Top chef Peter Goossens as Guest chef in the Ikarus

July 2011 at Restaurant Ikarus: Peter Goossens

Contemporary Culinary Artistry

“I see myself as a composer of flavors”, says Peter Goossens, the Belgian top chef. Since 1992, he has celebrated the very finest in culinary artistry at his restaurant Hof Van Cleve, which is situated on an old farm in Kruishoutem at the edge of the Flemish Ardennes. With his purist, highly creative compositions, Goossens long ago joined the exclusive ranks of three-star chefs.

Goossens inherited his love and flair for good food from his parents. Although they didn’t actually run their own restaurant, they nevertheless made sure that the food they cooked at home was both good and healthy. To add the necessary theoretical knowledge to his passion, Goossens attended the Ter Duinen college of hotel management in Koksijde, Belgium. Upon graduation, he was drawn to Paris by the seductive aroma of the gourmet world, where he worked in a wide variety of different restaurants. Long days and poor pay were unable to dim his passion for cooking. On the contrary, the desire to run his own restaurant was kindled.

In 1992, after five years of working at Hof van Cleve in Kruishoutem under contractual obligation, he was finally able to get into gear and really get started with creative cuisine at his restaurant. The restaurant critics quickly took notice of the young chef in Eastern Flanders, and the first awards were not long in coming. In 1993, he was named Belgium’s best executive chef. In 1994, at the age of 30, he received the ultimate accolade: his first Michelin star. In 1998, he was awarded a second Michelin star – one of the youngest chefs anywhere to be singled out in this way.

Be it marinated tuna with king crab and wasabi sorbet or mascarpone mousse with pistachio and green-tea ice cream – Goossens chiefly owes his awards to his ability to play with flavors, textures and temperatures in his creations. He loves to combine contrasts such as soft and crunchy, sweet and sour or bitter to produce complete works of art. For this Belgian, nothing superfluous makes it onto the plate; every single element contributes to an explosion of taste. Peter Goossens’ artistry of aromas did not go unnoticed by the Gault Millau restaurant guide, either. Over the years, his score continued to rise, and in 2004 he finally achieved 19.5 out of 20 points – a level of success that he has maintained to the present day. Michelin went one better too. In 2005, Goossens was awarded his third star, which he has also succeeded in retaining to this day. Furthermore, since 2011, Goossens’ Hof Van Cleve now ranks 15th among the world’s top 50 restaurants.

Since 2008, Goossens has also been inspiring gourmets and audiences in his homeland on television. As a jury member on the show My Restaurant on the VTM channel, he is able to pass on his experience and knowledge to new restaurant proprietors. March 2010 saw the broadcast of the third series. Also, along with Sergio Herman (NL), Goossens is one of the two chefs presenting the TV show “The best amateur cook of Flanders,” a popular program on VTM. In addition, from 1 December the cooking channel “njam!” will hit the airwaves – and here, too, Peter Goossens, together with Studio 100, has a finger in the pie.

The Belgian native Goossens loves to send his guests on a journey around different flavors, textures and temperatures. “Cooking is art, science and craft” is his motto – and the proof that he has a pretty good understanding of all three is evident not only in his three Michelin stars but also through his guests, who gladly make their pilgrimage to Kruishoutem.