Chef of Hof Van Cleve is in world top 20

Peter Goossens, chef at the three-Michelin-star Hof Van Cleve in Kruishoutem, East Flanders, is number 20 on the list of the best chefs in the world. The Best Chef Awards, a collaboration by a number of culinary brands, were announced in Milan.

Two more Belgian chefs made the top 50 list: Gert De Mangeleer of Hertog Jan in Zedelgem, West Flanders – Belgium’s only other three-Michelin-star restaurant – and Benoit Dewitte of Benoit & Bernard Dewitte in Zingem, East Flanders.

Goossens (pictured) has been running Hof Van Cleve for more than 30 years in the same location. It is regularly cited by culinary organisations and magazines as one of the world’s best restaurants. It has a GaultMillau score of 19.5/20, the highest in the Benelux.

The Best Chef Awards put an emphasis on innovative techniques and artistic presentation. The organisation draws up a master list of 350, which includes the top 300 from the previous year and 50 new additions.

Then the 350 chefs vote for their favourite chef. Once they vote, a list of 300 is generated, which is then voted on by culinary professionals, photographers, artists and members of the public.

That generates the top 50 list, with the winner – this year Joan Roca of El celler de Can Roca in Girona, Spain – being announced at the annual ceremony.

Other local names on the list of 300 include Martin Defauw of Rebelle in Kortrijk, Thierry Theys of Nuance in Duffel, Bart De Pooter of De Pastorale in Rumst and Damien Bouchery of Bouchery in Brussels.

Photo courtesy Hof Van Cleve