Rating: 100. Once a simple brasserie serving traditional Belgian food, Hof van Cleve is now widely recognised as one of Belgium's gastronomic greats. Chef-owner Peter Goossens (b. 1964) started his career at a Belgian catering college in Koksijde, after which he continued this training in Paris, working in a number of Michelin-starred kitchens, including the then two-starred Le Pré Catelan. When he ...

Rating: 97. Hertog Jan is a restaurant co-owned by chef Gert de Mangeleer (b. 1977) and maitre d'hôtel / sommelier Joachim Boudens. The duo met when they were working at Danny Horseele's then two Michelin-starred restaurant 't Molentje in Zeebrugge. Later on they moved on to Hertog Jan and in 2005 they took over the restaurant together. Michelin awarded Hertog Jan its first star in 2007, the...

Rating: 92. Belgium currently counts 3 three-star restaurants: De Karmeliet in Bruges, Hof Van Cleve in Kruishoutem and Hertog Jan in Zedelgem (near Bruges). De Karmeliet has held this honour since 1996, making it the longest running three-star restaurant in Belgium at present. Chef-patron is Geert Van Hecke (b. 1956), who started the restaurant, with his wife Mireille, in 1983 on the corner of the Jeruzalems...

Rating: 96. Peter Goossens, the patron-cuisinier at Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem, is often referred to as one of the godfathers of modern Belgian cuisine and he is one of Belgium's most respected chefs. After his education at a Belgian catering college Peter Goossens spent several years in France were he trained in e.g. the Paris kitchens of Le Pré Catalan and Robuchon. When he ...

Rating: 98. It was only last November that Hertog Jan restaurant in Sint-Michiels near Bruges was awarded a third Michelin star, the first restaurant in Belgium to gain a third star since Peter Goossens' Hof van Cleve in 2005. Head-chef of Hertog Jan is 33 year old Gert de Mangeleer, which makes this young Flemish chef one of the youngest three-star chefs in Europe. During his training at restaura...