Brussels will welcome the largest food truck festival in the world on 5, 6 and 7 May. 103 food trucks from around Europe are expected to welcome around 150,000 people in the park of Tour et Taxis. At the Brussels Food Truck Festival, visitors will be able to choose from the cuisines of Morocco, Armenia, Lebanon, Belgium, Britanny, Ireland, Alsace, Italy, Creole, African, Thailand, Vietnam, Venezuela, Cuba and Mexico among others. There will be cocktails and artisanal beers, gourmet burgers and hot-dogs, mussels, oysters, snails, smoked and roast meat, raw meat, fish, shellfish, lobster, crocodile, swordfish, salty and sweet croquettes, banh mi, grilled cheese, vegan and vegetarian food, ice-creams, yogurts and much more. This is the fourth edition of the Brussels Food Truck Festival. The organisers received over 1,200 applications from owners of food truck wanting to participate. On Sunday afternoon, the European Food Trucks award will be announced. This is the first time … [Read more...]
First international gastronomic congress of Wallonia to take place in Namur in July
The first international gastronomic festival of Wallonia will take place on 1, 2 and 3 July at the Citadel of Namur. The congress is being organised by Generation W, the collective of chefs from Wallonia led by chef of L' Air du Temps, San Degeimbre. The congress, which brings some of the world's best chefs to the southern region of Belgium will be held on Monday 3 July. During this unique seminar, professionals and students of gastronomy will be able to meet with their peers as well as people working in the field of gastronomy, the members of Generation W. They will discuss the latest trends in gastronomy. The focus will be on the human, on the importance of management, team spirit, creativity, social issues, women's place in gastronomy and the management of international restaurants. Among the confirmed speakers are Benallal Akrame, chef of Restaurant Akrame and Atelier Vivanda (Paris and Hong Kong), Bo Bech, chef of Restaurant Geist in Copenhagen, Denmark, Quique Da Costa, … [Read more...]
Frites Atelier Amsterdam by Sergio Herman to open in Antwerp this week
The much awaited Frites Atelier Amsterdam, a french fries chain created by one of the world's most talented chefs Sergio Herman, will be opening in the Belgian city of Antwerp on Friday. Launched last year in the Netherlands, this will be the first Frites Atelier Amsterdam in Belgium (and the fourth shop selling french fries). The shop which opens from 11am on Friday and is located in Gasthuisstraat. This is the second venture of Sergio Herman in Antwerp following the very successful opening of The Jane (Antwerp, Belgium), a two Michelin star restaurant set up together with chef Nick Bril. There seems to be no stopping Sergio Herman. After deciding to stop cooking full time at the end of 2013 when he closed his three Michelin star restaurant Oud Sluis in the Netherlands he has successfully launched new projects like The Jane, further developed Pure C, created Frites Atelier and later this year will open Air Republic in Cadzand. Belgium may be known for its french fries but … [Read more...]
Fourth edition of Salon du Chocolat in Brussels next weekend
The fourth edition of the Salon du Chocolat in Brussels will be held next weekend from 10 to 12 February. Having been successfully organised since 2014, the event promises to be a celebration of Belgian chocolate in all its forms. This year, the event is being organised at Tour & Taxis in an area of 8,000 sqm. Over 130 participants, from chocolatiers, pastry chefs, confectioners, designers and cocoa experts will be taking part in this year;s edition. Philippe Close, the deputy mayor of Brussels City Council responsible for Tourism, Finance and Personnel said "Brussels’ image is inextricably linked to chocolate; we have the best chocolatiers working in the most prestigious locations, real craftsmen who offer their delicious product in every shape and form, from the simple bar to the most sophisticated arrangements. Their know-how and traditions have been quite rightly institutionalised in a museum dedicated to cocoa and chocolate." This year's theme is Cocoa - the heart of … [Read more...]
Six hands dinner at Prieuré Saint-Gery on 27 February featuring Melanie Englebin and Euphrasie Mbamba
Vincent Gardinal, chef of l'Hostellerie Le Prieuré Saint-Gery is inviting two ladies, a female chef and a female chocolatier to a unique six hands dinner on 27 February. Melanie Englebin, chef of Brussels based restaurant Cecilia who was also named as Young Chef of the year 2017 for Brussels by Gault Millau and Euphrasie Mbamba, who created the range of Sigoji chocolates will join Vincent for the second edition of his events called 'Les Invitees'. This is the second time that Vincent, chef of Le Prieuré Saint-Gery is inviting women to cook with him. The first successful event was held in December and welcomed Isabelle Arpin, chef of WY in Brussels. The restaurant is found in the farming village of Solre-Saint-Gery, on the outskirts of La Botte du Hainaut, not far from the French border. A former priory, chef and owner Vincent Gardinal has been welcoming guests in his Michelin starred restaurant for more than 20 years. Accompanying Vincent Gardinal for this evening is … [Read more...]
‘Balance is what I look for when making a praline’ – Tom Vanthemsche, The Cacao Tree
Tom Vanthemsche always dreamt of being a chocolate and ice cream maker. With The Cacao Tree by Tom, his boutique shop in Rhode St Genese, just outside Brussels, he has fulfilled his dream. He works with fresh ingredients particularly those which are in season and he prides himself of using fresh farmer’s milk which he picks up himself and 60% fruit in his sorbets which is highly unusual. "Some think our sorbets are ice-cream because they are very creamy. This is because of the percentage of fruit we use." Tom told Food and Wine Gazette in an interview that he prefers to use fresh products rather than unusual spices or ingredients that might shock but don’t necessarily work. “For me, finding the right balance between sugar and acidity is crucial. I will add a bit of texture to the chocolate, make it creamy but what I am looking for is balance. For me that is fundamental.” He is constantly on the look out for new chocolate. “When I set to create a new praline, I will taste the … [Read more...]
Revisiting L’air du temps: Winter is not a barrier to creativity
The sun is glistening and shining on the snow that is covering the fields in Liernu. Spring is still far away and the vegetable garden at L'air du temps is still resting. The first shoots from the garden will only come in late February though San Degeimbre is already preparing his February menu called "Waiting for the Green". January is not necessary the best month to visit a restaurant. It comes just after the holidays and is the month when you normally try to detox from the excesses of the previous month. And it is not the best month for fresh produce. But a friend who happens to be a Maltese chef is in Belgium and we have planned to visit Wallonia's culinary cathedral. San Degeimbre is a chef in evolution. Today, he has reached a level of maturity that one would expect from a restaurant that is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. But that maturity is not stopping him from experimenting or trying new things. The creative streak is all the more visible even if it does … [Read more...]
“A childhood dream come true” – Hendrik Dierendonck on the opening of Brussels butcher shop
Hendrik Dierendonck, the renowned nose to tail Belgian butcher, has opened the long-awaited shop in Rue St. Catherine in central Brussels. "It is a childhood dream come true for me to open a Brussels shop particularly in the city centre." Dierendonck told Food and Wine Gazette that this was a big step for him. "I have always been working on the Belgian coast and since I was young, I have always dreamt of this step." When he was young, the Belgian butcher used to work with his father Raymond Dierendonck in St Idesbald on the Belgian coast in summer while in winter he spent his time in Brussels. The opening of the Brussels shop replaces the Jack O'Shea shop in the Place St. Catherine area which closed abruptly last summer though it has been completely refurbished in an open style to reflect Dierendonck's approach to butchery. "I want to present Brussels residents and visitors to Brussels with an old school approach. Here they will find the artisanal approach, with an … [Read more...]
Wilder at the Villa – a new private dining concept by Maarten Van Essche
There is a new concept just outside Brussels called "Wilder at the Villa". Chef and interior designer Maarten Van Essche who has formerly worked at Noma and Hof Van Cleve has created a private dining experience in a villa that is at his disposal. "Because it is private dining, people need to make a reservation to get a seat. There is room for 20 guests at the table, and it is available from Wednesday to Saturday," Van Essche told Food and Wine Gazette. "The recipe for the evening is simple: one table, one menu, one starting hour. Nature defines the menu, we fix the matching drinks. So all the guests are eating and spending the evening together." "I created this private dining concept because we have a great villa at our disposal for an undetermined period of time," Van Essche told Food and Wine Gazette. "We want to use it in the best way we can. As a chef and interior designer, I like to create a great atmosphere to live and invite people. Since its an old villa from the … [Read more...]
12 year old chapter for In De Wulf comes to an end with last dinner
A 12-year-old chapter has come to an end for the talented and creative Belgian chef who rose to fame over the past years for a unique style of cooking that is pure, natural and has no classic dishes or traditional sauces. On Sunday 11 December, at In De Wulf in Dranouter, Kobe Desramaults and his team served their last dinner. Considered to be one of the most internationally recognised Belgian chefs, he managed to create one of the top destinations for foodies in the world in Dranouter, in the middle of no where on the Belgian border with France. (His restaurant was number 1 in the Top 100 European list of Opinionated about Dining in 2014 and 4th in 2015). He was also listed for some time in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants List. Sergio Herman, Kobe's mentor was present yesterday and posted on his Instagram feed: 'The last one. I know how it feels." Kobe told Food and Wine Gazette earlier this year that his only experience in a top level kitchen had been at Sergio Herman's former … [Read more...]