Two-Michelin star Belgian chef joins Brussels Airlines

Brussels Airlines is set to tantalize the taste buds of Business Class travelers on their long-haul flights, welcoming Michelin-starred chef Michaël Vrijmoed from the eponymous Ghent restaurant, Vrijmoed.

Starting from October 1, 2023, passengers will be able to embark on a culinary journey in the clouds, with Vrijmoed being the fourteenth Michelin-starred chef to collaborate with the airline since 2013, delivering an experience that celebrates Belgian gastronomy.

As an airline, we introduce the world to delicacies originating from our country. We are happy that with Michaël Vrijmoed we can again put our local products and recipes in the spotlight.

Philip Mortier, Inflight Product Manager of Brussels Airlines

In a tradition that began a decade ago with Michelin-starred chef Geert Van Hecke, Brussels Airlines continues to showcase the culinary prowess of Belgian Star Chefs by offering travelers a three-course menu crafted from typically Belgian recipes and ingredients.

From October onwards, Business Class passengers will savor the culinary creations of Michelin-starred chef Michaël Vrijmoed, who succeeds chef Mario Elias. These menus will rotate every three months to highlight the best of seasonal produce, with Belgian vegetables taking the center stage in the gourmet menus.

As part of this gastronomic voyage, passengers can complement their meals with carefully selected Belgian wines curated by Master of Wine, Jan De Clercq, while beer sommelier Sofie Vanrafelghem has handpicked local Belgian beers to accompany the dishes, “such as Steenuilke, Liefmans Goudenband and Adriaen Brouwer Oaked. All three are brewed by traditional Belgian breweries such as De Ryck, Liefmans and Roman”, Philip Mortier, Inflight Product Manager of Brussels Airlines, highlighted.

“As a Michelin-starred chef, it is a privilege to be allowed to cook for the business class travelers of Brussels Airlines”, the East Flanders chef stated. “Through my creations for Brussels Airlines, I will introduce the world amongst others to tasty Belgian vegetables, accompanied by some East Flemish regional beers and cheeses from cheese refiner Van Tricht”.

Vrijmoed’s culinary journey began as a sous-chef at Hof van Cleve, where he worked alongside top chef Peter Goossens. In 2013, he ventured out on his own, establishing the Vrijmoed restaurant in Ghent, which has since gained recognition as one of the finest vegetable-focused restaurants in the world. He follows in the footsteps of Peter Goossens, becoming the second East Flanders chef to collaborate with Brussels Airlines.

One of the remarkable aspects of Vrijmoed’s culinary artistry is his profound focus on vegetables, this commitment is evident in the menus he has crafted for Brussels Airlines, offering Business Class travelers a choice between fish, meat, or vegetarian options for both starters and main courses.

“Passengers can choose from two starters, one of them being my signature dish: beetroot (with Doyenné du Comice pear, mustard seed, and horseradish sauce). As a main course, we serve a celeriac variation (with soil-grown chicory and crispy Jerusalem artichoke) as a vegetarian choice. To conclude, passengers can choose from a cheese platter with East Flanders classics like Belgian Wittekop or Biloete, two cheeses from East Flanders’ Lotenhulle, or Hazelnut chocolate cake with a vanilla-coffee sauce for dessert”, Vrijmoed revealed.