{"id":6776,"date":"2020-11-16T14:49:51","date_gmt":"2020-11-16T12:49:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/2020\/11\/16\/restaurant-etoile\/"},"modified":"2020-12-02T12:05:48","modified_gmt":"2020-12-02T10:05:48","slug":"restaurant-etoile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/restaurant-etoile\/","title":{"rendered":"TOP 5 secrets of a Michelin starred chef"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>In addition to some of the interesting ideas he comes out with, when you come face to face with Vincent Gardinal you know you\u2019re in the presence of a colourful personality.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Vincent Gardinal has been chef and owner of the gastronomic restaurant\u00a0Le <a href=\"https:\/\/prieurestgery.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prieur\u00e9 Saint-G\u00e9ry<\/a>\u00a0in Beaumont since 1993. Barely 3 years after his arrival, in 1996, he was rewarded with a star in the Michelin Guide. Since then, he has continued to make a name for himself across the region with the sophisticated cuisine he serves in what he likes to call, quite simply, a \u201ccountry house\u201d. He sources his ingredients from local producers.<\/p>\n<h2>1. Sourcing from local producers<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cAs a child I remember going to the farm for butter and eggs with my mother. Today, I still go to producers to hunt around for the best products,\u201d the Michelin starred chef explains. \u201cMoreover, I still have all of these wonderful childhood memories of devouring cream made with its thick top layer of whey. I would add just a sprinkling of sugar to it and strawberries plucked from the garden: sheer bliss.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Vincent sources his ingredients from several producers. He usually buys his vegetables from Cyrille, at\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.lafermedutchapia.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Tchapia Farm<\/a>\u00a0in Presgaux, and collects butter from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lafermeduchampduloup.be\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Champ du Loup Farm<\/a>\u00a0in Lobbes. He doesn\u2019t restrict himself to buying \u201conly local\u201d, but with a penchant for high quality products, he sources as much as he can locally.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6683\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6683\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6683 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-chef-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"chef-\u00e9toile-restaurant\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-chef-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-chef-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-chef-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-chef.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6683\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">This chef takes care of every last detail when plating up.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/the-local-producers-going-the-extra-mile-during-the-crisis\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/04_denisdal.00_00_25_19.still004-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"The local producers going the extra mile during the crisis\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">The local producers going the extra mile during the crisis<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>2. Strawberries for Christmas? Surely not!<\/h2>\n<p>Following the same logic of buying locally, Vincent Gardinal respects seasonal ingredients when designing his menus. \u201cIn July I cooked an Auguste Escoffier-inspired dish, back in fashion in recent times. I work with several ancient varieties of tomatoes, with Breton lobster. That\u2019s really the season for it. A delicious vinaigrette, a dash of rocket coulis and a burrata-based sorbet. All presented on an elegant platter,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n<p>Garden fruits provide a seemingly endless source of inspiration for the chef. His parents had a large vegetable garden and so he has always been immersed in the market garden universe. Preserves, tarts, waffles (with recipes handed down from his mother and grandmother): he\u2019s no stranger to any of them. \u201cI love cooking with whatever I find in the garden: blackcurrants, gooseberries, northern cherries\u2026 How lovely, at Christmas for example, to end the meal with a little hint of garden-picked cherries.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>3. Low temperature cooking? Yes, but no\u2026<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe have to stop trying to force the same cooking techniques on all products. Low temperature cooking might work well for a fillet of sole, for example, but is not at all suited to a beef in ale stew,\u201d he grins. For him, it is essential to choose the right cooking technique to bring out the best in each ingredient.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6685\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6685\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6685 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-dormir-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"assiette-restauration-charleroi-namur-mons-Beaumont\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-dormir-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-dormir-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-dormir-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-dormir.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6685\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">His dishes change along with the seasons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Every product needs to be worked with individually to really bring out the best in it. For example, \u201cAsparagus can be cooked sous vide, but not cauliflower or beans.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For him, he works with cooking tables, with precise timings and techniques. \u201cI cook pigeon for 2 hours 17 minutes at 53 degrees. Then I let it cool down to room temperature for 10 minutes, then it spends 10 minutes in cold water and finally 10 minutes on ice. It keeps the meat nice and juicy.\u201d<\/p>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n<h2>4. Don\u2019t forget the presentation<\/h2>\n<p>With a cellar stacked high with dishes, the Michelin starred chef cannot disguise his passion for beautiful tableware. \u201cI have a genuine addiction to beautiful crockery. I just fall in love with it, I can\u2019t help myself, \u201d he confesses. \u201cI\u2019m still a child at heart: I can be mesmerised by a beautiful plate, it\u2019s like a big, bright Christmas tree to me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>At Prieur\u00e9, meals are served on exquisite and tastefully chosen plates. The menu is carefully designed so that everything shines.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6697\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6697\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6697 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-romantique-couple-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-romantique-couple-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-romantique-couple-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-romantique-couple-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-romantique-couple.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6697\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Alongside the plate, a warm welcome and good service are essential in making it an evening to remember.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>5. Being a good host: essential<\/h2>\n<p>To him, cooking is first and foremost a way of bringing happiness to others. \u201cWhen people make the trip to see me (especially in this off the beaten track location), I want them to feel that we\u2019ve been expecting them, that they are truly welcome. I want them to be properly greeted, get settled in and for them to feel a bit spoiled,\u201d he goes on to say.<\/p>\n<p>Dining in a renowned restaurant isn\u2019t the sole guarantee of a top quality experience, according to him. A stuffy setting can sometimes weigh the ambiance down. \u201cA successful evening is when nothing is missing, regardless of the complexity of the cooking.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_6698\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-6698\" style=\"width: 1600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-6698 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.charleroi-metropole.be\/app\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-1600x900.jpg\" alt=\"Restaurant-guide-michelin-etoile-beaumont\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-1600x900.jpg 1600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/charleroi-metropole-restaurant.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-6698\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Despite its off the beaten track location, the restaurant draws many diners<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Michelin starred Prieur\u00e9 Saint-G\u00e9ry is therefore an unmissable stop in any visit to the Charleroi Metropolitan Area. The chef and his whole team will take care of every last detail, both on your plates as well as the welcome and service, to make sure that your evening with them is unforgettable.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"useful-links\">\n    <ul class=\"useful-links__list\">\n                    <li class=\"useful-links__item\">\n                <a href=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/meandering-trails-unusual-and-surprising-landscapes\/\">\n                    <figure class=\"useful-links__fig\">\n                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/charleroi-metropole-trekking-balade-foret-500x0-c-default.jpg\" alt=\"Meandering trails, unusual and surprising landscapes\" class=\"useful-links__img\">\n                                            <\/figure>\n\n                    <span class=\"useful-links__title\">Meandering trails, unusual and surprising landscapes<\/span>\n                <\/a>\n            <\/li>\n            <\/ul>\n<\/aside>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In addition to some of the interesting ideas he comes out with, when you come face to face with Vincent Gardinal you know you\u2019re in the presence of a colourful personality. Vincent Gardinal has been chef and owner of the gastronomic restaurant\u00a0Le Prieur\u00e9 Saint-G\u00e9ry\u00a0in Beaumont since 1993. Barely 3 years after his arrival, in 1996, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6684,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[400,406],"tags":[45,113,117,31,114,24,59],"class_list":["post-6776","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eat-local","category-hospitality","tag-artisan","tag-group","tag-local-products","tag-restaurant","tag-sweet-treats","tag-terroir","tag-unique"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6776"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6776"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6778,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6776\/revisions\/6778"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6776"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6776"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cm-site.fidelodev.be\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}