The Michelin guide revealed its results for Belgium and Luxembourg last Monday and in the process created a storm of controversy in the Belgian media and social media. The controversy centres around the move of chef Alexandre Dionisio from his own restaurant Alexandre (now closed) to La Villa in the Sky which opened earlier this month. When Michelin announced the results for Brussels they mentioned that new restaurants had earned a one Michelin star, Le Monde est Petit, Le Pigeon Noir and Da Mimmo. They, however, failed to mention that the restaurant by Alexandre Dionisio called Alexandre (we were there a few months before this website was launched and ate incredibly well, though it has since closed) was no longer in the list and instead the award had moved with Alexandre to La Villa in the Sky. For those who have missed the new Michelin releases, there were new one Michelin star announcements (See all the list here) with no new two and three Michelin star … [Read more...]
De Vitrine (Gent): Much more than just a bistro
There is something special about going to a restaurant and not having to worry about choosing what to eat. When we went to De Vitrine in Gent last Saturday we sort of knew there was no a la carte menu. Until a few years ago, this would have been a veritable nightmare with my phobia of cheese, but now that this has been overcome, it is to a certain extent a breath of fresh air. It removes the hassle of choosing and when you visit a restaurant which is good and where the choice is extensive, having a menu is to a certain extent limiting because you know that you will be missing something special. So going to De Vitrine, the brain child of Kobe Desramaults of Michelin starred In de Wulf in Dranouter and De Superette (the bakery in Gent) was on our to do list for our weekend in Gent. De Vitrine complements In De Wulf perfectly as Kobe himself told me at Chef Sache in Cologne (read our interview with him next week) because it allows him to apply his nose to tail philosophy by ensuring … [Read more...]
Rene Redzepi (Noma): Taking care of his customers long after the bill is paid
In a few days time, the restaurant Noma will be celebrating its 11th anniversary since it opened its doors in Copenhagen and changed the culinary world in Scandinavia. There is so much to say about this chef and it has taken a while to get down to writing about Rene Redzepi's exceptional presentation on his food philosophy at Chef's Revolution in Zwolle organised by Jonnie and Therese Boer of De Librije. Rene Redzepi needs no introduction. His restaurant in Copenhagen is number one in the world and he is not only a chef but also a great innovator. Like many of the best chefs on the scene today, he also spent some time working at Ferran Adria's elBulli, but while the latter was innovating with techniques when the restaurant was still open, Redzepi is mainly innovating with new flavours and also heavily experimenting with fermentation. Last year, at Noma they invested in what they call "fermentation bunkers". Instead of building a state of the art facility which would have cost 5 … [Read more...]
Mauro Colagreco (Mirazur) showcases three great dishes using collagen
Mauro Colagreco, chef of Mirazur, the highest ranked restaurant in France, according to the World's 50 Best restaurants, likes to showcase the ingredients that come from his location in Menton just on the border with Italy. At Chef Sache in Cologne, he presented three fish based dishes to showcase the quality of the ingredients of the area. He opted to use collagen in different ways to show how this natural 'gelatine or glue' from fish can be used to bring out not only flavour but also creativity. He therefore uses fish or some pieces of fish, such as the offal, which might otherwise be thrown away. Colagreco said collagen could be used either as a glue or as an emulsion. The first dish he presented was a classic fish soup which was turned into a gelatine and served with a langoustine from San Remo which is very typical of the region. The Argentinian chef made a classic fish soup using onions, fennel and garlic. He aromatised it with saffron and, like in bouillabaisse, … [Read more...]
Eneko Atxa (Azurmendi) – My restaurant, my home
Eneko Atxa’s restaurant Azurmendi perched on a hillside just outside Bilbao is one of the most talked about restaurants in the world at the moment. Ranked 26th in the World’s 50 Best restaurants, it is also the winner of the sustainability award and has 3 Michelin Stars. This Spanish chef is making a name for himself for many reasons. His inventive cuisine is among the most innovative in the world but he is also extremely conscious of the environment. At Chef Sache, in Cologne, Germany, Atxa spoke about what makes his restaurant different. He started off by showing different photos of the 'complex which includes the restaurant, his house, a wine cellar, a hall which serves as a venue for large events, a garden and a small bistro. “The restaurant is designed to pay industrial homage to the old steel industry of Bilbao," Atxa says. The complex has been built in a way which integrates with the surrounding environment. But it also follows the basic principles of sustainability. It … [Read more...]
L’ air du temps – Wallonia’s culinary cathedral
It took me six years to finally get to visit L'air du temps in Liernu, Belgium. The restaurant of Sang Hoon Degeimbre which has two Michelin stars has been on my radar because of his innovative cuisine. When I was listening to his story and approach to cooking at Chefs Revolution in Zwolle, I knew that a visit was a must. I went to the restaurant in Liernu, in the heart of Wallonia, Belgium with very high expectations because it had also come highly recommended by friends. It is normally rather risky when you approach something with such high expectations because you can end up with high hopes dashed. But in this case, the expectations were not only matched but also exceeded. The food was exceptional, the service without fault, the location stunning and on top of that the pairing of wines and water to the food was a memorable experience. The location must be stunning on a summer's evening when you can clearly see the restaurant's garden which supplies all the … [Read more...]
Chef Sache finale – a feast of creativity and food inspiration
The finale of Chef Sache on Monday 27 October was as inspiring as the first day with a line up of six brilliant chefs who presented not only their story but also prepared some of the dishes currently being served in their restaurants. Chef Sache was organised by for the sixth consecutive year by German publisher Port Culinaire. The spectacular line up of chefs yesterday included Joachim Wissler from Vendome, Andree Kothe from Restaurant Essigbrätlein in Nürnberg, Spanish Eneko Atxa of Azurmendi and Quique Da Costa, Jonnie Boer from Delibrije and Virgilio Martinez of Peruvian restaurant Central in Lima. Wissler kickstarted the day with a brilliant presentation and a showcase of some of the dishes are being prepared at Vendome, near Cologne. The German chef spoke about the thought process of the restaurant and the story behind the dishes. "All my dishes need to have a soul. They need to have a story apart from perfect preparation and perfect produce." He spoke about the creative … [Read more...]
Chef Sache taking place this Sunday and Monday
Food and Wine Gazette will be at Chef Sache on Sunday and on Monday. On the programme on 26 October is a discussion about networking. This is followed by presentations by Belgian Kobe Desramaults of the world famous In de Wulf, Christian Humbs who is considered to be one of the world best Patissiers in the world and Mauro Colagreco, a chef of Argentinian origin with a two Michelin star restaurant in France. Colagreco has the highest ranked French restaurant in the The World's Best 50 restaurants. The event is organised by Port Culinare and Fleet Events. Monday's programme includes many other chefs including Eneko Atxa, Jonnie Boer, Quique Dacosta, Virgilio Martinez, Andree Kothe and Joachim Wissler. For instant information follow us on Twitter (@fwgaz). We will report in more detail on www.foodandwinegazette.com tomorrow evening and also subsequently in more detail on what is taking place at this event. … [Read more...]
Weekly roundup of great reads on food and wine #7
This weekend is great for those who love food and wine events. Choices have to be made as to what you can follow though we find Twitter great to get a taste of what is going on in the main events which we find interesting. Just this weekend there is Megavino in Brussels, Chef Sache in Cologne, Salone del Gusto e Terra Madre in Torino all tackle different aspects of the food and wine scene. Yesterday we wrote about the panel discussion that took place between Jamie Oliver, Alice Waters and the founder of the Slow Movement Carlo Petrini. So it is appropriate that we start this weekly roundup with a link to a transcript of a Ted speech given by Jamie Oliver on "Teach every Child about Food". It is really an interesting read and one which makes you reflect on what has gone wrong in the food world. On the same theme, you might want to check out some fast food facts which may make you reflect about how our children are being 'brainwashed' into craving for fast food. It is indeed … [Read more...]
Jamie Oliver says its time to ambush fast food
As we prepare to drive to Cologne for Chef Sache (more tomorrow on this event with some of the greatest chefs in the world), we have been following the discussion taking place at the Salone del Gusto and Terra Madre in Torino Italy about fast food and cooking for children and we tend to agree with pretty much all that has been said. A panel discussion was held together with Carlo Petrini, founder of the Slow Food Movement, Alice Waters and Jamie Oliver. These three personalities are campaigning on a daily basis so that everyone can have access to healthy and nutritious food cooked in an eco-sustainable way. We have a moral obligation to feed children food that is good for them Alice Waters said at the panel discussion that "We have a moral obligation to feed children food that is good for them." Apart from being a chef of the world-renowned Chez Panisse, Waters is an activist that created the Edible Schoolyard Network. Founded in 1994, Waters built a garden in an unused plot of … [Read more...]