We are what we eat. For the longest time, this universal motto has pertained only to how diet influences health. Now, it also embodies the epicurean traveler. We are where we travel to eat.
Long before Anthony Bourdain and his ilk started documenting their gastronomic travels to the modern traveler and the coining of related terms like ‘garden to fork’, ‘foodies’ or even ‘slow travel’, we had the agriturismos dotting the Italian countryside, printed Michelin guidebooks for vacationers driving Europe’s back roads in search of a great meal and a select number of associations that have helped bring hospitality’s numerous hotbeds of F&B excellence to the world stage. The point is: purposefully traveling to dine or expecting accommodations to deliver magnificent meals as a complement to another purpose has existed for generations.
Only now, however, this trend has exploded. Hotels, restaurants and their incredibly imaginative chefs are all locked in a grand, global competition to delight their guests with delectable dishes that are exquisitely presented and tell the story of the land. How does any place stand apart?
About Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp
With its 108 rooms including 16 suites, Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp is THE answer to this question. Opened in 2021, the luxury hotel and member of Leading Hotels of the World is not only a marvelous architectural restoration of a campus of medieval buildings going as far back as the early 1200s – including a monastery, hospital, apothecary and chapel – but it’s transformed the premises into a veritable culinary mecca.
Of Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp’s five restaurants, two have one Michelin star (Fine Fleur by Chefs Jacob Jan Boerma and Thomas Diepersloot, and Het Gebaar by Chef Roger van Damme) while the signature outlet, Hertog Jan by longstanding partners Chef Gert De Mangeleer and host Joachim Boudens, has two stars. All three are also highly acclaimed by Gault Millau and other food-centric guides, singlehandedly propelling the city’s culinary scene onto the world stage. Rounding out these haute cuisine hotspots are Henry’s Bistro, Henry’s Bar and Bar Bulot, where together all six outlets offer near endless options for travelers and locals alike.
And to fulfill its namesake as a botanical haven, gardens and greenhouses are intermixed amongst the public corridors and guestroom areas where sustainable agriculture practices provide many of the seasonally rotated ingredients for the onsite restaurants. Alongside its biophilic design, guests can walk the grounds to see how the herbs, honey, flowers and staple vegetables of Benelux go from the farm to fork in real time.
By having so many signature restaurants and onsite farming in one place, the hotel has become a destination unto itself. For a simlar example, this is much the same strategy that the best casino resorts in Las Vegas now have taken by offering over two dozen world-class dining concepts so that there’s always something exciting. Only here, the culinary leadership at Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp has set out to immerse guests in the story of modern Belgian cuisine, while also engaging guests at every turn with historic restorations of Middle Ages architecture.
Altogether, Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp tells the story that food is not just sustenance; it’s a conversation with the culinary team, with the ingredients, with the region, with the local culture. This is a foundational principle for how hotels can approach and elevate their culinary presentation that wins over guests every time, and yet it require a tireless dedication to execute properly.
Hence, it was a joyous occasion to sit down with Chef Gert De Mangeleer, one half of the innovative leadership behind the two-Michelin-star Hertog Jan, to learn about the process in crafting this culinary capital.
The thoughtful comments from Chef De Mangeleer are coming fresh off the line from the Botanic Gourmet Festival which took place from June 16th to June 22nd. This event featured all resident chefs as well as a full slate of distinguished international additions – Viki Geunes (Zilte), Christian Kuchler (Taverne zum Schäfli), Hans Neuer (Ocean Restaurant), Sidney Schutte (Spectrum), Dieter Koschina (Villa Joya), Alexandre Gauthier (Le Grenouillère) and Alberto Landgraf (Oteque) – for a series of four- and six-hands lunches and dinners as well as high tea takeovers, exclusive tastings and gastronomic masterclasses.
What would you say defines modern Belgian cuisine? What has been your approach to bringing the ingredients and gastronomy of Belgium to the world stage?
It is indeed true that in the Botanic Sanctuary hotel several angles of what top hospitality should be come together seamlessly. The F&B aspect is certainly an essential part of that and the conversation around the joining forces with Botanic Sanctuary came at an ideal time. We had stopped in 2018 at a high point with almost 10 years of three stars behind our name when the hotel approached us. The first idea was to open a second branch of Bar Bulot, but in the second instance the question also came as to whether or not we wanted to do something gastronomic again.
At that time, we weren’t working on it ourselves, but the desire was there. Parallel to the whole hotel story, we have also seen a shift in the culinary landscape in Belgium in recent years. Where 15 years ago, Bruges and the surrounding area was the mecca of gastronomic Belgium, this is now undoubtedly Antwerp. The city has increasingly established itself as a premier culinary hotspot, marked by the arrival of The World’s 50 Best in 2021 and the launch of the new Michelin Guide to Antwerp last year. Add to that the stunning setting of Botanic Sanctuary, alongside Antwerp’s renowned shopping, diamond district and museums, and you have an exceptionally appealing destination for a memorable city getaway.
In late 2018, the original Hertog Jan – first in Sint-Michiels, a suburb of Bruges, then moving to Zedelgem, slightly further southwest of the city, in 2014 – closed after 16 years, likely coming as a shock to many who had grown to love the acclaimed restaurant. Such decisions don’t come lightly at all. How do you know when it’s time to move on?
When we announced that we would close our gastronomic restaurant at a peak, it came as a bombshell. People did not understand why because at that time we had had our three Michelin stars for almost a decade. We had started small in 2002 in a brown café that Joachim and I transformed step by step into a gastronomic restaurant. From day one, our ‘secret’ boyhood dream was to one day achieve three stars. We had known each other for a few years and had once sealed this dream in the early hours at a café a few years before. Another part of our dream was also to stop at a high point. And we did this.
It’s written down quickly here, but of course this decision was not simple. We had worked on our dream for all those years, moved to our new location in 2014, which was completely custom-built for what we wanted to use it for, and then it is surprising to stop four years later with a brand new restaurant and three stars behind your name.
In those first years of the move, you are still busy fine-tuning and getting to know the new location. But after two years, I started traveling more and I regularly did collaborations and four-hand dinners with other chefs. I got a lot of satisfaction from that, but Joachim always stayed in Zedelgem because we think it is important that one of us can always welcome and speak to our guests. At a certain point he asked himself the question: What now? We had three stars, the restaurant was doing well and we did not immediately see a next step with Hertog Jan, and the idea started to mature to stop with the gastronomic restaurant.
We had gotten into a certain routine that we didn’t like and, because of the size of the restaurant, it had also become more difficult to quickly change a menu last-minute, which also limited my creativity. We made the decision to stop and focus on new projects, and that created space to develop Less Eatery/Bar Bulot and Babu. The thing is that you have to keep enjoying what you do. If this is no longer the case then it’s time for a change. This does not always mean that you have to stop, but then it is time to stand still and think about how you can reinvent yourself to some extent.
The dining experience at the two-Michelin-starred Hertog Jan is described as ‘Belgian omakase’. Yet this phrasing belies decades of study and dedication to artful precision in every dish. Tell us about the challenges you overcame in launching this restaurant (and Bulot’s second location) and in attaining its two stars within seven months of opening.
My track record goes back a long way. I have been a chef at the highest level for 25 years and have had an enormous dedication from day one when it comes to purchasing top products, processing them correctly and precisely, and then of course my creative approach to preparing them. Over the years, my interest in Japan grew and I have been there about 30 times to train myself but also often to cook four-handed dinners with my Japanese colleagues.
In this way, I gradually developed my own omakase style. This development also came at the same time as the move from the rural Zedelgem (near Bruges) to the vibrant cosmopolitan atmosphere of Antwerp. Where at that time the focus was mainly on the vegetables, herbs and flowers that we grew in our own garden, there was now more room for the Japanese influences because they fit in perfectly with all the worldly influences that come together in a vibrant port city like Antwerp.
The whole process of purifying my style came quite naturally. What has certainly also been a big plus in this evolution is the fact that I once had three years of not being involved in gastronomy and completely letting go of what Hertog Jan was at the time, creating space for new ideas that allow me to look neutrally at what has been, what was good, what was less and which direction to go. This would never have succeeded if a running business was in the way because it demands all of our attention every day.
At the reopening, we did not know what to expect from Michelin. I had already had three stars behind my name for almost a decade and had informed them about our new plans, but how they would rate the new concept with one omakase menu, small occupancy and limited opening hours was a mystery. In the end, I was very satisfied when we immediately made our comeback with two stars behind our name. This entire process has and continues to challenge us in a positive way. Sometimes in the sports world you hear about making a comeback, and we had a bit of this feeling ourselves with the reopening of Hertog Jan in Antwerp.
As mentioned, there was no Hertog Jan for a three-year period and this was when I focused on my other projects. One of them was Bar Bulot where I wanted to serve classic French-Belgian dishes in the setting of a vibrant brasserie. The test case of our Bar Bulot concept is located in Zedelgem and there I have continued to tinker with the concept in order to optimize all processes so that a clear script was created. Because this concept was already so far developed, it was easier in a way to open a second branch of it. There were quite a few practical issues that we had already encountered in the test phase that were now simple to tackle. Choices for house style and interior design were also already made, which allowed us to open a new restaurant in a much more efficient and peaceful way. And we were lucky enough to have chef Koen Gussenhove and restaurant manager Elske Mostert at our side throughout this entire process.
Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp as a Culinary Capital and a Historic Hotel (Part Two)
Immersive culinary experiences have been a mainstay of hotel dining experiences and a key draw for both earned media and hotel demand. But competition in this part of hotel operations is fierce nowadays, with luxury and upscale brands constantly innovating their F&B presentation to become more local, more creative and more indicative of the environs. How does a hotel stand apart?
Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp, a 108-key independent luxury hotel in Belgium and member of Leading Hotels of the World, answers this question by showcasing what the ultimate level for guest dining looks like. Of its six onsite dining outlets, three have Michelin stars, including Hertog Jan, a two-star restaurant wherein we were lucky enough to interview its Executive Chef, Gert de Mangaleer.
More than just places to eat, Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp is a true culinary capital by rounding out the dining experience with onsite farming, beehives, an apothecary and a full-service spa. In the first part of this article [crosslink] based on our interview, we highlighted how Hertog Jan came to be, and now we focus on some of the specific details that make this hotel a true innovator.
Besides the two restaurants under your purview, Botanic Sanctuary is also host to Fine Fleur, Henry’s Bar & Bistro and Het Gebaar, in addition to having a Sunday brunch, high tea, a la carte breakfast and private dining programs. How do you work with the rest of the onsite F&B team to ensure that each dining experience is unique?
It is great to see that the site has a huge diversity of different styles and concepts in F&B. This ensures that guests can find something that suits their needs and preferences for every moment and every mood. Furthermore, there is also a smooth referral between the different restaurants when it is busy and there are monthly F&B meetings where we are always looking for opportunities to do better. There are also events several times a year in which all restaurants participate, so that we as the Botanic family can come out strong.
As a gastronomic mecca, not only does Botanic Sanctuary attract patrons and hotel guests seeking an exceptional culinary adventure, but also aspiring chefs looking to learn from the best. How do you cultivate talent and mentor your team?
In a rapidly changing hospitality world, training is becoming increasingly important. I previously spoke about the development of our Bar Bulot concept, in which all processes for kitchen, reception, furnishings, human resources and so on are described down to the smallest detail. This forms the guideline and solid basis for consistently training new employees and chefs according to our standards.
At the beginning of my career, I was always given the opportunity to learn from the best, and now we in turn feel it is our duty to pass on that knowledge. We therefore work very often with all national and international hotel schools, and are able to welcome numerous interns in the various departments of our company every year. Some people stay and start their career with us. Step by step, they can grow in this way and we can offer a fun and interesting opportunity for every moment of your career. As a result, we see that we regularly have people who stay with us for five years or longer, which makes them very valuable as a solid pillar within our organization.
Staying true to its roots as a monastic hospital and apothecary in what was then the village of Elzenveld, part of the culinary experience at Botanic Sanctuary harks back to the principle of food as medicine. How do you embrace this concept in your culinary presentation?
I don’t want to go so far as to say that my dishes are medicinal. But what we do try to offer with Hertog Jan is a quiet haven where there is time to slow down and enjoy a gastronomic menu with a loved one and leave the busy world behind for a while. For example, we always start the culinary experience with an infusion of herbs from the monastery garden to get our guests in the right mood for what is to come. The flowers and herbs used in the dishes mainly come from the herb garden and greenhouse of the hotel.
Ingredients grown onsite are also used by the Botanic Health Spa for many of its phytotherapy treatments. How does the presence of the spa influence the culinary experience?
There is no direct collaboration with the spa, but what we do notice is that guests are consciously working on their wellbeing and that slowing down fits in perfectly with that and the entire Botanic experience can also meet that need. For example, we hear from guests every week who are combining a spa visit and a meal in Hertog Jan or one of the other restaurants in order to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. When we see our guests walking around relaxed after a stay of a few days, we know that we as the team of the Botanic Sanctuary hotel have done our job well.
We’re passionate about honey – both because of the innumerable flavors and its healing properties – and are thus big fans of urban hotels who maintain working apiaries. After all, plants are nothing without their pollinators. Tell us about your involvement with Botanic Sanctuary’s onsite beehive program and how you inspire restaurant guests to discover the amazingly diverse world of honey.
We ourselves are also very passionate about honey. In the past, we had our own baskets in Zedelgem and served honey in different ways in the restaurant. The fact that the hotel has its own baskets is only good for nature and the pollination of the plants; at the same time, it is something valuable to be able to give to the guests. We also still give a small jar of honey to our guests when they have something special to celebrate. It is a nice gesture, something nutritious and restorative, and it comes from our own roof.
What’s next for you and Joachim Boudens?
We are very happy with the entire trajectory we have driven in recent years. We have evolved from a standalone restaurant to a small restaurant group. At the moment we are building further on our Hertog Jan story and we are still refining our various concepts. At the moment, there are no concrete plans, but if the opportunity arises it is not excluded that new openings will follow.
