Brussels Airlines to serve meals by De Karmeliet chef

Starting next week, business class passengers on flights with Brussels Airlines will be able to enjoy dishes prepared by the three-Michelin-star kitchen of Bruges restaurant De Karmeliet. The airline said the move would strengthen its position as an ambassador of Belgium.

This is the first time the airline has worked with a top chef for business class passengers on long-haul flights. The airline plans to introduce passengers to Belgian cuisine and products by fixing a menu every six months with a different top chef, to allow seasonal variations.

“We will work with renowned Belgian star chefs who will create an entire menu based on local specialities from their province to show our passengers the best their region has to offer,” said VP for customer experience Anne Tricot.

De Karmeliet chef Geert Van Hecke (pictured) is the first. Born in 1956, he studied at the famed hotel school Ter Duinen in Koksijde before going on to work for top French chef Alain Chapel. He opened De Karmeliet in Bruges in 1983, on the site of a former convent. The restaurant won its first Michelin star in 1985; the second came in 1989 and the third in 1996. The restaurant is one of only three in Belgium with three stars, all of them in Flanders.

Van Hecke’s selection for Brussels Airlines clients includes regional products such as smoked eel from Damme and North Sea grey shrimp, as well as a drinks menu including Brugse Tripel beer.