This November 21, 28 personalities will receive noble favors or an honorary title from the sovereigns. These are personalities from the world of business, education, research or even working in NGOs.
This Thursday, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde receive 28 personalities to award them noble favors or an honorary title. These titles are awarded each year. If they do not actually provide any specific advantage, it is above all a question of saluting the journey of these Belgians. One of them is chef Sang Hoon Degeimbre. He was made a Commander of the Order of the Crown.
Adopted by a Belgian family at the age of 5, Sang Hoon Degeimbre initially saw himself as… a pharmacist. “The problem was that I had never worked in a kitchen before opening my restaurant. So, I was a sommelier. I was a butcher before that. Sommellerie led me to appreciate nuances.“
While making his ranges, he goes through several cuisines, particularly French gastronomy. “It is the very basis of cuisine in Belgium. So, I adopted this European cooking philosophy. And in 2008, the first time I was invited to go back to Korea, that’s really where it came to light.”
Huge gratitude
Today, the two-star chef combines the strengths of all these European and Korean cuisines.with, of course, all the products that come from Belgium, whether in the garden, 95% of the vegetables, whether the products, here, the venison is a Belgian venison. The Saint-Jacques comes from Normandy… So, most of what is marine is more likely to be the North Sea. We try to stay very close, in any case, in terms of supply.“
After 27 years of career, the Belgian was awarded the title of Commander of the Order of the Crown. However, his real reward is in the eyes of his clients. “Recognition comes from the customer who comes and returns. You see his eyes shining. This, for me, is my daily gratitude. Now, to have one star, two stars, we know that it has an impact on our restaurant and its reputation. To have this title, no doubt, yes, it’s a plus on a CV, but there you go, I don’t expect anything from it. But I have a lot of gratitude for that..”
roi Philippe
reine Mathilde
Sang Hoon Degeimbre
