TIME FOR SOME FLEMISH FOOD RESEARCH – TRY HARRODS?
Tourism Flanders and Harrods have joined forces to offer customers a unique gastronomic celebration of the region’s finest food and drink. From 25 November until 8 December, Harrods will play host to some of the Flemish’s Coasts most renowned and respected chefs and feature a wide range of premium Flemish products throughout the food halls.
Throughout the fortnight, the Sea Grill and Rotisserie restaurants will showcase recipes by the Michelin starred Bart Desmidt, David Sevranckx, Piet Devriendt, and Vincent Florizoone. Each of the featured chefs is travelling to London for the promotion to teach Harrods’ own chefs the secrets of Flemish cuisine. During the promotion both restaurants will offer signature dishes from the guest chefs’ restaurants including specialties such as fresh scallops, mussels, steak tartare and marinated oxtail.
The Chocolate Bar located on the 2nd Floor of Harrods, will also feature a whole host of Belgian chocolate treats including heavenly creamy Wossels’ chocolate jenever, chocolate covered fresh waffles and hot milky chocolate made with flavoured chocolate sticks by Choc’o’Lait. The chocolate sticks are available in various flavours and are dipped in hot milk to produce a truly delicious hot chocolate drink.
Other products on sale will include the freshest of Flemish cheeses, charcuterie and seafood. Chefs in the Harrods Bakery will be baking “speculoos”, a type of spice infused biscuit as well as preparing the freshest waffles under instruction of chef Mario Cattoor. Shoppers will be able to sample a variety of Flemish produce throughout the Food Hall during the promotion including Neuhaus chocolates, a variety of Flemish beers as well as the “gin-like” spirit, jenever.
Dawn Page, director of Tourism Flanders-Brussels UK commented: “We are proud of the forthcoming promotion in association with Harrods. We hope to showcase the best of Flemish food and drink and give gastronomes “food for thought” when they plan their next trip to the continent”.
As part of the promotion, customers will be able participate in a competition to win a weekend for two at the Flemish Coast. To enter, they need only purchase a Flemish product from the Food Halls, Chocolate Bar or order a speciality dish from the Sea Grill and Rotisserie restaurants. Entry forms will be available throughout Harrods.
As well as the competition, the public can enjoy an inspiring window display, designed to promote the event and located on Hans Crescent. The display features an impressive visual arrangement of some of Flanders’ best loved products including the lifestyle brands Delvaux and Flamant.
Information about the participating Flemish Chefs :
David Servranckx and sous chef Luc Declerk can be proud of their culinary reputation in Ostend. David is the owner of a “Gault Millau” chef’s hat and has enjoyed enthusiastic reportage in the “Prijs Plezier” or “Pleasure Prize” in Belgium.
Bistro Mathilda is cosy restaurant, famous for their extraordinary Steak Tartare and well frequented by locals.
Bistro Mathilda
Leopold II –laan 1,8400 Ostend
For more information about Bistro Mathilda, visit www.bistromathilda.be
Piet Devriendt is famous for his mouth-watering seafood in Blankeberge. He was awarded “Best restaurant for Price and Quality” in 2006 and 2007 by readers of Flemish magazine Trends and Knack.
“The Oyster Pot” or “De Oesterput” in Flemish is a much loved and favoured seafood restaurant in the popular holiday resort of Blankenberge. It is renowned for its deliciously prepared Mussels.
De Oesterput
Wenduinse Steenweg 16,8370 Blankenberge
For more information about Oesterput visit www.oesterput.com
Vincent Florizoone has an impressive culinary background. As well as being head chef of Grand Cabaret, situated in picturesque Nieuwpoort, Vincent was awarded the Best Young Chef in Belgium in 2007. His experience working in three of Europe’s best restaurants; El Bulli (Spain), Bruneau (Brussels) and Don Alfonso (Italy) brings an eclectic diversity to his style of cooking. His latest accolade includes being voted as the winner of the “finest inventive gastronomy” category by readers of Belgian magazine Knack.
Grand Cabaret offers classical and contemporary Flemish dishes prepared in a fresh and stylish fashion. Vincent will be accompanied by his sous chef Lore Cogghe.
Grand Cabaret
Kaai12, 8620 Nieuwpoort
For more information about his restaurant see www.grandcabaret.be
Mario Cattoor specialises in traditional Flemish fayre and has published his book “The local Flavours of De Vlaamsche Pot” revealing his grandmother’s best dishes that typify the specialities of Western Flanders. His restaurant De Vlaamsche Pot is situated heart of the romantic city of Bruges.
De Vlaamsche Pot
Helmstraat 3, 8000 Bruges
For more information about his De Vlaamsche Pot see www.devlaamschepot.be
