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, the Cologne avantgarde cuisine festival taking place next weekend
The Cologne Avantgarde Cuisine Festival will take place on Sunday 26th October and Monday 27th October at the Palladium in Cologne, Germany. For those still undecided whether to attend, this year's lineup proves to be extremely interesting. Having seen two of the chefs (Jonnie Boer of De Librije and Quique Dacosta) taking part at Chef's Revolution in Zwolle a few weeks ago, we would recommend finding the time to go to Chef Sache in Cologne, Germany. But apart from the Dutch and Spanish chef there is also an interesting line-up which includes Eneko Atxa, Mauro Colagreco, Virgilio Martinez, Kobe Desramaults, Andree Kothe, Joachim Wissler and Christian Humbs. Among them they have an impressive 20 Michelin stars. These top chefs will provide insights into their work with inspiring shows explaining their philosophy behind their cuisine. There will also be an exhibition which showcases innovative products and ideas as well as two wine tasting sessions of German and Spanish … [Read more...]
La Buvette: Is this one of Brussels best kept secrets?
La Buvette has been on my radar for quite some time. Nicolas Scheidt, the young French chef of this restaurant in St Gilles, Brussels, was nominated as "a future great chef" for Brussels and its surroundings in the Gault&Millau guide. That should be enough of an indication of the quality of the restaurant. For one reason or another, it was difficult to find the right time to visit this restaurant. I recall one time we tried to go on a Monday evening only to find out it was closed. On another occasion it was closed for holidays. An attempt for lunch also did not materialise because the restaurant was closed. It is always a risk when you go to a restaurant with high expectations but in this case, I walked out of the restaurant wondering how could it be possible that it took me so long to visit this restaurant. If you go to La Buvette you need to know that there is no a la carte menu. What they offer are two menus (one called Large and another XL). The difference between the … [Read more...]
Brussels: Pei et Mei is worth a visit
Pei et Mei in the Brussels dialect roughly means boy and girl. It is also the name of a restaurant opened earlier this year in the Sablon area of Brussels by Gauthier De Baere and Melissa Triantopoulos, who on the Brussels scene don't really need an introduction because Gauthier worked under Alain Troubat of Stirwen in Place Jourdan and Le Fourneau and Melissa is the daughter of Evan of the Gril aux Herbes in Wemmel. The Sablon is probably one of my favourite areas in Brussels so this new restaurant is a very welcome addition to this hub of Belgian gastronomy (I am also including the chocolatiers and patissieres here). It came highly recommended, at least from the reviews that I had read earlier and it clearly did not disappoint us. We were told when we booked a table that if we were to be more than 15 minutes late we should inform them, otherwise they would give away the table. It may be a bit archaic but it is a fair approach and one which is a middle of the road approach to … [Read more...]
Sang Hoon Degeimbre (L’air du temps) – a self-taught chef
Sang Hoon Degeimbre of two Michelin star L'air du temps in Liernu, Belgium describes himself as Korean born, a Belgian man and citizen of the world. This is another great story of a chef who followed his passion. He started working in restaurants as a sommelier and as he himself says, the first time he cooked in a restaurant was on the opening night of his own restaurant. A self-taught chef, Sang Hoon's story is an inspiring one of someone who fought against all odds to follow his passion and open a restaurant. But his restaurant is not just a run of the mill restaurant. Sang Hoon is known for his innovative dishes and a trip to the restaurant is considered a culinary pilgrimage. It has always been my wish to dine at his restaurant since my arrival in Belgium but for some reason or another this has never materialised. After listening to his story at Chefs Revolution in Zwolle last month, I am sure that the time has come to visit this temple of experimentation very … [Read more...]
Quique Dacosta – from washing dishes to one of the most avant-garde chefs in the world
Quique Dacosta's story is an intriguing one. He started working in a pizzeria at the age of 14 washing dishes. Not having any culinary tradition in the family he recalls that working in a restaurant was not romantic but rather a means to making money. "I started to make some modest money but it was enough for me to start discovering gastronomy." This is indeed a prime example of "Where there is a will, there is a way." Today Quique Dacosta is the chef of a restaurant that is called by his same name and considered by many, particularly after the closure of Ferran Adria's elBulli to be one of the new leaders of avant-garde cuisine in Spain. He has won awards and accolades and his restaurant has been awarded the coveted three Michelin stars. Unlike most chefs who have travelled the world and worked in various kitchens, Dacosta has only worked in one place, his restaurant. He started working there at the age of 17. It was in 1989 and he joined a family restaurant by the name of El … [Read more...]
Fulvio Pierangelini – an Italian chef in exile
Few restaurant experiences have left a profound influence on my way of thinking about gastronomy as Fulvio Pierangelini's Gambero Rosso. This Italian chef who was riding the crest of the wave in terms of fame and success decided to close his restaurant in 2008 and since then has never returned back. Pierangelini, who had never taken a plane in the previous 30 years, as he himself says, has been away on a pilgrimage for the past six years. Pierangelini, an Italian, is probably one of the most enigmatic, underrated and captivating chefs of our time. He is maybe enigmatic because he hates the limelight, hates the internet with a passion and didn't even know that restaurant guides existed when he opened his restaurant in 1980 in a small fishing village in Tuscany which as he himselfs says was in the middle of nowhere. You will wonder why an evening at Gambero Rosso had such a deep meaning for me. First, when we visited in 2006, this was the first 2 Michelin star experience for my … [Read more...]
The power of creativity – inspiration can come from anywhere
Readers of Food and Wine Gazette know that we are very interested in the creative process. So as an interval from profiles of forthcoming chefs that featured at Chef's Revolution we would like to focus a bit on creativity and the creative process. What triggered our interest is the underlying theme of these chefs who in their own ways may be considered as artists. They are innovators like creators who push boundaries and find inspiration everywhere they look. As an inspiration for creativity we recommend you watch this fun video on 29 ways to stay creative. There is no magic rule to being creative. Many people ask how we find ideas to write on a daily basis. It is difficult to say other than if you allow your creativity to flow, you will eventually have a pool of ideas, some of which will work, others which can go on the back burner either to be forgotten forever or to be revived when the time is right. Writing is something we enjoy though food, wine and travel may be … [Read more...]
Richard Ekkebus (Amber, Hong Kong): Obsessed with quality ingredients
Anyone who has been to Hong Kong knows that this is a city that never sleeps. At a crossroads between East and West, its food markets can be breathtaking for visitors who are normally surprised by the quality of the produce that one can find. What I recall and which might seem odd for Europeans is that when you go to markets there, you can actually buy live fish to take home to cook alive. It is therefore no surprise that Richard Ekkebus, award-winning chef of Amber, the 24th best restaurant in the world in the S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants, fourth restaurant in Asia, best restaurant in China with two Michelin stars has stayed in the Chinese city since his arrival there in 2005. And he says he has no intention of leaving the city. "I have found my niche there and I am very happy." Ekkebus is a chef that takes the quality of produce extremely seriously. You could actually feel the passion with which he spoke about the quality of ingredients he finds in Hong Kong … [Read more...]