Flemish cuisine promotion launched to international tourists

“We need to have a bit more pride in what we have to offer here in Flanders,” Weyts said. “We need to promote it better at home and abroad. That’s why we’re joining the forces of everyone who works in the sector, from the top chefs to the culinary schools.”

Among the “Captains of Gastronomy” gathered for the action was Peter Goossens of Hof van Cleve restaurant in Kruishoutem, one of Flanders’ three three-Michelin star chefs. Because of his restaurant and many TV activities, Goossens is the best-known face internationally of top gastronomy in the region.

Goossens described how his restaurant has seen a growth in tourists combining a weekend or a short stay in Flanders with a specifically culinary destination. “That happens more and more,” he told VTM News. “We also see people, certainly at our level of restaurant, who make it their whole purpose to come and eat with us and in other cities in Flanders.”

Among Flanders Food Faculty plans are a mission statement and the creation of a meeting place linking the restaurant sector and the international culinary press, followed by an exchange programme sending Flemish chefs abroad and bringing chefs from other countries to the region. “We already have the best cuisine,” Weyts said. “Now we’ll also have the best promotion.”

Photo: Volta, one of Ghent’s top culinary hotspots

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