This culinary event brings together 17 Belgian chefs, most of them Michelin starred, as well as a number of visiting guests renowned for their talent, expertise and/or science, in the spirit of interaction and development.

The project began last year when Bruges food scientist Bernard Lahousse – the guy behind Flanders’ food combining craze – brought 11 chefs to the first event to discuss science, food and culinary progress. This year, the group grew to 17 naturally. “It’s a collective of passionate Belgian chefs who want to collaborate and exchange ideas.”

Talent on hand is made up of a range of big names from the local and international world of gastronomy, including Dutch chef Sergio Herman of the three Michelin star Oud Sluis, the three Roca brothers (Josep, Jordi and Joan) of El Celler de Can Roca in Spain (last year named the fifth best restaurant in the world on the prestigious list of Restaurant magazine), and Flanders’ own Peter Goossens of the Michelin three-star Hof van Cleve.

In its first year, the lectures, key note and chef demonstrations were given separately. This time, they interact and present simultaneously. “Last year the scientist presentations were all theoretical,” explains Lahousse. “We want to show the application of science to provide solutions in the kitchen. Each chef will give a presentation on how they’ve been inspired to create new gastronomic dishes, while related experts will explain what worked, what didn’t and why.”

The goal of The Flemish Primitives is to help establish Belgian cultural identity and how this unique gastronomy has reached a whole new level – not copied or mirrored from another country but driven internally by the area’s own chefs, culinary history and local ingredients.

Guests include Harold McGee from the US, the famous New York Times columnist and cookbook author. Scientists from the Catholic University of Leuven and the University of Ghent will be in attendance, as well as experts from the Culinary Institute of America. Add in the German Institute of Food Technologies and the Howest Industrial Design Center, and you have a hotbed of diverse expertise and creativity all centred on food.

The event runs from morning until the evening’s reception and party. But, besides the big names, the event remains a mystery, with specifics glaringly omitted. That won’t stop foodies from buying up all the tickets, even if just to be in the same room with this group of food masters. It has been announced that four totally new tools and presentation methods will be revealed for the first time at the event.

The entrance fee is steep at €300. But you have the privilege of knowing that all the money is put back into next year’s event; no guest or chef is paid. General members of the public are welcome, but, with that price tag, most of the 1,000 attendees are professionals looking to learn how to improve their methods in the kitchen. At the time this article went to press, about 100 tickets remained.

www.theflemishprimitives.com