12 December: The annual Gala of the Club was held at the Sea
Grill
restaurant in Brussels. After dinner, Jacques Dugait, President of the
Club, and Gérald Heim de Balsac, Secretary General of the International
Academy of Gastronomy handed to Mr Fabrice Hulster, the Sommelier Award
of the International Academy. This exceptional evening closed the year
Gourmet Club [photos].
15 November: The Club took the opportunity of the arrival of the
autumn and of the hunting season to travel to the heart of the Famenne
in a restaurant known for its traditional cooking, its top quality
products, but also its provocative name: Le Fou est belge
in Heure-en-Famenne. For over 32 years, Chef Daniel Van Lint, greets in
a slightly rustic setting, lovers of authentic cuisine rid of
unnecessary decorations [photos].
11 October: Dinner at the restaurant De Tuinkamer
in Beerzel [photos].
Behind an ancient half-timbered façade, the Club was surprised to enter
the restaurant through a traditional bakery. Chef Ken Verschueren, 35,
graduated from the Hotel School in Koksijde, spent four years with
Sergio Herman (3 Michelin stars in the Netherlands) and decided to
install his restaurant in his native village.
14 September: The Club discovered the talents of Chef Bert Meewis,
owner of Slagmolen
in Opglabbeek Slagmolen and rewarded by a 18/20 in Gault & Millau and
two Michelin stars [photos].
31 August: Award of the 2013 High Gastronomy
Prize
to Chef Pierre Massin of restaurant Chai Gourmand
in Gembloux.
3 July: Award of the 2013 Crystal Prize to
Christophe Hardiquest, Chef of Bon-Bon
restaurant in Brusels [photos].
21-22 June: The Club travelled to the Netherlands for an extended
week-end in the central region of the country. Aside from visiting the
Het Loo Royal Palace and the Kroller-Muller museum, it was an excellent
opportunity to discover the top tables of the Guelderland and Overijssel
provinces:
Echoput
in Hoog-Soeren [photos],
De Librije
in Zwolle [photos]
and finally Kasteel Engelenburg in Brummen [photos].
10 May: After a visit to the Royal Museum of Mariemont, the Club
went for dinner in restaurant Au Gré du Vent
in Seneffe. The restaurant had recently received it first star in the
Michelin Guide and its Chef, Stéphanie Thunus, had just been award the
title of 'Lady Chef of the year 2014' by the 'Ambiance Culinaire'
magazine. Gault & Millau named her 'Grand de Demain' 2014 for Wallonia [photos].
27 April: With the beginning of spring, the Club went breathing the
fresh hair of the fields of the Hennuyères region, for a lunch at
restaurant
L'Impératif
in Maisières. Chef Benoit Neusy had been named by Gault & Millau two
years earlier 'Grand de Demain'; the same year he was awarded his first
Michelin star [photos].
22 March: General Assembly of the Club in restaurant
L'Épicerie, Méridien hotel, Brussels [photos].
28 February: Where used to be restaurant Bon-Bon, now works a young
Chef who trained at Sea-Grill. The award of his first Michelin star in
2013, was a good opportunity for the Club to discover his restaurant:
Va Doux Vent in
Brussels [photos].
18 January: The Club started the year 2014 with a dinner of Italian
gastronomy at restaurant La Caneva in Brussels [photos].