Foodle

Willem Hiele

Our journey through Belgium continued on the coast, where we visited one of the country’s most distinctive culinary voices.

Like Kobe Desramaults, Willem Hiele has carved out his own path, refusing to follow trends or conventions. His restaurant is not simply a place to eat—it is an extension of his personality, his surroundings, and his philosophy.

Set near the North Sea, the experience is deeply connected to the landscape. You can feel the influence of the coast in every detail, from the ingredients on the plate to the atmosphere in the dining room. There is a sense of place here that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Willem’s cooking is bold, intuitive, and deeply personal. Rather than relying on luxury ingredients or unnecessary complexity, he focuses on products that tell a story. Seafood, vegetables, herbs, and local ingredients are treated with creativity and respect, resulting in dishes that feel both refined and completely natural.

What makes Willem Hiele’s cuisine so memorable is its authenticity. Every plate reflects his curiosity, his connection to nature, and his willingness to challenge expectations. The food is expressive without being forced, technical without feeling technical.

For our Canadian guests, the meal offered a completely different perspective on Belgian gastronomy. If Eliane showcased precision and restraint, Willem Hiele demonstrated the power of instinct, emotion, and a profound connection to its terroir.

Yet beneath these differences lies a common thread: a commitment to authenticity. Willem cooks from conviction rather than convention, creating an experience that feels uniquely his own.

In a culinary world often driven by trends and visibility, Willem Hiele remains refreshingly independent. The result is one of Belgium’s most original dining destinations—a restaurant that could exist nowhere else and one that leaves a lasting impression long after the final course.

A meal at Willem Hiele is not just a dinner on the Belgian coast. It is an invitation into the mind of a chef who continues to redefine what modern Belgian cuisine can be when he puts his mind to it!

PS : do order turbot on reservation! Less

Tempura Asanuma in Nihonbashi, Tokyo.

Known for the chef's signature batter style, made by whisking freezer-stored flour, eggs, and iced water aggressively to create a foamy peak. The resulting foam is used exclusively to coat the seasonal seafood and vegetables. This leads to what I would describe as a "puffy" coating that has substantial impact but never once feels heavy or oily. Seamlessly integrated to each ingredient, the coating acts as part of a whole rather than feeling like an afterthought.
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While there is the usual range of seafood here, what impressed me the most were the seasonal vegetables. Simply biting into the asparagus is an unforgettable experience, as the ingredient reveals itself in all its freshness and crispiness under the coating. Almost as if the asparagus were grown inside the batter all along. The young corn, eggplant, and the zucchini flower all similarly impress.
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Then the scallop comes. Wrapped in nori, it is unbelievably tender under its coating, as if it were slow cooked at a low temperature. Another bite to leave an indelible mark upon the innocent palates experiencing Asanuma's craft for the first time.
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With an unassuming attitude and ambience, Tempura Asanuma showcases the peak of tempura cooking in silent confidence. Not an everyday meal, but a demonstration of unrivalled craftsmanship. Less

I visited with a friend."Sushi Nanba Hibiya" is a popular sushi restaurant where you can fully appreciate the quality of the ingredients and the delicate craftsmanship. Each piece of sushi is meticulously adjusted for temperature and aging, resulting in an exceptionally high level of perfection. The harmony with the rice and the melt-in-your-mouth texture are exquisite, allowing you to feel the chef's dedication with every bite. The interior exudes a refined calmness, and the live atmosphere enjoyed from the counter adds to its charm. This is a recommended spot for special occasions or when you want to indulge in authentic Edomae sushi. Less

Join us here in September. Details in the link in my bio 👆🏻

One of the most memorable moments of our Faroe Islands tour wasn’t found in a Michelin-starred dining room, but inside a centuries-old turf-roofed house in the heart of Tórshavn.

After a welcome feast of champagne, shellfish and caviar at @roksrestaurant , we walked next door to @aarstova.restaurant for our first proper taste of Faroese tradition. The restaurant occupies one of the oldest timber buildings in the islands, where low ceilings, flickering candles and weathered wooden beams create an atmosphere that feels frozen in time.

Dinner began with a comforting bowl of Faroese fish soup before the main event arrived: slow-cooked Faroese lamb. The Faroese have been raising sheep on these windswept islands for over a thousand years, and few dishes tell the story of the islands better than this one. Rich, deeply flavoured and cooked with incredible care, it was the perfect introduction to the local culture and way of life.

Sometimes the best meals aren’t about innovation or luxury. They’re about place, history and tradition. Áarstova delivered all three in abundance.

A perfect first evening in the Faroe Islands.

#FaroeIslands #Aarstova #FoodTour #NordicCuisine #visitfaroeislands Less

At @restaurantkadeau , the menu speaks with absolute confidence, quietly, elegantly, and with a language that feels entirely its own.

The meal begins with clams and vegetables, a pure expression of the ingredients. Then cured squid with asparagus and magnolia, where texture, perfume, and precision come together in a way that feels almost effortless. The mackerel tart follows with beautiful structure, while the tomato salad with herbs and seeds shows how perfect acidity balance can carry a dish with grace.

Then, one of the great moments of the meal: raw shrimp with pumpkin seeds and caviar. A dish that says everything about Kadeau’s confidence. When seafood is served this exposed, there is nowhere to hide, only sourcing, technique, and taste.

That same confidence appears in the sandwich of leaves, a course that turns something seemingly simple into something deeply complex. The signature hot and cold smoked salmon with lavender was extraordinary and perhaps the best salmon I have ever tasted. Then came raw scallops with young onions and hazelnut, and brown crab with celeriac and raw cauliflower, both showing the same quiet mastery of balance, texture, and purity.

The lamb, served in two expressions, one raw, one grilled, brought depth and structure, paired with preserves that speak to Kadeau’s world of fermentation, time, and place. Desserts followed with the same discipline: chewy fruits, mirabelle ice cream, walnut tart. Beautiful compositions showing the depth of Kadeau’s repertoire.

This is not luxury through excess. This is luxury through clarity, purity and precision.

Kadeau feels like a restaurant at the very top of the world right now, minimal, elegant, deeply personal, and completely deserving of its awards.

📍 @restaurantkadeau 🌟🌟🌟
🇩🇰 Copenhagen
🔪 @nicolai_kadeau | @pachambote | @kyuminhahn | @leonor.pedro.92
🏅 N.41 @theworlds50best Less

I had been invited several times, but the timing never worked out until I finally got to visit! This restaurant has gained significant attention since its independence from the renowned Kataori, and I was truly impressed by the experience. The dishes were exquisite, and the overall flow and atmosphere were meticulously crafted, leaving me in awe of the high level of quality. Moreover, the gentle and calm demeanor of the head chef was incredibly soothing. It's a wonderful place that I definitely want to visit again. Less