In the kingdom of fries, an improbable king: Corentin Vicqueray. Because nothing predestined him to juggle cones and sauces. “Four years ago, I lost my job, he says. I worked in the chassis at the base. And then, an opportunity presented itself when the old hair salon, right here, closed its doors. It was my mom’s and the building belonged to her. We said to ourselves: why not a chip shop? It’s typically Belgian and in the village, the residents dreamed of having a brick-and-mortar chip shop on the square. We listened to this request and here we are, four years later, we are still here.” With a hint of audacity and a lot of beef fat, the idea germinated on the soil of conviviality and neighborly spirit, to blossom into a local institution. “I didn’t have any training. I found out, I looked at how things were going elsewhere and then I started.”
A fry that crisps beyond borders
In every corner of the flat country, we defend tooth and nail our HQ of the best fries. Whether it’s the corner shack, a brewery in its own right or simply the fryer in mom’s garage. But it is in Lesve that lovers of crispy foods must now put down their paper napkins and drink their Tropico. “We didn’t expect it at all. Last year we were 4th in the ranking, so we hoped for the top 3 but we never imagined finishing on the first step of the podium. I’m really very grateful to all the people who helped us have supported and are helping us.”
Although the clientele is mainly local, the establishment also attracts fry lovers from further afield. “Recently, Parisians on vacation in Nivelles traveled 60 kilometers to come to us. They were delighted, confides the converted fry restaurant owner. We also welcomed people from Metz.” And now, with its title in hand, the establishment has become a real gastronomic stopover for lovers of authentic fries.
Robert the fry, “it was better before”
No weariness in the cornet
Fries are worth it. Behind this success story, there are also sacrifices. “Working in a chip shop means missing all the weekends: birthdays, weddings, parties. But we try to adapt the hours to enjoy our little girl a little.” Sacrifices but which today have a taste of victory.
As for the risk of overdosing on fries, Corentin decides without hesitation, and with a good dose of humor: “We were told we would be disgusted, but four and a half years later, that’s not the case. I still eat fries almost every day.” An intact passion which, seeing the enthusiasm of customers, is highly contagious.
At “Lesve ta frie”, we don’t just serve fries, we serve culinary comfort in cones! Here, we crisp up, we chat, and we leave with the potato. No offense to our French neighbors and their French fries, the fries are Belgian and the best are in Lesve it seems, punt aan de lijn.
A family story with local ingredients
An essential Sunday evening ritual or end-of-night companion, fries are not just a food: they are a pillar of the Belgian diet, a pleasure that is sometimes guilty, but always accepted. In Lesve more than anywhere else now. And Corentin Vicqueray owes this coronation to a subtle blend of ingredients: fresh products, a service that sets the mood and a dose of passion more generous than a well-stocked machine gun. “We work with pure beef meat directly from the slaughterhouse. The fries are prepared with local potatoes. And for cooking, the beef fat makes all the difference. It’s the secret of crispy fries. outside and melting inside.concludes Corentin Vicqueray with an air of connoisseurship, like a chef revealing his secret weapon.
There is another magic ingredient that makes the difference here: family spirit. And when we talk about family, we talk about workforce: “My partner makes our famous homemade hamburgers, my sister or half-sister helps at the cash register, and sometimes my best friend comes to lend a hand.”
