A Flemish chef of the year
This is one of the most anticipated awards during the presentation. If last year, Maxime Collard, from the restaurant “La Table de Maxime”, won the chef of the year award, this time it was in Flanders that the trophy was presented. Glenn Verhasseltchef of “Sir Kwinten” in Lennik, is in fact the big winner of this 2025 edition. His restaurant is also rated 17.5 out of 20 this year, compared to 14 out of 20 eight years ago, a sign of a more than promising progression for the 33-year-old chef, according to the guide. A reward that seems obvious to Marc Declerck. “Glenn is without a doubt one of the best of his generation. Gault & Millau must quickly highlight such an exceptional talent. His cuisine is classic and elegant, and, at 33, he is already one of our best sauciers.”
Marc Ducobu, Walloon chocolatier of the year: “We want to remain in control, maintain quality”
Concerning the “young chefs”, that of the restaurants Hert (Turnhout), Seir (Kasterlee) and Bink (Turnhout), Alex Verhoeven, was crowned in Flanders. On the Walloon side, François-Xavier Simon and his restaurant Bistrot Blaise, in Marche-en-Famenne, won the prize. As for Elliott Van de Velde, of the Entropy restaurant, it is sacred to the Brussels Region.
Remarkable new features
Notable new developments this year include the Haut restaurant, in Ostend, for Flanders, which scores 15.5/20 and 3 toques; Le Beau Rivage by Curtis, in Dave, for Wallonia, rated 14/20 with 2 toques and Quartz, in Brussels, for the Brussels Region, also rated 14/20 with 2 toques.
Among the notable progressions and developments in the field of Belgian gastronomy, we find the Hof Van Cleve, led by chef Floris Van Der Veken, who is awarded a score of 18/20 with 4 toques. Le Bozar Restaurant, in Brussels; La Table de Maxime, in Paliseul; and Sir Kwinten, in Lennik, each obtained a score of 17.5/20, also accompanied by 4 toques. This year, Colette, in Averbode; Cuines 33, in Knokke-Heist; and Menssa, in Brussels, progressed to reach a score of 17/20 with 4 toques.
The new Belgian wine guide from Gault & Millau is enriched with 44 wines and 25 estates
The Oak restaurant, in Ghent, is rewarded with a score of 16.5/20 and 3 toques. Finally, four establishments received a score of 16/20 and 3 toques: Arden in Rochefort; Eed, in Louvain; Nebo, in Antwerp; and Willem Hiele, in Oudenburg.
Some changes
The 2025 edition of the guide marks the start of a new category: the cheese experience of the year. And the one who receives this prize for the first time comes from Namur. It is about Charles Jeandrain and its restaurant “Attablez-Vous”, a few kilometers from the Citadel.
A new category, but also new classifications. From now on, restaurants 12 and 12.5 out of 20 also receive a chef’s hat. Those 13 and 13.5 receive two. The hierarchy of the other hats remains the same as last year.
Here is the complete list with the different distinctions:
- Young Chefs of the Year: Elliott Van de Velde (Entropy, Brussels), François-Xavier Simon (Bistrot Blaise, Marche-en-Famenne, Wallonia) Alex Verhoeven (Hert, Turnhout, Flanders)
- Chef of the year: Glenn Verhasselt (Sir Kwinten, Lennik)
- Host of the year: Peter Van den Driesschen (Kelderman, Alost)
- Italian Restaurant of the Year: The Red Angel (Saint-Trond)
- Asian Restaurant of the Year: Maïnoï (Braine-l’Alleud)
- Terrace of the year: La Rigue (Knokke-Heist)
- Most designer restaurant of the year: Stable (Edegem)
- Sommelier of the year: Nicolas Campus (Les Gribaumont, Mons)
- Cocktail bar of the year: Fugazi (Thought)
- Cheese experience of the year: Sit down (Namur)
- Dessert of the year: The Rose Garden (Modave)
- Gastro-bistro of the year: Elders (Gand)
- Brewery of the year: The Tribeca Table (Gerpinnes)
- Artisan chef of the year: Bert Jan Michielsen (The Butcher’s Son, Antwerp)
- Vegetable menu of the year: Cécilia by Mélanie Englebin (Ottignies)
- Remarkable novelties of the year: Top (Flanders); Quartz (Brussels); Le Beau Rivage By Curtis (Wallonia)
- Wine list of the year: The Big Glass (Durbuy)
- Belgian wine list of the year: Merlin (Zonnebeke Beselare)
- The three pleasure awards of the year: House D, in Ronse (Flanders); Au Repos de la Montagne, in Uccle (Brussels); Plural, in Libin (Wallonia)
- The three “hip” (concept restaurants) of the year: Paroles Paroles, in Ostend (Flanders); Batch, in Ixelles (Brussels); Cagette, in Namur (Wallonia)
- The three discoveries of the year: Jean-Philippe, in Ingelmunster (Flanders); Babam, in Watermael-Boitsfort (Brussels); House – Place of Sharing, in Jodoigne Mélin (Wallonia)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Jean-Pierre Bruneau (Ganshoren, Brussels)
