The Loodswezen on the Scheldt Quays in Antwerp is to become the Smaakhaven. The Flemish Government is investing a whopping 38 million euros to create a Flemish Culinary Centre. But what is Flemish cuisine, in extenso Belgian cuisine? Of course, Flanders being Flanders, and being governed by Flemish nationalists, it underlines the Flemishness of the cuisine.

I was triggered by an article in De Standaard, titled ‘Ons culinair erfgoed? Rijstpap, petit-beurretaart en … koriander‘, by Kubra Mayda on 27 June 2023. “Our culinary heritage? Rice porridge, petit beurre pie and … coriander.”

Flemish cuisine or Belgian cuisine is more than beer, fries, chocolate and waffles. Food archeologist Jeroen Van Vaerenbergh hopes the centre will go beyond meatballs in tomato sauce or at least tell the story of tomatoes in Flanders.

What is traditional cuisine?

Quite universally, traditional dishes are based in food by and for workers. Farmers, industrial workers. Even cuisines with a reputation of being refined such as French or Italian cuisine has (poor) peasants’ roots. 

Prof. dr. Alberto Grandi of the University of Parma says what we now see as genuine Italian cuisine was actually (re)designed in the United States, where poor immigrants from Italy found the means and ingredients to refine traditional recipes. His findings are controversial. Italy finds it hard to digest its cuisine is not ultra-Italian. 

Flanders

“When we think of Flemish cuisine, we quickly come to conservative dishes such as mussels or waffles,” says Van Vaerenbergh in De Standaard. He prefers to look at the ingredients rather than the dish, because they tell us more.

An example is coriander on potato dishes. “We consider that an influence from Middle Eastern cuisine. But as an archaeologist, I know that coriander was found in the Flemish herb gardens of the Middle Ages. Then it disappeared, and now it comes back through Yotam Ottolenghi or Thai cuisine. We need to get coriander back on our fries with sausage and red cabbage.”

Outside influences

We can also consider olives and olive oil, dolmades, pide and feta as Flemish cuisine, says Van Vaerenbergh. “They were once imported by the Romans and then disappeared again, but they have been part of a living Flemish tradition since Limburg‘s mining past.”

We tend to see rijstpap or rice porridge as very Flemish. “But in 16th century cookbooks it is described as ‘Spanish porridge’ and cooking rice in milk with sugar and spices actually comes from the Arab culture. We think that Flemish fare has remained unchanged for centuries, but in reality that is not the case.”

As with professor Grandi, Van Vaerenbergh challenges set ideas on culinary traditions. 

Defining Flemish cuisine is impossible, says Jöran De Backer, chef of Sir Anthony Van Dijck and one of the ambassadors of Flemish culinary heritage. “We have a classic French restaurant, but sometimes there is also a Flemish classic”, he says in De Standaard. “Stew meat is a Flemish classic, but it also occurs in French cuisine.”

De Backer likes the idea of a Flemish Culinary Centre. Tourists, says De Backer, come into contact with the regional cuisine less and less. “In tourist guides you will find the best Italian or the best Chinese. Maybe tourists should also get acquainted with the local cuisine.”

Flemish tagine?

“When we travel to Spain or Italy, we are open to new dishes. I don’t see why tourists who come here shouldn’t have the same curiosity about Flemish or Belgian cuisine”, says Michael Vanderhaeghe in De Standaard. He is the chef of Hostellerie Saint-Nicolas in Elverdinge in West Flanders. 

Van Vaerenbergh recommends playing more playfully with flavors from Flemish cuisine. “We consider the sweet-hearted combination of chicken, potatoes and applesauce to be a typically Flemish flavour, but we also find it in a tajine with chicken and raisins.”

Belgian or Flemish?

Radio 1, in Flanders the more serious news-oriented radio station, talked to world-famous-in-Flanders television chef Jeroen Meus.

“Our kitchen mainly starts from our products.” According to him, to begin with, there is not really a difference between Flemish and Belgian cuisine. “I already find it difficult to define Belgian cuisine. What we eat in Flanders, people in Wallonia and Brussels eat just as well”, he says on ‘Nieuwe Feiten‘.

“For example, we don’t have a tapas or mezze culture. We mainly have products that distinguish us from other countries. Typical Belgian products are, for example, chicory, asparagus and strawberries. We also have some characteristic habits, such as eating fries standing up.”

“Of course we have dishes – which we all feel nostalgic about – such as stew, Ghent waterzooi and chicory with ham and cheese, but our kitchen is actually very similar to French cuisine. Vol-au-vent, for example, has actually blown over from France. “

Meus also emphasizes that cuisine evolves, just like language. “Where do you draw the line? And what do you do with new classics? Spaghetti with minced meat, bell pepper, mushrooms and carrots is often made in Belgium. If you tell an Italian that, you will probably wake up with a horse’s head in your bed, but I’ve embraced that now.”

Either way, Meus is happy with the upcoming Centre. “That’s something we’ve been waiting for for years. The Spanish government invested heavily in their cooks and food culture years ago. Suddenly they were leading. Remember molecular cuisine? That came from Spain.”

“So I think it’s fantastic to support Flemish and Belgian culinary heritage. We have very cool historians here who are working on food history and origin. That’s super interesting.”

Belgian or Flemish restaurants? 

De Backer’s comment on guidebooks leading the way to Chinese or Italian restaurants resonates with me. Which Belgian or Flemish restaurants do I know. By which I mean, restaurants openly serving Belgian or Flemish dishes. 

I came up with two names: De Bomma, also called Grandma’s Restaurant and De 7 Schaken. Thanh suggested De Rode Zeven, a folksy, socialist establishment on Sint-Jansplein. De Bomma and De 7 Schaken are located in the touristic city centre near City Hall. 

Top 8

A Google search obviously gives more answers. Visit Antwerp gives eight top tips for “real Flemish classics”. 

1. Tomaat-garnaal (tomato filled with shrimp) at Ciro’s. “Anyone who wants to eat a good steak béarnaise or tomato shrimp in Antwerp naturally goes to the Ciro’s. Here you can enjoy a real bourgeois kitchen without fuzz. The interior has been untouched since the 1960s, the waiters and waitresses are dressed in impeccable black and white and other top classics such as shrimp croquettes and dame blanche also appear on the white tablecloths.” Amerikalei 6.
2. Stoofvlees or beef stew at De Arme Duivel. Right between the Bourla and the chic Schuttershofstraat, you can enjoy delicious stewed meat with fries at De Arme Duivel. No lumps of fat, but pure pieces of juicy meat. The mayonnaise is of course homemade and the matching pint freshly tapped. You will also find steak tartare, shrimp and cheese croquettes and vol-au-vent on the menu. And all that in a cozy pub atmosphere.” Armeduivelstraat 1.
3. Flemish-style bolognese spaghetti at Stanny’s. “Directly opposite Antwerp-Berchem Railway Station, it is wonderful to sit outside on the long benches as well as inside in the cozy eatery interior of Stanny’s. For a drink or for a number of daily specials that are constantly changing. What is always on the chalkboard, however, is the fantastically delicious spaghetti. With mountains of vegetables, with or without minced meat. Far from Italian, but all Flemish!” Stanleystraat 1.
4. Vol-au-vent at The Butcher’s Son. “Anyone who says that you can only get tufts on a bed or a cloud in a star restaurant should definitely pass by The Butcher’s Son. On the site of Brouwerij De Koninck you can enjoy a vol-au-vent deluxe with, among other things, black leg chicken, veal sweetbreads and hollandaise sauce. You can only order it for two, but the puff pastry biscuit is a feast for the eyes.” Boomgaardstraat 1.
5. Shrimp croquettes at Aux Vieux Port. In this typically French brasserie, everything is homemade and you can still witness classic hall preparations, such as pressing a duck carcass for the ultimate gravy. Another asset that you are only too happy to sink your teeth into is their artisanal cheese and shrimp croquettes. Of course with fried parsley.” Napelsstraat 130.
6. Paling in ‘t groen or eel in green at Het Nieuw Palinghuis. “In this monumental fish restaurant on the Pedestrian tunnel, you can enjoy sole meunière (sea sole wrapped in flour) and eel in green. The restaurant prides itself on working exclusively with wild-caught eel. The herb sauce based on chervil, among other things, is also really delicious!” Sint-Jansvliet 14.
7. Steak tartare in Bar(t) à Vin. “This wonderful wine restaurant is located bang in the former Antwerp slaughterhouse neighbourhood. You can still tell by the authentic wall tiles with scenes of piglets from 1942 that there used to be a pig deboning shop here. In addition to the raw version, also order the Mac Bart. Then the steak tartare is briefly seared so that it still remains wonderfully pink inside.” Lange Slachterijstraat 3-5.
8. Steak béarnaise at Bistrot du Nord. “Hidden behind the Sint-Jansplein you will find a hell of a restaurant with the looks of a classic Parisian bistro. Chef Michaël Rewers learned his trade in the former Antwerp slaughterhouse district and various star restaurants. That even earned him a Michelin star in 2013. The meat here melts on your tongue and you can’t get enough of the fries. Make it a classic three-course meal by starting with shrimp croquettes and ending your highlight with one of the tastiest dame blanches ever.” Lange Dijkstraat 36.

The Fork

For online booking tool The Fork, the top 10 Belgian restaurants in Antwerp are:

1. Taverne De Grave, Van Schoonbekestraat 186.
2. Brasserie Mercure Antwerp City South, Desguinlei 94.
3. ‘t Braboke, Grote Markt 18.
4. Ernest Bistro, Hoogstraat 54.
5. Fabrik, Oudevaartplaats 44.
6. Croquettenbar Smaeck, Lange Koepoortstraat 32.
7. Made in Antwerp, Koningin Astridplein 7.
8. Bistro Jacob, Sint-Jacobsmarkt 86.
9. Refill, Korte Koraalberg 8.

I said 10, but number 10 is in Willebroek and that is far from Antwerp. It is unclear how The Fork decided on this top 10.

So?

There are restaurants marketing themselves as Belgian or Flemish, but I don’t know if many locals seek them out. I never heard anyone say “I want Belgian tonight”. We don’t take pride as the Italians or French do. Abroad, we don’t look for Belgian cuisine. But we will get fries when we get home. 

On tourism

• Antwerp counts more bars and restaurants and notices rise of ‘fast casual’ eateries.
• ANTWERP | Loodswezen to house Smaakhaven or Taste Haven, a Flemish Culinary Centre.
• Antwerp hotel industry demands stricter rules and enforcement for Airbnb as business tourism is not recovering.
• ANTWERP | 2022 tourism statistics show recovery towards 2019 numbers.
• City happy with Winter in Antwerp 2022-2023 edition.
• Belgians make 4.5 million day trips to Antwerp every year.
• ANTWERP | 2 million day tourists and 337K overnight stays in the summer of 2022.
• Belgians travelled massively in the first quarter of 2022.
• The Major Flaws of domestic tourism in Belgium.
• Discovering Belgium and the Netherlands in COVID times.
• Will COVID-19 be the End of Business Class?.
• The world of travel and planning after coronavirus COVID-19.
• Balancing travel enthusiasm and the reality of the coronavirus crisis.
• Skam or being shamed for going outside.
• FLANDERS | Castles of the Scheldt.