Belgium awarded 15 more stars in 2023 Michelin Guide

16/03/2023

The Théâtre Royal de Mons shook with excitement on 13 March during the presentation of the MICHELIN Guide Belgium and Luxembourg 2023. Our country can now add 15 more stars to its already crowded culinary constellation. In all, there were no fewer than 167 items, shared out among 140 top restaurants. An impressive amount.

It was all good news on the culinary front. Our three 3-star restaurants retain their stars. Nobody lost a star. In fact, 15 were added. As such, one restaurant in Brussels has been awarded a second star, and five restaurants in Flanders, seven in Wallonia and two in Brussels may each add their first star to their names.

Two remarkable facts. At the end of 2023, top chef Peter Goossens of Hof van Cleve in Kruisem is selling up his three-star business, and Brussels-based Mallory Gabsi, Young Chef of the Year 2023 and contestant on the French culinary TV programme Top Chef, has been awarded his first star with his eponymous restaurant in Paris.

Michelin stars represent the very best in terms of sheer culinary excellence, which covers the quality of the produce served, the personality of the cuisine, the mastery of cooking techniques and flavours, the price-quality ratio, and cuisine consistency over time. Criteria such as comfort, service and atmosphere are not considered when a restaurant is awarded one or more stars; that is what the icons in the form of cutlery or houses represent.