Chefs, food writers, scientists, winemakers convened in Ljubljana, Slovenia for the European Food Summit to discuss not just the state of food today but also the importance of making connections, thinking outside the box, thinking beyond the confines of borders and to listen to what nature is telling us. Slovenian chef Ana Ros and Andrea Petrini, the conference curator came up with a very interesting lineup of speakers to tackle a wide range of topics. Andrea Petrini conference curator set the mood for the conference with a video which showcased beautiful images of gastronomy. It started off like a tourism video but turned darker as he tackled issues like issues like migration, riots, climate change and sustainability among others. In his concluding remarks he pointed to the fact that while we speak about sustainability, this conversation and the actions that need to be taken are just the start. Andreas Caminada called on the industry to stop whining and start taking responsibility … [Read more...]
SAN chef Toshiro Fujii to open Toshiro restaurant in Brussels
Sang Hoon Degeimbre and Toshiro Fujii at San Sablon. Toshi, as he is more commonly known will take the helm of a new Brussels restaurant which opens later this month BRUSSELS: Toshiro Fujii, known as Toshi, who has worked for more than 10 years with San Degeimbre at L'Air du Temps as his sous-chef and who has been at the helm of the SAN group of restaurants in Brussels and Gent for the past four years will open his own restaurant together with chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre this month. This will be the third Brussels restaurant of Sang Hoon Degeimbre though this time he will be partnering and supporting Toshiro in creating and developing his own identity and cuisine. The restaurant will open its doors on 26 March in Saint Gilles instead of restaurant INADA which closed following the chef's retirement. Inada was a well known restaurant run by Japanese chef Inada who cooked French cuisine with a Japanese twist. Toshi has been running the SAN restaurants in Brussels and Gent since … [Read more...]
Sergio Herman becomes first international mentor of Fundazion Uccelin
CADZAND: Sergio Herman has become the first international mentor for Fundazion Uccelin, a foundation set up by Swiss chef Andreas Caminada to support new talents and help them gain experience internationally both in kitchens, in front of house and with artisans and producers.. "When I created the Foundation, there was nothing like it. This industry has given me a lot and I wanted to give back by helping young talents find their way through facilitating training." he told Food and Wine Gazette. In Cadzand, at Air Republic, one of Sergio Herman's restaurants, the Swiss chef announced that he was welcoming the Dutch chef as the first mentor to support this initiative. "We are very happy and thankful that Sergio has taken the time to engage with the Foundation. He was one of the first chefs to support us when we organised a charity event and he is the first international mentor. With his experience and knowledge, Sergio is a perfect ambassador for our industry," Andreas … [Read more...]
MAD Symposium to set up gastronomic academy in Denmark
The Danish Government and MAD, the Symposium set up by chef René Redzepi have announced the setting up of a gastronomic academy in Denmark. The Prime Minister of Denmark, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, and the Danish Minister of Environment and Food, Jakob Ellemann-Jensen, have declared that they will support MAD (food in Danish) with a commitment of DKK 25.2 million (USD 3.8 million) over the next four years. Rene Redzepi said we want to make the academy a place to learn all the things we don't seem to learn when we are becoming cooks. Melina Shannon di Pietro who runs the MAD Symposium said the work begins now. "With this new funding we will begin planning and designing the Academy and its course of study. Later this year, we’ll be hosting two intensive pilot programs to begin shaping our curriculum with an eye on the future, when we will accept applicants for immersive courses focused on topics such as leadership and management, environmental sustainability, and how to run a … [Read more...]
What’s on the menu at the new LESS eatery in Bruges
LESS Eatery (Love, Eat, Share, Smile) by Hertog Jan*** is the new concept created by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens in the centre of Bruges following the closure of their flagship 3 Michelin Star restaurant Hertog Jan at the end of last year. The new all-day eatery serves food from morning till late in the evening. A lot has been written about this new opening. Here we look at what's on the menu. The day starts with breakfast that is served between 8.30am to 11am. Sweet dishes includes homemade Danish pastry which Gert has been perfecting in recent months to granola and Greek yogurt. There also are savoury dishes like eggs benedicts or artisan baguettes with savoury or sweet toppings. When the breakfast service finishes, there is a transition to lunch which is served from 12 noon till 2.30pm. Bites and drinks are served in between breakfast and lunch and also in between the lunch and dinner service. Sesame prawn toast - one of the bites available at LESS … [Read more...]
New LESS Eatery by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens in Bruges
Gert de Mangeleer (left) and Joachim Boudens (right) at the new LESS Eatery 'We wanted to create a cosmopolitan space, something new for the city' Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens have opened LESS Eatery in Bruges. The new ‘eatery’ as they call it welcomes its first guests on Monday March 11 and it is an impressive space. The eatery on one of the main squares in Bruges will be open from breakfast till late dinner with customers able to walk in for a coffee and a pastry in the morning, for bites during the mornings or afternoon and lunch or pre-theatre dinners to late dinners. This is the first time that Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens have a restaurant in the city centre. They operated Hertog Jan, a three Michelin star restaurant in Zedelgem on the outskirts of this Belgian city as well as the old LESS in the former Hertog Jan spot. The latter is expected to become a traditional Flemish restaurant. Joachim and Gert told Food and Wine Gazette that they wanted … [Read more...]
Exceptional 2016 Bordeaux vintage on show in Antwerp
The 2016 Bordeaux vintage has been billed as the best since 2010 and from a recent tasting of a number of wines in Antwerp that is really the case. The Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux brought together representatives from over 50 chateaux in Bordeaux for a unique dinner with the trade and press in Antwerp recently. It is not normal for so many representatives of Bordeaux wineries to be present for such a tasting. Among the wineries present for the dinner were Château Figeac, Clos Fourtet, Château Clinet, Château Beychevelle, Château Branaire - Ducru, Château Langoa Barton, Château Leoville Barton and Château Talbot to mention just a few names. For the dinner, I was sitting next to the director general of Chateau Giscours and Chateau du Tertre Alexander Van Beek and his wife Véronique Sanders, the president of Chateau Haut Bailly. They told me this was a really special occasion because it was the largest ever gathering of representatives of Bordeaux wineries they could … [Read more...]
‘We need to be better humans’- Margot Janse
Things were looking bright for Dutch born chef Margot Janse just before disaster struck. Two years ago she decided to quit her job and focus on building her charity which she had set up as part of her work at one of most well known fine-dining restaurants in South Africa, The Tasting Room at the Le Quartier Francais. A change in the ownership of the hotel which housed her restaurant made her adjust her priorities in life. “I stayed to work for another year but then realised this was was no longer my world. It was time for change but the question I had was what would I do about the children I had been feeding through the charity. I thought that the new owners would keep the charity which was connected to the hotel but given my name was so closely associated with it, I feared they might change the emphasis of the project. So I decided to take it with me and started to think what I could do, how I could handle the logistics of serving 200 meals a day from a domestic kitchen and with a … [Read more...]
26 hands Milan dinner at Trippa sells out in 60 minutes
A 26 hands dinner organised by Diego Rossi of Trippa Milano was sold out within 60 minutes. Called Amici Miei (my friends in Italian), the event brings together 13 young and promising chefs from across Italy. This unique event takes place at Trippa Milano on 9 April during Design Week. The chefs taking part in the event are Stefano Terigi, Benedetto Rullo and Lorenzo Stefanini (Ristorante Giglio), Juri Chiotti (REIS Cibo Libero di Montagna), Federico Sisti (Antica Osteria Il Ronchettino), Damiano Donati (Punto Lucca), Francesca Fooders Barreca & Marco Fooders Horseman (MAZZO), Alessandro Miocchi & Giuseppe Lo Iudice (RETROBOTTEGA), Simone Cipriani (Essenziale), Gianluca Gorini (DaGorini Ristorante) who will cook together with Diego Rossi. Trippa is a traditional style trattoria with a modern twist that was created by Pietro Caroli, the man in charge of the … [Read more...]
Vicky Lau welcomes three female chefs for unique lunch at Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Chef Vicky Lau has invited three Asian female chefs to cook together at a unique collaboration lunch that will take place at the Tate Dining Room on 27 March. With Asia’s biggest culinary award ceremony just around the corner on 26th March, Hong Kong and Macau are preparing for the arrival of top chefs and esteemed gourmands from around the region. To celebrate this occasion, Chef Vicky Lau is organising a lunch bringing together four powerhouse chefs at Tate Dining Room to prepare a special lunch for discerning guests. The chefs taking part in this lunch together with Vicky are chef Bee Satongun of 1-Michelin-starred PASTE Bangkok (Asia’s Best Female Chef 2018), Margarita Fores of Grace Park (Asia’s Best Female Chef 2016), and Natsuko Shoji of invitation-only restaurant, Été. The undisputed queen of Innovative French Chinese fine dining in Hong Kong, Chef Vicky Lau takes pride in her talent for visual artistry from her previous life … [Read more...]