When we visited Hertog Jan in Zedelgem a few weeks ago to interview Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens, we asked the three Michelin star Belgian chef our series of quick questions which we normally ask to get some insights into his mentors, the chefs he admires, food waste and social media among others. Gert de Mangeleer, 37, was the youngest 3 Michelin star chef in Belgium when he received the important accolade three years ago. For a more detailed account of his story you may want to read our interview here. You can also get Joachim Boudens, the co-owner of Hertog Jan story here. We started the questions with his perspective on food waste, particularly given the fact that the restaurant has its own garden which generates 95% of the fruit and vegetables that are used in the restaurant. “I consider food waste as a gain to our business. We try to waste the least possible. In a way, it is also why we created L.E.S.S. When we buy a lamb for Hertog Jan, we can use the best … [Read more...]
10 things we learnt from Sergio Herman
Sergio Herman is not just a chef. He is one of the top creative minds to come out of the culinary world in the past years. His story could be an inspiration for many not just in the culinary world but for those who work in all creative fields. After all, today's top chefs are not only cooks, they are also artists in their own right. Driving back home after meeting him, I was thinking of the many lessons in just over an hour speaking with this incredibly successful chef. When you meet him, you realise he is buzzing with energy but also incredibly focused in his responses. With this, we are starting a new series on the lessons to learnt from these high performers. We hope that this serves as inspiration not only to chefs. 1. To reach the top you need to work hard, extremely hard. There is no short-cut for success We have heard it many times and it might sound like a cliché but you cannot be successful if you are not prepared to make sacrifices. For many years, Sergio worked … [Read more...]
Weekly roundup of great reads on food and wine #26
You might be thinking that the easy option is better. After all, getting ready prepared fruit and vegetables should be the same as the vegetables you pick up from your store with the added convenience. Think twice next time before you grab that ready prepared package. It has far lower levels of vitamin C than unprepared produce. On the same subject, the food industry deceives us about the nature of its products but we go along with it. Andrew M. Brown in the Telegraph writes that nearly everything in our consumer society works on the basis of this voluntary self-deception. This is the bargain we make in industrialised society. He says that if manufacturers told us what was really in their products and how they were made, we'd be so nauseated we'd never buy them. There is an interesting, though controversial view, by David Chang of Momofuku and quarterly magazine Lucky Peach on how the internet has made the world's food taste the same. It is a topic we have touched upon a few … [Read more...]
What Massimo Bottura’s 20th birthday at Osteria Francescana means for Italian cuisine
No one in recent years has worked as hard to put Italy on the worldwide gastronomic map as Massimo Bottura. The avant-garde chef from Modena has for the past months been on a worldwide tour to promote his brilliant book Never Trust a Skinny Italian chef and also showcase his unique Italian style. Yesterday marked the 20th birthday of Massimo Bottura's restaurant Osteria Francescana. This Italian restaurant has three Michelin stars and is at the moment considered to be the third best restaurant in the world in the World's 50 Best Restaurants awards. In 2011, he was also given the Chef's Choice as the best chef in the world by his colleagues. Today, Massimo Bottura is recognised among his peers as the chef who moved Italy to the 21st century. Over the years at Osteria Francescana he has pushed barriers, introducing new techniques to age old recipes and ingredients and new ways of seeing things which were bound to be extremely controversial in a land where the grandmother's recipe … [Read more...]
Gramm restaurant: A French-Japanese cuisine worth discovering
Very few days pass without me being asked what is our favourite restaurant in Brussels, given it is the city we know best. But as simple as it may sound, this question is not that easy to answer. In our books, there is no such thing as a favourite or a best restaurant. There are so many good restaurants that it is difficult to pinpoint one. Many times it depends on the occasion, the atmosphere, the quality of the food but also the mood you find yourself in. Obviously the top restaurants, of which Brussels has many, are stable and always reliable. But then there are many gastronomic restaurants, many by young chefs who are pushing the boundaries with their cuisine and who are worth discovering because they clearly represent the future. Some gastronomic restaurants in Brussels are now serving set menus in the evening. Chef Erwan Kenzo Nakata of Gramm Restaurant is one of them. In the evening he serves a six course menu which changes every week depending on the seasons and also what … [Read more...]
Chefs become activists to save the oceans and feed the world
Chefs are today storytellers through their dishes connecting ingredients to nutrition, the environment and sustainability. The chef is becoming an activist and he has to, otherwise his story will be a short one, says Peruvian chef Gastón Acurio in a just released documentary called Save the Oceans and Feed the World. Some of the world's best chefs gathered in San Sebastian on behalf of ocean conservation and they have pledged support to Oceana's "Save the Oceans and Feed the World campaign". They have committed to serve small fish such as anchovies, sardines and herring at their restaurants starting on World Oceans day on June 8, 2015. The chefs will cook these small fish to encourage diners to seek and enjoy this delicious, healthy seafood and also to promote sustainability. The documentary, released on the occasion (and which can be viewed below), features some of the world's best chefs speaking about fish and sustainability in a very interesting and thought provoking … [Read more...]
Impressive lineup of chefs for this year’s ‘On the Mozzarella Roads’
On the (Mozzarella) Roads is the name of a convention taking place in the ancient city of Paestum (Salerno) Italy on 13 and 14 April. The organisers of the event have managed to secure an impressive lineup of Italian and international chefs. While anyone who has tried a Mozzarella di Bufala Campana will know how incredibly good this ingredient is especially in its simplicity (salt, pepper and a touch of excellent extra virgin olive oil may be enough), few would imagine that for eight years, chefs worldwide have been meeting to showcase this ingredient in their cuisine. What unites chefs in this event is one common denominator. They have to show how they use the Mozzarella di Bufala Campana DOP. But given the calibre of the chefs in question, you can rest assured that they will not be serving just a simple Caprese salad or a pizza with mozzarella di bufala. This is the eighth edition of the event that was created by Albert Sapere and Barbara Guerra. Among the chefs taking … [Read more...]
Culinaria 2015 programme announced
The programme for Culinaria 2015 has been announced. The annual culinary event, which enters its 7th year has as its main theme the Belgian effect. What is the Belgian effect? The theme this year highlights the best of Belgium and what probably unites the country best - its cuisine. Bringing together some of the country's best chefs (see list below), Culinaria takes place in the splendid Tour et Taxis, Brussels between Wednesday 6 May and Sunday 10 May. It is a unique opportunity for foodies to savour dishes prepared by many of the country's best chefs in one menu. There will also be workshops by international chefs such as Michael Troisgras (Troisgas), Nicolai Nørregaard (Kadeau), Loic Villemin (Toya) and Even Ramsvik (Ylajali). Belgian gastronomy has a lot to offer thanks to its position in the centre of Europe, its access to exceptional produce and the multicultural mix which has driven chefs to create a very interesting cuisine. During the event, Michelin star chefs … [Read more...]
Weekly roundup of great reads on food and wine #25
The Observer Food Monthly has a list of the 50 hottest places, people and trends in food. Like all lists there is bound to be disagreement as to what has not made it to this list. Nevertheless, this is full of information on all matters related to food, so make sure you bookmark it and keep it as a reference point. Robert Parker, the influential wine critic has advised against buying wine as an investment. He pointed out that given the professional storage costs, slow appreciation and insurance costs, investment in wine is a tough and often fruitless endeavour. We do not necessarily agree with his 100 point system but agree that wine is there for enjoyment and not as an investment. Tim Atkin writes about the en primeur system in Bordeaux. He says that the system, to sell wine years before it is bottled, is outmoded, outdated and out of touch with modern consumers. We fully agree. Ultimately consumers will decide, but it might actually start to make sense for Bordeaux wineries to … [Read more...]
Money talks: Controversial sponsorship at Milan Expo highlights many contradictions
They say you need to lead by example so the announcement by Expo Milano recently that McDonald's and Coca Cola are now event sponsors has raised more than a few eyebrows. With the theme of the Expo Milano 2015 being 'Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life', many were quick to point out that this sponsorship announcement was jarring to say the least. With the Expo aimed at raising awareness about sustainability, food waste and healthy living, it is no wonder that the decision has been criticised by many. To understand this contradiction you may want to read further below what the Milan Expo is about. Slow Food were quick to point out the contradiction. They said that "we continue to believe that in order to feed the planet, it is essential that we consider social and economic sustainability, in terms of access to good, clear food that is fair for all. We also continue to believe that multinationals cannot in any way represent solutions as to how to nourish the … [Read more...]