Traditional fare for the modern day
Wallonia’s gastronomy is generous, authentic and deeply rooted in tradition, whether Michelin starred or cooked in a cozy barn. You will always enjoy flavorful fare, often inherited from rural traditions: Liège-style meatballs, Gaumais pâté, Chimay escavèche, Herve cheese, or Ardennes trout with local beers and wines accompanying each dish. The common factor? Passionate local chefs committed to bringing the very best products to table. Look out for the Table de Terroir label, which distinguishes restaurateurs who showcase local products and support regional producers. Here are just three of Wallonia’s talented chefs who can take you on a delightful culinary adventure.
Housed in a beautifully converted barn, Atelier des Alchimistes offers locally sourced vegetarian cuisine in a bright, convivial space. La-Louvière-born Chef Benoit Gillet’s passion is to showcase local and seasonal produce, and he even makes the bread himself. Both raw and delicate, wild, and accessible, his dishes equally attract a non-vegetarian clientele. Atelier des Alchimistes is much more than a dining room; it’s a connection point for the village where gastronomy meets the philosophy of good food in a space for sharing and conviviality.
In the heart of the Ardennes countryside, Sophie et Nicolas has become a must-visit restaurant, garnering rave reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations for a culinary experience both authentic and refined. Favoring products supplied by local producers and breeders who share his respect for nature and animals, chef Nicolas Septon’s cuisine aims to be as healthy as possible, without the use of additives. He’s also committed to reusing discarded products; even trout skin is transformed into elegant menu holders! Chef Septon enjoys delighting his customers by offering them a little Proust madeleine, his reinterpretation of the famous bowl of breakfast cereal for dessert, and surprising menus that change constantly, according to the arrival of seasonal products.
A native of Florenville, chef Clément Petitjean at La Grappe D’Or tells a love story through his cooking about his region, its producers, and gastronomy. Each dish is carefully conceived to highlight the suppliers with whom he maintains privileged relationships. Chef Petitjean offers a menu with at least one dish that changes weekly, taking pleasure in showcasing aromatic herbs and edible flowers grown in his one-hectare garden. His signature, delicate style focuses on the best possible preparation of each product to preserve its unique flavors and texture. In an elegant setting, the talented, Michelin- and green-starred Chef Petitjean invites you for an unforgettable dining experience. His restaurant is a tribute to the gastronomic richness of the Luxembourg region of Belgium’s Wallonia.
