The 2013 MICHELIN guide Belgium and Luxembourg reveals the vibrancy and consistency of the two countries’ fine cuisine
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The 2013 MICHELIN guide Belgium and Luxembourg reveals the vibrancy and consistency of the two countries’ fine cuisine
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Category: Europe - Gourmet restaurants -
Gourmet restaurants
This is a press release selected by our editorial committee and published online for free on 2012-11-20
The particularly rich 2013 selection features 124 starred restaurants and 146 Bib Gourmand establishments. The MICHELIN guide Belgium and Luxembourg includes one newcomer in the two-star category and 10 one-star additions.
The 57th edition of the MICHELIN guide Belgium and Luxembourg once again demonstrates the culinary vitality and consistency on display in the two countries, as well as the unbridled energy and creativity of their restaurateurs.
Again this year, Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem, De Karmeliet in Bruges and Hertog Jan in Sint-Michiels retained their three-star ratings. They therefore continue to rank among the top 100 or so best restaurants in the world, deemed worthy of this highest distinction awarded for their “exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.”
The 2013 selection confirms Belgium’s outstanding culinary talent, with the addition of another twostar restaurant, La Durée in Izegem. Sang Hoon Degeimbre, a two-star chef since 2009, has moved his restaurant L’Air du Temps from Noville-sur-Mehaigne (Eghezée) a few kilometers away to the village of Liernu.
Ten new restaurants were inducted into the guide’s one-star category this year, of which seven in Flanders, one in Brussels and two in Wallonia. In Knokke, Cuines,33 has introduced an original new dining concept based on an exquisitely crafted menu of tapas dishes. Using the finest fresh market produce, Arnold Hanbuckers at A’Qi in Sint Andries (Bruges) blends highly traditional dishes with flavors from all over the world. In Uccle (Brussels), Va Doux Vent (formerly the Bon-Bon) is now run by a team of three professionals trained in the capital’s most prestigious restaurants. Two restaurants in Wallonia also received stars: Le Jardin des Bégards in Liège, whose chef François Piscitello prepares Italianinspired dishes, and L’Impératif in Maizières, which specializes in fish preparations.
Further attesting to the vitality of the Belgian and Luxembourg gourmet scene, Michelin has identified three Rising Star restaurants in the 2013 guide: La Villa Lorraine à Bruxelles, a well-renowned restaurant that has returned to the forefront of Brussels’ fine-dining community under a new team and a chef offering simple, contemporary fare; The Glorious, a popular Antwerp-based restaurant/wine bar serving generous portions of bold classical dishes in a very trendy setting; and De Kristalijn in Genk, whose original, modern cuisine is at once imaginative and light.
The MICHELIN guide Belgium and Luxembourg also lists 146 Bib Gourmand restaurants (identified in the guide by the pictogram) that offer excellent value for money. Whether they are the latest buzz or quaint bistros, offering traditional or inventive cooking, local specialties or world cuisine, all serve a three-course meal (starter, main dish and dessert) for no more than €35 (€36 in Brussels and Luxembourg City), while respecting the quality criteria of the MICHELIN guide with regard to ingredients, creativity and consistent dining experience.
Thanks to a uniform, rigorous selection system applied to 23 countries, the MICHELIN guide is an international benchmark for gourmet dining. All of the restaurants featured in the selection were selected by the MICHELIN guide’s famous inspectors, who anonymously travel the roads of the Kingdom and the Grand Duchy in search of the best addresses. The inspectors undergo rigorous training so that they apply the same time-tested methods used by MICHELIN guide inspectors complete objectivity, Michelin inspectors pay all their bills in full.
The 2013 MICHELIN guide Belgium and Luxembourg goes on sale on November 22 for €19.95 in Belgium and €19.38 in Luxembourg. The 57th edition lists 1,815 addresses, 719 hotels (of which 72 Bib Hotels and 146 guesthouses) and 1,096 restaurants, including:
- 124 starred restaurants:
- 3, 3 stars restaurants
- 17, 2 stars restaurants, including one addition and 1 transfer
- 104, 1 star restaurants, including 11 additions and 1 transfer
- 3 Rising Star m restaurants
- 146 restaurants, of which 28 additions
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