BRUSSELS: The first edition of Streat Fest is being organised in the Belgian capital between Thursday 12 May and Sunday 15 May. Inside the sheds of the iconic building Tour & Taxis, the festival brings together street food, artisans, art and music for a stimulating festival. Over 50 chefs and restaurants will propose their vision of street food. There will be renowned names like El Cuchillo, Humphrey, Sanzaru, Gramm by Kenzo Nakata, Hors-Champs by Stefan Jacobs and Chermanne by Stephane Chermanne among others. There will also be those who are already well known for their street food offering such as Monella by Italian duo Ugo and Francesco of restaurant Racines, Mo Mo, Smash, Ganesh, Bia Mara, Kong, Kitsune and Gaufres and Waffles the concept that has recipes by two star chef Yves Mattagne. It also includes the participation of La Charcuterie, Le Comptoir du Samson, Les Nourritures Terrestres, Savage, Le Bain des dames, Kitchen 151 and Cokoa. Moreover, there are a … [Read more...]
Bon Bon to close in June: Chef Hardiquest says this is the start of a new chapter
BRUSSELS: One of the most influential restaurants in Belgium, Bon Bon will close its doors on 30 June 2022 after 20 years, chef Christophe Hardiquest announced on social media. Hardiquest is one of Belgium's top chefs and restaurateurs and one of the most internationally recognised chefs in Belgium. Over the past few years, the restaurant has established itself as one of the leading restaurants in Belgium with a near perfection score in the Gault & Millau guide. Cristophe Hardiquest said that we have been living in a strange period of time which has led him to think but also to accelerate his wishes and vision. "After 20 years behind the stove in the kitchen of my restaurant Bon Bon, 20 years of giving 200 per cent everyday it is time for me to make a turn in my life and my career," the Belgian chef said. He said he was passionate about his job and about creating new dishes and will never stop cooking. "I am not sure how yet but it will be full of … [Read more...]
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 setting Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens will be welcome guests according to the Japanese principle Omakase. It is a way of dining whereby the guest surrenders fully to the art of the chef. Omakase roughly means “I leave it to you”. The chef is given carte blanche to prepare whatever he or she thinks is appropriate at the time. Joachim Boudens explained this was a bold and tough choice. “In hospitality you want to please guests all the time … [Read more...]
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 Table d'Amis and Pizza Sofia, a new project by Sofie Delbeke who is determined to take Neapolitan pizza to this Belgian city. "Two years ago, I decided to quit fine-dining. I had enough of it. But there are two reasons that have rekindled my passion. My weekly column in Sabato magazine (the weekend supplement of Belgian newspaper De Tijd) toether with Thijs Demeulemeester and Piet Dekersieter made me see new connections between art and … [Read more...]
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 are easy to recreate and where the focus is on the quality of the product. You can try the carrots cooked in their own vegetal liquid, asparagus cooked the flemish way (asperges a la Flamande) or the famous Liege coffee. The chef makes use of products that come from the Wallonian territory as well as fish provided to him by the collective North Sea Chefs which has as its main aim that of showcasing fish that is normally caught as a by catch or … [Read more...]
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 first time. The event takes place at the brand new Botanic Sanctuary hotel which opens in Antwerp later this year. Flanders Finesh brings together chefs from the different provinces of Flanders. Peter Goosseens from Hof van Cleve and Michael Vrijmoed represent East Flanders. West Flanders will be represented by Gert de Mangeleer (Hertog Jan) and Tim Boury (Boury). Christophe Hardiquest of Bon Bon Restaurant in Brussels will be representing the … [Read more...]
Dinner in the Woods: a new gastronomic experience in Brussels
BRUSSELS: The Bois de la Cambre is the green lung of the city. It is also a major traffic throughfare that connects the south of the city to the centre. It is the local's best kept secret, few tourists who venture to Europe's capital know that the city is full of parks, woods and even forests and fewer venture to this part of Brussels. The closure of the Bois de la Cambre to traffic last year caused an uproar. While, it gave much needed respite to locals in the days of lockdown, once restrictions were relaxed, drivers were angry with its closure that led to huge traffic jams. The issue was partially resolved through politics and court cases and a compromise was found which opened a part of the park to cars but which made another part of the park car-free permanently. This summer, the founders of Le Kiosque, a space opened last year, are working on a project to make the Bois de la Cambre more well known. Together with René Sepul, a food writer and book publisher, they will … [Read more...]
Nick Bril and Sergio Herman part ways: Bril takes full ownership of The Jane Antwerp
ANTWERP: After partnering up for seven years at The Jane Antwerp, Sergio Herman and Nick Bril have decided to part ways. Nick Bril will take over 100 per cent of the restaurant's operational rights after the Dutch duo successfully creating one of the most stunning restaurants in the world. In 2013, the two chefs decided to start work on designing the restaurant concept for their project, their first venture outside the Netherlands set in the stunning military chapel of the so-called Groen Kwartier in Antwerp. The two met when Nick Bril started working in the former three Michelin star restaurant Oud Sluis at the age of 19. "The early days of The Jane have challenged and pushed me tremendously as a chef but also as a person. It has been a great ride. That's why I am even more driven to develop all aspects of The Jane Antwerp even further. Next to our rooftop gardens, the collaboration with August and our new project in the Maldives, that will be the main challenge I'll be focusing … [Read more...]
‘Casse-Croute’ by Karen Torosyan to slowly come to an end with final service on 29 May
BRUSSELS: Casse Croute, the 'takeaway' service of Bozar chef Karen Torosyan which regaled Brussels and Belgians with his renowned 'pies' throughout the pandemic will slowly come to an end. The chef who decided not to open the Bozar Restaurant's terrace and wait until he is allowed to serve guests indoors in June said that the last Casse-Croute service will end on Saturday 28 May. After that, he and his team will be taking a week off before focusing on the opening of the restaurant. Karen Torosyan told Food and Wine Gazette he did not want to open the terrace because of the uncertainties linked to the Belgian weather. "Guests come to the restaurant to enjoy themselves. We cannot guarantee a good service with the incertitude and for this reason I prefer to continue to deliver the Bozar experience home during May." The chef said he could not complain and thanked his customers for their custom during these months when restaurants were closed in Belgium. "It was not easy. I enjoy … [Read more...]
New concept BABU opens as pop-up at L.E.S.S Eatery in Bruges
BRUGES: If you are in Bruges on a Friday or Saturday during the pandemic, you would do well to visit BABU, the new pop-up bunner created by Gert de Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens. On the t'Zand at L.E.S.S. Eatery, the duo behind the former three Michelin star restaurant Hertog Jan have been busy preparing a new concept that is set to open permanently in a city in Belgium when the lockdowns are over. Despite one hand in a cast due to a mountain biking incident a few weeks ago, you can still find Gert preparing the 'bunners' as they are called. It might be the first 'bunner' in the world to sit in a one Michelin star restaurant, at least momentarily. "We want to learn the process, get feedback, use the data to gain insights for our permanent location." Babu is inspired by the creative and restless travelling mind of Gert de Mangeleer who together with Joachim Boudens are the creative minds behind the Hertog Jan *** Restaurant Group. "We took inspiration from the steamed … [Read more...]