And it is precisely this heat of the chiefs that seeks Dinner in the sky. This year, 32 renowned chiefs (Mallory Gabsi*, Alexandre Dionisio de la Villa in the Sky*or Mathieu Vande Velde du Roannay*), including 5 women (like Marie Trignon de la Roseraie*), will share the eight tables of four people perched 50 meters in the air. “”There are many more people who think they are dizzy when they don’t really have itassures David Ghysels, boss and founder of “Dinner in the Sky”, which recalls that each guest is attached with a safety harness. It is not more creepy than taking a winter sports chairlift. “
And Yves Mattagne adds. “”You give them a little drink and it goes by itself (smile)! No, but you see that couples who never gave themselves their hands again! It’s impressive. Dinner in the sky is made for peace in cleaning (smile)! “ And the star chef, who only descends the platform to get the desserts (no height fridge), to add. “”I’m always going to see each table, to see if everyone is fine. Because if you stress when you eat, it’s not cheerful. “
How do you prepare for such an event: everything is cooked upstream?
David GHYSELS. “Already, the infrastructure is enormous. Like last year, we create the reception village. We come with 30 containers. There are kitchens for ground chefs, there is a reception bar, etc. For the 32 days, it is 750,000 euros of production budget. Once our set-up is in place, it is up to the chiefs to do all their implementation as they normally do in the restaurant. is quite rare as a concept.
Yves Mattagne. “The important thing is to have a good balance between having time to take care of people and cook. Because people like to have contact with you, you must not be non-stop in your pans. The people also come to have fun. The menu must therefore really be adapted to the atmosphere you want to give on the set. Music also has all its importance. A DJ or a musician are present. Security, the DJ, two servers and the rest are the cooks. “
“Dinner in the Sky, it’s not a cooking competition. But a shared moment”
Second time that the event takes place at the Waterloo lion, would this place have a particular flavor?
DG “As seen, we try each time to have very different with a symbol. Here, it is a much more rural landscape with fields all around the monument. Unlike an event in the city, which is quite different. But the advantage in June is the sunset over the lion of Waterloo which is exceptional. Each time, these are different atmo. Luchs in the evening. Less to have events in town … We are also in a time when people groan very quickly if there is noise, etc. It therefore becomes complicated to organize these kinds of things in town. “
And what happens in the event of rain or high wind: what is the limit?
DG “It all depends on the conditions. Safety is essential but the limit is simple. We are lucky that it is an event where we sell pleasure. So we are not going to the limit. We, we do not interest us to go to the legal limit. From the moment when the towels fly away and where the champagne flutes fall, it has no interest. When there is too much wind. A large roof equipped with heaters. Lightning, so there we go down for safety. People understand and they don’t groan. “
YM “Even if they go down, they are given to the ground, in the small village fitted out. The experience with the chef they chose on the 32 chefs therefore remains intact.”
How did you operate this selection of chief (FE) s precisely?
DG “I always say that we choose the chiefs for their generosity. A generosity on the plate, but also in relation to the relationship with people. Having a chef who is excellent chef but who is stressed on his pan and who does not speak with people, it does not interest us. Dinner in the Sky, that is not that. It is not a cooking competition. But a shared moment. Chefs … But it’s really this desire to share with people. “
YM “Some take a reservation by not knowing the chef either. Just because they have heard of it. With social networks today, we are faster publicized.”
A Belgian concept sold in 80 countries
“We were in 80 countriesexplains David Ghysis. What is fun with Dinner in the Sky is that we live the geopolitical phenomena. We had to close Ukraine, Russia, Lebanon, Iraq, etc. So there are lots of countries where it does not happen but there are others that open. We just opened Tokyo, a table also left for Macao and there are two under construction for Jamaica and Bahamas. “ But not yet in the USA. “”We have a based in Florida but we cannot, for the moment, to do it. We depend, like any business, on geopolitical news.“And to remember that gastronomy remains something cultural and local. “This concept of Michelin stars is very important with us but it does not concern other countries on the planet.” And to conclude by giving an example on the opening in Manila, in the Philippines, with Yves Mattagne precisely. “”They do not know our gastronomysays the Belgian chief. They were with their phone and watched their film. You could even order dishes or sushi next to it. They don’t necessarily know what they eat. We don’t speak the same language in addition. It is a completely different experience because each culture is different. But that’s what’s great to live. Even if, in this case, it is therefore better to local chefs. “
