First of all, don’t be scared off thinking this is a militant vegetarian exercise. It’s just about healthy eating. Twenty years ago, Fol observed that people were talking a lot about “healthy eating” but having a hard time finding healthy options when eating out. Even a simple sandwich was (and still often is) high on fatty sauces and low on vegetables.
Fol (pictured) wanted to turn traditional restaurant menu development on its head: “When I create a recipe, I start with the vegetables, then I see if I should add fish or meat, or neither,” he explains. “It gives a better balance in the dish, and the portion of vegetables can be bigger.”
Raised on a farm near Leuven, Fol’s restaurant credentials run from Brussels’ La Villa Lorraine to his former Michelin-starred Sire Pynnock in Leuven… and to Exki. He has been instrumental in developing Exki’s fast – but healthy – menu items.
He’s also behind Légumaise, the series of blendedvegetable spreads and sauces that provide healthy alternatives to more oily counterparts like mayonnaise and salad dressing.
Now his vegetable-friendly philosophy has partnered with GaultMillau for the Eet Meer Groenten restaurant contest. The team wants to motivate chefs and restaurateurs to use vegetables more often and to give them a more prominent place on the menu.
Registrations are currently open for the Benelux-wide contest, now in its second year. Until the end of April, restaurants can choose to throw their hat in the ring for two prize categories in 2010: Best Vegetable Restaurant and Best Kid-friendly Vegetable Restaurant. Moreover, diners (that means you) are welcome to register and post their suggestions and critiques on the Eet Meer Groenten blog.
In early May, eight restaurants will be selected as finalists. They are evaluated by the team, and the blog remains open for public feedback on the selections. In October, prizes are awarded.
Last year, 34 restaurants registered. Of the 13 finalists, 10 were in Flanders, as were both winners: Clandestino in Haasdonk, East Flanders, took the overall prize, and Potiron in Kasterlee, Antwerp province, (recently covered in this column) was named most kid friendly.
Fol laments the scant attention paid to kids’ cuisine. “We are very happy when we see chefs doing really creative recipes for children,” he says. “Even making something a little bit gastronomic.”
Contact Bite at flandersbite@gmail.com
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