The cocktail bar scene in Brussels was pretty non-existant before Matthieu Chaumont, the owner and cocktail master of Hortense opened his bar in Place Sablon in 2012. Although the cocktail bar scene in Belgium is pretty vibrant particularly in the Flemish cities of Antwerp and Gent, Brussels did not have a proper cocktail bar like the one created by Matthieu four years ago. He attributes this to the fact that there was no cocktail culture in Brussels despite the presence of a large expat community for a very long time. "For example, I don't remember my parents ever drinking a cocktail. When they would go out, they have a tendency to order a glass of wine or beer but I have never seen them drinking a cocktail," he tells me. Matthieu has over the past four years worked to change this trend and he seems to be managing thanks to a receptive audience which is now becoming more and more interested in exploring new things. "In our first year, our crowd was mainly composed of expats but … [Read more...]
Tensions rise as Brussels restaurants struggle to recover from bleak period
These are not easy days for Brussels. As the city tries to return back to normal after the terrorist attacks last month, restaurants in Belgium's capital city are facing tough times. While many have been putting up a brave face over the past few months, more and more Brussels restauranteurs are starting to feel the pressure following months of difficulties, and tensions seem to be rising. Only this weekend, Lionel Rigolet, chef of two Michelin star restaurant Comme Chez Soi said that "Brussels is dying," in Belgian newspapers l'Echo and De Tijd. And in a sign that tensions seem to be rising, the Brussels mayor Yvan Mayeur, was asked to leave a gastronomic restaurant in the city centre because the chef was angry with him. The pedestrianisation of the Brussels city centre in summer last year was heavily criticised by restaurant and shop owners in the city centre with many restaurants reporting considerable drops in turnover. But the situation is far more complex than this, … [Read more...]
Chocolate maker Benoît Nihant seeking to expand in Brussels and beyond
Benoît Nihant, the bean to bar Belgian chocolatier is looking to expand with the opening of more shops without losing the artisanal approach that makes his chocolates so special. Having successfully opened a shop in the Belgian capital city, Brussels, and exported his chocolates to Asia, Benoît wants to open additional shops in Brussels and does not exclude openings in Antwerp and Gent though his focus for the time being is Brussels. He told Food and Wine Gazette he was actively looking for places in the area of Uccle, Waterloo and Stockel to go closer to where his customers are. His current store in Brussels is in Ixelles but it took him a long time to find it. "We had been wanting to open a shop in Brussels for a long time but we could not find a suitable place. We did not want to be near the Grand Place because it is the place where only the tourists go, we did not want to go the Sablon because that is more of a showcase, the rent is very expensive and it is why there are … [Read more...]
‘Nocturnes du Sablon’ in Brussels to take place as planned
It has not been an easy week for Brussels. From Saturday morning, the capital city has been in lockdown because of a heightened risk of terrorist attacks. It has meant closed shops, schools and metro amid the highest threat level for the Belgian capital city. But from today, the situation has slowly started to return back to normal with the reopening of schools and the metro despite this heightened threat level. Large scale events have been cancelled. But last night, the organisers announced that the Nocturnes du Sablon, which has been organised for more than 20 years, will take place as planned between Thursday 26 November and Sunday 29th November with increased security. Since four years, this event is organised with the participation of the Culinaria Agency which is famous for the annual Brussels Culinaria event. Some of the top names in Brussels and beyond have confirmed participation for this weekend's event. The chefs taking part are Alex Joseph (Rouge Tomate), Axel … [Read more...]
Brussels: an underestimated culinary destination
Millions of people enter Brussels, the capital of Europe, each week. Most come for business or work meetings, some come en route to visit other places in Belgium like Bruges, Gent or Antwerp, others to work and still some to visit what is the administrative capital of Europe. No one comes for its food. That is a mistake, because the food scene in Brussels is incredibly varied and surprisingly good. The same can be said of Belgium, an underestimated culinary country, if ever there was one. Tourists visiting Brussels will normally head to the Grand-Place area and to what has now become one of the largest pedestrian zones in Europe, near the Bourse (Stock Exchange), which will soon be turned into a beer museum and the Place St Catherine area. They will be lured into one of the many restaurants serving mussels and 'French fries'. They will know that Brussels and Belgium is well known for its beers and chocolate, but few are aware of the culinary diversity or richness of the … [Read more...]
Christophe Hardiquest’s Bon Bon set to join Les Grandes Tables du Monde
Bon Bon, the two Michelin star restaurant in Brussels of chef Christophe Hardiquest is set to join 12 other Belgian restaurants in the 'Les Grandes Tables du Monde' list, Pierre Wynants, the vice president of the association announced when he was speaking during a discussion on a recent book he co-authored on Belgium's culinary future earlier this week. Christophe Hardiquest will join the other Belgian chefs who are part of 167 restaurants in 24 countries worldwide. It will be the fifth Brussels based restaurant on the list following Jean-Pierre Bruneau (Bruneau), Laurence and Lionet Rigolet (Comme Chez Soi), Pascal Devalkeneer (Chalet De la Foret) and Yves Mattagne (Sea Grill). Brussels lacks a three Michelin star restaurant after Comme Chez Soi lost the third star upon the retirement of Pierre Wynants. Gault Millau awarded Bon Bon 19.5 out of 20 in its latest guide for Belgium and Luxembourg. This year, Belgian chef Sang-hoon Degeimbre (L'Air du Temps) joined the list … [Read more...]
Gault Millau changed cuisine to what we know today – Pierre Wynants (Comme Chez Soi)
Pierre Wynants, former three Michelin star chef of Comme Chez Soi, the Brussels institution that celebrates its 90th anniversary next year, needs no introduction among food lovers. There is no question that he is one of Belgium's most well known chefs. At 76 years of age, he still commands great respect among his peers having held the coveted three Michelin stars from 1979 to 2006. The Belgian capital has not had a three star restaurant since that day even though things are looking bright for the food scene in Brussels. Wynants was at the cultural centre of Uccle, a leafy suburb of Brussels, on Monday 9th June to present the book he wrote together with Philippe Bidaine called La cuisine belge de demain (Tomorrow's Belgian food). In a conversation on stage with the President of the Uccle Cultural Centre Jacqueline Rousseaux, Wynants recalled how kitchens in the past where completely different to when he had started working in restaurants. "In the old days we used to cook with … [Read more...]
Updated: Sang-Hoon Degeimbre of L’ Air du Temps to open restaurant in Brussels on 5 October
Updated: Brussels foodies have something to look forward to after the summer holidays as chef Sang-Hoon Degeimbre of the 2 Michelin starred restaurant L'Air du Temps in Liernu announced he will be opening his second restaurant SAN in the Belgian capital. The date for the opening of the restaurant has been set for 5 October. On the website of the new restaurant there is a photo of Sang-Hoon with a countdown and a small note saying San is coming to Brussels. San Bruxelles have announced that the bookings for the Brussels based restaurant will open on 15 September. Sang-Hoon, considered to be one of the best Belgian chefs and famous for his molecular cuisine as well as his love for exceptional produce, will offer a completely different experience to L'Air du Temps. His restaurant in Liernu is in the middle of the Belgian countryside. He loves the feeling that the countryside gives and when I had interviewed him he had told me: "Sometimes when I come here early in the morning I … [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...]
Jack O’Shea Chophouse in Brussels finally open
The much awaited Jack O'Shea Chophouse has opened in central Brussels a few days ago. Judging by the page views and searches on this site, this looks like it will be another top foodie destination in Brussels. Jack O'Shea is the second butcher in Belgium to open a restaurant this year. The first, Dierendonck, has opened Carcasse in January on the Belgian coast. The chophouse has opened in the Place St. Catherine area just a few metres away from his second butcher shop in the Belgian capital city. There is no question that the quality of the meat at Jack O'Shea. The meat which you get from this butcher whether it is a Wagyu beef t-bone steak, an Angus beef ribeye, an aged t-bone steak or just sausages from his large range (which includes mustard and spinach, Italian, beef and guiness, chorizo), are all exceptional. For those who have not heard about Jack O'Shea, he is probably one of Europe's leading butchers, though maybe not as famous as the much talked about as Dario … [Read more...]