ANTWERP: Blueness, Sergio Herman’s new restaurant in Antwerp has opened its doors today 31 May. After the success of Blueness in Cadzand, the new restaurant has opened in a classic building on the Lange Gasthuisstraat in the heart of Antwerp’s fashion district. The project is in the hands of chef Jaclyn Kong and Maitre Dorine van den Eydne who both share a common professional past and a healthy dose of ambition. Both women used to work with Sergio Herman at Oud Sluis and The Jane. While Jaclyn has been part of the Pure C team and later was one of the two chefs at Blueness Cadzand, Dorine went to the UK to work at Dinner by Heston Blumnethal before going to Restaurant 108 in Copenhagen. The Blueness project focuses on modern French cuisine with Japanese accents and the two promise to provide a unique hospitality experience. Blueness serves a four-course menu starting from EUR 95 (only for lunch) and a five-course menu from EUR 140 for lunch and dinner excluding drinks and … [Read more...]
Archives for May 2022
Boury is new three Michelin star restaurant in Belgium; guide also adds three new 2 Michelin star restaurants
MONS: Tim Boury and his team have made it to the top of Belgian gastronomy, four years after receiving their second Michelin star. The young chef and his wife whose restaurant is in Roselare clinched three stars when Michelin published the Belgium and Luxembourg digital guide for 2022. It was the second third Michelin star restaurant in a row for Belgium after last’s year’s award to Zilte in Antwerp and confirmed the rise of a new generation of chefs that are set to revitalise Belgium’s culinary scene in the next few years. He also joins the father of Belgian gastronomy Peter Goossens whose restaurant Hof van Cleve remains a reference with a succession of three Michelin stars as well as many accolades. Three new restaurants made it to two Michelin stars. Colette in Averbode, Brussels institution La Villa Lorraine By Yves Mattagne in Brussels which finally clinched two stars after the former chef of Sea Grill moved to the iconic restaurant in the leafy commune of Uccle. The newly … [Read more...]
Leonor Espinosa wins the World’s Best Female Chef Award
One of Colombia’s most celebrated culinary figures and the chef-owner of Leo in Bogotá, Leonor Espinosa, has been named by The World's 50 Best Restaurants 2022 as the winner of The World's Best Female Chef Award. Previously recognised as Latin America’s Best Female Chef in 2017, Espinosa has become one of the most important personalities in Colombia through her hard and consistent work, not only celebrating and promoting local Colombian products and flavours, but also highlighting the value of the country’s biodiversity and social aspects of gastronomy. A key figure in Colombia’s food renaissance, Espinosa relocated and reimagined her flagship restaurant last year in the upmarket Chapinero district of Bogotá. At the new venue, Espinosa has crafted a tasting menu with 100% of the ingredients sourced within the country and each dish forming part of a broader Colombian food narrative. The gastronomic experience is inspired by Espinosa’s ‘Ciclo-Bioma’ concept, which focuses … [Read more...]
‘It was time to return back home and execute my vision’ – Alvaro Clavijo on El Chato
BOGOTA: When Alvaro Clavijo returned to open El Chato in Bogota, Colombia after gaining experience in places like Noma, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon, Atera and Per Se it was a bit of a risk. With that CV, Alvaro could have not only have worked anywhere, he could also have opened a project in any part of the world and the odds would have been stacked in his favour for the venture to be successful. Returning to Colombia was, however, what he really wanted because it was here that he could showcase what he had learned in his travels around the world. He knew that the country offered lots of possibilities from ingredients that needed to be discovered to constraints of getting produce in a city that stands 1,600 metres above sea-level. Neither when things were not going as planned did Alvaro lose hope. Despite difficulties to get recognition particularly in the local press, he persevered taking on a lot of debt to finally make the restaurant one of the best restaurants in Latin America. … [Read more...]
Slovenia’s BRDA&Vino food and wine festival returns with a bang
The much awaited BRDA & VINO Wine and Culinary Festival returned to the picturesque medieval village of Šmartno after three years on Saturday 23 April. It was great to be able to attend again after my last visit in 2019. The regular visitors who came from all across Europe and beyond and me had missed this event. BRDA & VINO is popular for many reasons, among them: the variety of dishes and wines on offer, the lovely atmosphere brought on by the many entertainers and the visitors themselves, the setting and surrounding views. All who attend are in a happy mood, heightened by the festive live music performances. Beautiful location The idyllic location, the tiny village of Šmartno, is bang in the centre of Slovenia’s most coveted wine-producing region—Goriška Brda, which has often been dubbed Slovenia’s Tuscany. One will see why when admiring the rolling hills and vineyards from one of the many hilltops. Šmartno itself is perched on a hill and offers amazing views of … [Read more...]
Sixth edition of The Best Chef Awards to be held in Madrid
The 6th edition of The Best Chef Awards returns to Spain. This year, the event takes place on September 18, 19 and 20 in the Spanish capital Madrid. This international gastronomic event will include the Area Talks debates, the Food meets Science conference and will close with the grand Awards Gala where the best 100 chefs in the world will be announced. Gastronomy is a fundamental pillar of Spanish culture and this year, Madrid will be in charge of hosting professionals, journalists, foodies and chefs from all over the world for a new edition of The Best Chef Awards. After successful editions in Warsaw in 2017, Milan in 2018, Barcelona in 2019, a virtual edition in 2020 and the great return to Amsterdam in 2021, Madrid will become the center of the culinary world during these three days. This year's guests will be able to exchange knowledge with their colleagues from each continent and discover their great projects while enjoying one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, full … [Read more...]
Racines: a way with pasta
BRUSSELS: The large raviolo stuffed with a whole burrata and a tartare of red prawns flown in from Sicily is cooked for just 52 seconds in boiling water. Chef Ugo Federico of Brussels restaurant Racines wants the burrata to melt but remain inside the pasta and the tartare of prawns to be served as a tartare, i.e. still cold. The end result is not only spectacular to see but also to eat. It is one of the signature dishes at Racines but it is not the only spectacular pasta dish. Soon after, there is a tortellino ‘carbonara’. For purists, it is not exactly carbonara because Ugo is using Parmiggiano Reggiano that has been aged by Belgian cheese affineur Van Tricht instead of Pecorino Romano for the filling and there is truffle instead of guanciale to top it up. There is a pasta with nduja and provolone Silano from the same region that hits all the right notes. It is on the right side of spiceness and the creaminess from the melted cheese combined to perfection with the acidity given to … [Read more...]
Agustin Balbi named country brand ambassador of Argentina
HONG KONG: Argentinian chef Agustin Balbi has won the Marco Pais award and has been named Ambassador of the Argentine Country Brand by the government of Argentina. This award recognises Argentinian individuals who stand out in their daily work and whose contribution to the country brand at a national and international level is significant or has high impact. Chef Balbi opened Spanish/Japanese restaurant Ando in July 2020 in Hong Kong in collaboration with the JIA group. Since the opening he has gone from strength to strength earning a Michelin star just six months into the opening and retaining that start for the second year running. The chef-founder has also received the second highest Hong Kong ranking in the Best Chef awards 2021. He is the only Argentinian chef in Asia to be awarded a Michelin star. As the first Argentinian chef to receive a MICHELIN star in Asia, Chef Agustin blazes the trail for other Argentines working in the hospitality industry. Other Marca Pais … [Read more...]