Zeeland, the Netherlands. The Japanese inspired bar and restaurant called Blueness will be housed inside the refurbished and extended Strand Hotel which also houses his restaurant Pure C led by chef Syrco Bakker. Last year, the Dutch chef who lives in Belgium also opened AIRrepublic, a restaurant located in a pavilion in the newly build marina of Cadzand within … Continue reading
Kasper Kurdhal (Le Chalet de la Foret): The offer from Ferran Adria that was too good to accept
When Ferran Adria was riding the crest of popularity he offered Kasper Kurdahl, then 27, the possibility to become his sous-chef and go to Seville to open a restaurant with him. Most people would have jumped at that opportunity or pinched themselves to make sure they heard it right. But Kasper is not like that. While most people would think this is too good an offer to refuse, the Danish chef thought otherwise and reasoned that that it was too good an offer to accept so he turned it down. Were you too young I asked him. “No. I was very … Continue reading
Esenzi to open in Malta later this year with Tim Butler at the helm
British entrepreneur Mark Weingard has the ambition to turn a new restaurant that is set to open in Valletta, Malta later this year into one of the world’s most spectacular restaurants and also one of the best in the world. The chef at the helm is Tim Butler, who is also chef and co-owner of Esenzi in Phuket. Esenzi will open in a new boutique hotel being currently refurbished on St Barbara Bastions which is considered as Malta’s best street with a spectacular view of the Grand Harbour. Mark Weingard has set an ambitious target of November for … Continue reading
Tim Butler in series of charity dinners in Malta
A series of dinners by Tim Butler, chef of Thailand restaurant Esenzi have been organised at the Maltese president’s summer residence at the Verdala Castle to raise money for charity over the past few weeks. The dinners are also a way for the chef to assess the local’s response to his cuisine as he is set to open a Maltese version of his signature restaurant Esenzi in Phuket while researching on Maltese produce, suppliers and also receive feedback from Maltese customers for his Asian inspired cuisine. Held in a majestic dining room in a … Continue reading
Le Chalet de la Forêt: Creating emotions by joining the creative forces of two chefs
If you happen to arrive to Le Chalet De la Forêt blindfolded or haven’t paid any attention to how you got there, you will not believe that you are still in the Belgian capital, Brussels. Nestled in the immense Sonian Forest a bit further away from one of the main parks of the city, the Bois de la Cambre, is a chalet that houses this two Michelin star restaurant. The road leading to the restaurant is stunning whichever season you pass through it. Be it the austere winter months, spring, summer or autumn when the leaves turn golden, it … Continue reading
Massimo Bottura reclaims top spot in World’s 50 Best Restaurants list
Massimo Bottura, chef of acclaimed Modena restaurant Osteria Francescana reclaimed the no 1 spot in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list 2018 when it was announced in Bilbao. El Celler de Can Roca, the restaurant of the Roca brothers placed second while Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur in Menton clinched third place. Eleven Madison Park, the restaurant which clinched top spot in 2017 placed fourth. After winning the award, Massimo Bottura said his first thoughts were with his teams in Modena and Florence but also Refettorio, the soup kitchen in … Continue reading
Eneko Atxa opens Eneko in Bilbao
Eneko Atxa, chef of 3 Michelin star restaurant Azurmendi and Eneko, both in Larrabetzu in the Basque countryside has opened a new restaurant in the city of Bilbao. The Spanish chef from the Basque region also has restaurants in London and Tokyo. The Basque chef has opened the restaurant in the Euskalduna Palance on May 24 with the aim of serving traditional Basque dishes and showcasing the land, the culture, the traditions, the Basque producers and their work. This approach has already been recognised in the restaurant Eneko in Larrabetzu … Continue reading
Q&A with Karen Torosyan: ‘You need to eliminate the excess’
In the second part of our interview with Karen Torosyan, chef of Bozar Restaurant in Brussels we get to know more about the chef who earlier this year bought the restaurant from David Martin of La Paix. The chef of Armenian origin arrived in Brussels when he was 18 years old and has established himself today as one of the most artisanal chefs in the country if not Europe. He is known for his pate en croute which made him famous not just in Belgium but also outside the country particularly when he won the pate en croute championship in … Continue reading