PRESS KIT
Brussels, September 2016
eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX 2016
eat! Brussels, drink! Bordeaux, the festival that embodies the variety and gourmet aspects of Brussels, returns this year with a totally revamped concept
From 8 to 11 September 2016,the eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX festival will show off the the diversity of Brussels gastronomy, accompanied by the best Bordeaux. For its fifth edition, the festival offers a whole new concept: several dozen great Brussels chefs will take turns introducing a signature dish from their restaurants each day.
The bill of fare will be rounded off by a series of chefs from cities and regions that have bilateral agreements with the Brussels Region. In addition, fifty Bordeaux wine-growers and merchants will share their wines, offer wine-pairings to accompany the chefs' dishes, and enable newcomers and long-time wine aficionados to test and refine their knowledge of wine at the Bordeaux School of Wine's pavilion.
Asian, Moroccan, Italian, Lebanese or Greek - the identity of Brussels gastronomy is far from being limited to Belgian mussels and fries. Brussels is at the crossroads of all nations and its gastronomic reputation is well renowned. With its seventeen award-winning restaurants, the city has more stars than cities like Berlin, Rome or Milan. And if fine dining is blossoming without any doubt in the European capital, eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX is one more opportunity to recall this by bringing together some of the best chefs in the city. For gourmands and gourmets, a signature dish will be offered by chefs at single prices so that visitors can do a culinary tour in the prestigious green space of the Parc de Bruxelles.With its ideal central location, eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX will be a relaxing place to meet, savour gourmet delights, and sample Bordeaux wines throughout the long weekend. It’s a great time to share with family, friends, or colleagues.
For the third time, the restaurants festival has the privilege of hosting the Bordeaux winemaking tourist event, "Bordeaux Fête le Vin". Thanks to the "Wine Pass", a tasting passport, a visitor will be able to go into various pavilions where Bordeaux winemakers will show them the numerous wines from their region. Great wine lovers (or novice) will be able to refine their oenological knowledge through entertaining and educational workshops.
Food lovers will also have a whale of a time taking part in culinary workshops organised on the spot by the Mmmmh!
The festival eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX Festival is also an opportunity to show that the hotel and catering industry is a significant source of employment in the Brussels-Capital Region. On 31 December 2013, there were a total of 26,730 persons employed in the hotel and catering industry whereas, including all activities, tourism made up 28,380.
Contents
1.eat! BRUSSELS: the chefs
2.Bordeaux pavilions at eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX
3.The international village
4.Mmmmh! workshops
5.The Bordeaux wine school
6.The Bordeaux «Masterclasses»
7.Gourmet Counters
8.eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX : a sustainable event
9.Key facts about Bordeaux wines
11.eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX rallies round for Amatrice
12.Practical information
13.Press information
- eat! BRUSSELS: the chefs
For its fifth edition, the eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX festival is growing and is adding even more iconic Brussels chefs. A total of fifteen chefs have been invited by visit.brussels to install pop-up kitchens in the Parc de Bruxelles. Diversity, quality and creativity are the watchwords for this fifth edition of the festival.
The participatingchefs are:
-Bruno Antoine & Pierre Rahola : Emile Bistro à Manger & Charlotte Café Cuisine
- Their signature dish : Octopus and chorizo fricassée with parsley ricotta
Two inseparable restaurants with their own individual character. At the start there was Emile, a fashionable bistro with a warm welcome. The menu is brimming with very simple dishes, cooked with tender care. Charlotte is Emile's wife and is also an authentic Uccle bistrot converted into a fashionable venue. Charlotte welcomes you at any time of the day for a dish to be shared, a breakfast or an aperitif with friends.
Bruno Antoine & Pierre Rahola will be present Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
-Paulo Campos – Toucan sur Mer
- His signature dish : Selection of 6 Toucan cupped oysters -
Fine du Toucan n°3, Cadoret, Northern Brittany (F) medium-sized (3 oysters)
Spéciale Toucan n°3, Quitin, Southern Brittany (F) medium sized (3 oysters)
Both restaurant and oyster seller, Le Toucan's little brother is the archetype of these ever-fashionable Brussels eating places. People come to taste the seafood for its freshness and for the way it is prepared, the way it should be done, the authentic way.
Paulo Campos will be present Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
-Luigi Ciciriello – La Truffe Noire
- Their signature dish : Oeuf Colombus®, scrambled egg with truffles, grenaille potatoes and summer truffle julienne
La Truffe Noire has been delighting lovers of fine food for nearly 30 years with the truffle as the star of the show. Whether black, white or summer, the truffle is turned into poetry by Luigi Ciciriello in his elegant venue near to the Cambre. This eatery dedicated to refinement and to the powerful magic of this extraordinary ingredient ensures an unforgettable experience at this gem of the culinary world.
Erik Lindelauf, Aziz Ur Rehman Bhatti & Luigi Ciciriello will be present Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
-Line Couvreur – Les Filles
- Her signature dish : Ibaïona pork curry, Belgian quinoa, prunes, figs, organic fennel and Anderlecht flowers
Line Couvreur has long been an advocate of accessible, tasty, and seasonal cuisine. She expresses herself through her all-female, multifaceted project: "Les Filles." Her fixed price menu features organic dishes, an unbeatable value next to a grocery, cooking classes, and a thousand other creative initiatives.
Line Couvreur will be on hand Saturday and Sunday.
-Denis Delcampe –Le Tournant
Le Tournant is located in the heart of Ixelles at the edge of the Matonge district. This is where Denis Delcampe puts together a gourmet market cuisine influenced by cuisines from all over the world. The restaurant also emphasizes its natural wine menu and the food-wine pairings that result.
Denis Delcampe will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-Constantin Erinkoglou–Notos
- His signature dish : Fleurs de Pontos (meat ravioli, poached in chicken stock)
Right when Notos opened in 1995, Constantin Erinkoglou's cuisine was based on the rich Greek culinary heritage that he renders decidedly contemporary. His dishes, at once very personal yet full of cultural excitement, help make Notos one of the best world cuisine restaurants in Brussels.
Constantin Erinkoglou will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-Ugo Federico & Francesco Cury– Racines
- Their signature dish :Chick pee "Crespelle" stuffed with Burrata di Bufala from Cilento and Piennolo tomatoes from Vesuvius
Above all, Racines is a culinary journey. It's a trip to an authentic, flavourful, and lyrical Italy. An Italy that offers us a limitless supply of first rate products.An Italy where the Slow Food Movement began, which shines through the cuisine of these two partners. The soul of Racines can be summed up in a few words: "Capri / Florence / A Flagey."
Ugo Federico and Francesco Cury will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-Joël Geismar– Garage à Manger
- His signature dish : 24hr slow-cooked veal breast, kalamata olive, radish and lemon confit
The Garage à Manger is first and foremost the story of a food truck, El Camion, which JoëlGeismar has presided over for several years. To complement his rolling restaurant, the chef took over an old mechanic's garage where he offers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks over the course of the day. He even does brunch on weekends. It's a spot where it's always the right time to come in and enjoy his cuisine.
JoëlGeismar will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-Alex Joseph –Rouge Tomate
- His signature dish : Compressed watermelon salad, boquerons, tomatoes confit and garden herbs
Without a doubt, one of the finest spots in town. Since he took over its ovens, Californian Alex Joseph has led the Rouge Tomate toward a refined contemporary cuisine that always offers something new. Alex won the San Pellegrino best young chef title in 2015.
Alex Joseph will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-Benjamin Laborie – Colonel
- His signature dish : Medium-cooked beef sirloin, seaweed tartare and quinoa salad with citrus fruit confit
Benjamin Laborie's talent does not stop at cooking the best grilled meats in the capital. Although Colonel's reputation rests on red meat above all, the restaurant also offers other dishes that highlight the chef's innate qualities and the richness of his culinary palette.
Benjamin Laborie will be on hand Thursday.
-Valérie Lepla–Pistolet Original
- Plat-signature: Le Zenne Pistolet Cantillon
This versatile genius offers stuffed pistolet sandwiches that bring back the area's forgotten specialities as well as recipes developed with renowned chefs. For eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX, Pistolet Original presents an all-new, 100% Brussels pistolet produced in conjunction with Dirk Miny, chef of Brigittines, and Jean Van Roy, the owner of the Brasserie Cantillon.
Valérie Lepla will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-David Martin– Les Ateliers de la Mer
- His signature dish : Classic croquettes, the taste of Belgium in a croquette
David Martin, the starred chef at the helm of La Paix, excels with a unique cuisine greatly influenced by his trips to Japan in which vegetables play an ever more prominent role. He's coming to eat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX to unveil his new concept that is sure to delight Brussels' foodies eager for Belgian culinary traditions.
David Martin will be on hand Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-Maxime Maziers – L’Ecailler du Palais Royal
- His signature dish : Fraîcheur de Tourteau Breton, variety of tomatoes
Opened in 1967 by Marcel Kreusch, l’Ecailler du Palais Royal has just entered a second childhood. This establishment now welcomes its customers into a completely refreshed setting with a new menu combining elegance and the contemporary. You can eat at a table or at the bar, where you can taste little dishes served quickly in an "Eat & Fly" concept. An obligatory stop that is rooted more than ever in the present.
Maxime Maziers will be present Saturday and Sunday.
-Minoru Seino – Seino
- His signature dish : Salmon Tataki with Dashi jelly, Sanshô cream and preserve Soy-Ginger eggplant
Don't talk to Minoru Seino about cuisine fusion whatever you do. Within these walls that saw Pascal Devalkeneer blossom in his time, Seino serves French cuisine peppered with Japanese influences. On the plate is primarily an extremely personal touch, the result of the chef expressing himself in an out of the ordinary way. Seino offers the best of both worlds: French culinary heritage and the refinement of Japanese cuisine.
Minoru Seino will be present Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
-Karen Torosyan – Bozar Brasserie
- His signature dish : Parsley Ham hot-cold, smoked eel, celery and horseradish
Madly in love with the great traditional dishes of French cooking and endowed with an unrivaled technical mastery, Karen Torosyan took the title of World Champion of Pâté enCroûte in 2015. The sublime brasserie cuisine of Bozar Brasserie combines refinement and friendliness, and every year its menu is chock full of new dishes that become as many instant classics.
Karen Torosyan will be on hand Sunday.
-Yannick Van Aeken & Glen Ramaekers – Humphrey
- Their signature dish : Blue Cheese Humphrey Wings Celery
Nestled in the premises of the PIAS record company, Humphrey is like none other. The chef Yannick Van Aeken, despite his young age, has already worked on several continents, including a few years spent in the service of René Redzepi of the famous Noma in Copenhagen and at the AsadorEtxebarri in the Basque Country. His cooking is unbridled, cosmopolitan and imaginative. It is structured into little dishes classified by theme depending on the chef's inspiration.
Yannick Van Aeken & Glen Ramaekers will be present Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
-Julien Van Den Neste – Jour de Fête
- His signature dish : Iberian pork with ceps, smoked potato, dill mousse and black sauce
An original "capital" concept combining a party venue and a restaurant, Jour de Fête offers friendly cuisine based on five dishes comprised of fresh seasonal products, which are changed every Monday. An original cafeteria where the customer becomes a regular and where friendliness adds to the flavour of the cuisine prepared by chef Julien Van Den Neste.
Julien Van Den Neste will be on hand Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
-PinoZizza – Il Passatempo
- His signature dish : Giant tortello stuffed with veal Brasato with potato purée and Taleggio cream with ginger and caramelised pear
A well kept secret in fine Brussels Italian cuisine, Il Passatempo has a good many fans both famous and anonymous who love PinoZizza's instinctive cuisine. This is a place where the chef's inspiration determines the course of your meal, much to your great delight.
PinoZizza will be on hand Thursday.
- Bordeauxpavilions ateat! BRUSSELS, drink! BORDEAUX
Bordeaux, there is so much to discover
The six families of Bordeaux wines will each be represented at their own pavilion: Bordeaux & Bordeaux Supérieur, Côtes de Bordeaux, Saint-EmilionPomerolFronsac, Médoc & Graves, white wines, sweet wines, and white dry-rosé-sparkling wines.
Bordeaux Pavilion, Bordeaux Supérieur
The Bordeaux designation includes red wines (Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc), dry white wines as well as rosés and sparkling wines. The Bordeaux designation is the most abundant of the Bordeaux vintage (33% of the volume produced in 2015). These reds are supple and enjoyable with an especially vivid fruit flavour. Hints of strawberry and currant are particularly noteworthy.
They pair wonderfully with light dishes like gazpacho, white meat, tartares, carpaccio, quiche, pizza, sushi, fish, fresh fruit, or sorbet.
The Bordeaux Supérieurare well-structured, round red wines with an intense robe that possess a remarkable aromatic richness – blackberry, raspberry, cherry - and smooth, round tannins.
The dominant Merlot facilitates pairings with ample, flavourful dishes like red meat, tagines, spicy dishes, risotto, pasta, hamburgers, hard cheeses, or chocolate desserts.
Bordeaux professionals on hand at this pavilion:
Frances Dean – Château AstrelusAlexis Anglivel – Château Larteau
Marie-Caroline Rozier – Château des Arras François Landais – Château La Caderie
Claude Gauduin – VitigestionPierre de Roquefeuil – Château de Perdaillan
Côtes de Bordeaux Pavilion
These are well-structured, round red wines that possess a noteworthy aromatic richness– blackberry, raspberry, cherry- and smooth tannins, either lively and fruity dry white wines with explosive sauvignon flavours – white flowers, peach, lemon - and a surprising freshness.
The reds, where Merlot is pre-eminent, are fruity wines with character that often include spiced notes. These generous wines with blended tanins may be enjoyed right away or set aside for a few years so they can get even better with age.
Reds go well with ample dishes, red meats, tagines, pasta, spicy foods, cold cuts, hard cheeses, chocolate desserts, whereas whites pair best with thin, light dishes like salads, sea food, grilled fish, white meats, or goat cheese.
Bordeaux professionals on hand at this pavilion:
Lise Menetret – SCEA Les CarmelsMathieu Thienpont – M. Thienpont
Marie Bourdillas – VignobelsBourdillasAmélie Osmond – Château Le Clos du Notaire
Benoît Fleuré – Gabart Laval Export Caroline Bourcier – Bourcier vintage SCEA
Bernard Limbosch – Château TifayneTom Davey – Château Moya
CendrineCaillier – Blaye Federation
Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Fronsac pavilion
These round, well-structured red wines distinguish themselves with strikingly rich flavours and round, smooth tannins – 60 to 80% Merlot blended with Cabernet franc or cabernet sauvignon. Suppleness, power, and finesse characterize these wines that age well. Their blackberry, raspberry, cherry, or violet flavours pair well with ample dishes such as red meats, spicy foods, hard cheeses, chocolate desserts, and they work well in sauces.
Mineral notes often round out the red-fruit bouquet of Saint-Emilion, generous wines with a great variety. Pomerols, a bit more structured, are well-suited to game and cold cuts, for example, while Fronsacs, rich and ample, can be consumed as young wine with delicate dishes.
Bordeaux professionals on hand at this pavilion:
Sophie Dulon – Vignobles DulonPhilippe Niarfeix – Château Chêne Liège
Julien Paille – Château CarlinaEmmanuelle Bordeille – Château Lambert
Aude Chevalier – Château ClarisseDelphine PuyolMilcent - Château Beaurang
Nathalie Chevalier – Château Saint VincentThibault Bardet – Château Franc Le Maine
Franck Binard – Director of the Saint-Emilion Wine Board
Médoc and Graves Pavilion
These powerful and intense red wines are crafted from the region's main red grape varieties: Cabernet sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet franc, Malbec, Petit Verdot.
These refined wines, full of character, leave a nice lingering flavour in the nose and mouth and blend their notes of blackberry, currant, or cinnamon well with savoury dishes: meats in sauce, roast lamb, risotto, hard desserts, or desserts with red fruits or chocolate.
The Graves also include structured and generous dry white wines. Both lively and generous, they provide an especially long-lasting aroma. A blend of Merlot and Cabernet sauvignon is most common.