As Belgium is the land of chocolate, it should be no surprise that the Gault & Millau restaurant guide is handing out three awards for Chocolatier of the Year in the country – one for each region.
A selection was made from 128 chocolatiers in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, representing a total of 183 shops. The selection is made on the basis of various anonymous tastings, where both visual and taste properties play a role.
Every year, the guide awards the Chocolatier of the Year for Brussels, Flanders and Wallonia.
Yasushi Sasaki
Credit: Yasushi Sasaki/Facebook
In Brussels, this year's award for best chocolatier went to Yasushi Sasaki from the municipality of Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. For Gault & Millau, Sasaki is "one of the best references in the capital when it comes to refined chocolate."
"The sophistication of his chocolates leaves no one indifferent, coupled with the Japanese precision with which he works. Yasushi Sasaki is obsessed with pure flavours. For his coatings and ganaches, he departs from various 'origin' chocolates," the guide said, calling him an "unadulterated flavour wizard."
Soon, Yasushi Sasako will start a bean-to-bar production; unlike industrial chocolate, the chocolate will be made by one person or company. In that case, he will purchase the cocoa beans himself in small – more controllable – quantities.
Address: Avenue des Franciscains 10, Woluwe-Saint-Pierre.
Chocoladehuis Boon
Credit: Boon - The Chocolate Experience/Facebook
The Chocolatier of the Year award in Flanders went to Chocoladehuis Boon ("Chocolate House Bean"), located in the Limburg city of Hasselt and owned by chocolatier Patrick Mertens and his wife Inge Lijnen.
"In their broad and richly varied repertoire, the classically oriented enthusiasts will find something to their liking, while those who would like to be surprised and spoiled with new taste associations will also find what they are looking for," the guide said.
In addition, the chocolate house enjoys a solid reputation both at home and abroad in the field of tailor-made chocolate concepts, with high-profile creations that often adorn the windows of the most renowned shops and luxury boutiques.
"In the same spirit of unique creative work accessible to everyone, the duo created an endearing mini box with eight pie slices in four flavours. Or how an inspired chocolatier dares to think out of the box by transforming a delicious Limburg icon into a new and at the same time very recognisable guilty pleasure."
Address: Paardsdemerstraat 13, Hasselt
Thibaut Legast
Credit: Thibaut Legast/Facebook
In Wallonia, the award for Chocolatier of the Year went to Thibaut Legast, whose shop in Braine-le-Comte is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Legast and his wife Patricia Forero have been producing 'bean-to-bar' chocolate for several years.
"For the 20th anniversary of their company, they moved the entire production to a more efficient building and they also have a beautiful second point of sale," the guide said. "With cocoa beans that his wife purchases in Latin America after a very strict selection, Thibaut creates exceptional chocolate bars and pralines that have already won numerous international awards."
Address: Rue de la Station 65, Braine-le-Comte
