In a bid to improve the flying experience for business class passengers on long-haul flights, Brussels Airlines has teamed up with Michelin-starred chef Michaël Vrijmoed to offer the best of Belgian cuisine.
Starting 1 October, Vrijmoed – best known for his famous vegetarian restaurant in Ghent – will partner with the airline. The company has been on a long journey to culinary excellence after first joining forces with Michelin-starred chef Geert Van Hecke over a decade ago.
Van Hecke pioneered the concept of Belgian Star Chefs, which created meals using local recipes and ingredients for intercontinental Brussels Airlines passengers. This year, Vrijmoed joins a team of thirteen other Michelin-starred chefs who have been contributing to the airline's dining experience since 2013.
Mouth-watering flight service
Vrijmoed 's dishes will be vegetable-focussed and his menus will undergo a quarterly rotation to make the most of seasonal produce. To accompany the elevated gastronomic experience, Brussels Airlines' Jan De Clercq will provide a selection of Belgian wines, while Sofie Vanrafelghem has handpicked various local beers.
Now business class travellers will have the choice of fish, meat, or a vegetarian alternative for both the starter and main course and can look forward to Vrijmoed's signature dish of beetroot with Doyenné du Comice pear, mustard seed and horseradish sauce. Main course selections include a celeriac variation with soil-grown chicory and crispy Jerusalem artichoke; pheasant with soil-grown chicory, wild mushrooms, cranberries, pearl onions, delicate champagne sauce, Jerusalem artichoke and Jerusalem artichoke puree; and Eel in Green with herb salad and chateau potatoes. For dessert, passengers can choose between a cheese platter featuring East Flanders classics or a hazelnut chocolate cake with a vanilla coffee sauce.
A selection of dishes served by the Michelin-starred restaurant. Credit: Vrijmoed Restaurant
"As a Michelin-starred chef, it is a privilege to be allowed to cook for the business class travellers of Brussels Airlines,” Vrijmoed told Aviation 24. “I am following in the footsteps of Peter Goossens, one of my tutors. He served as a star chef for the airline in 2015. Through my creations for Brussels Airlines, I will introduce the world, amongst others, to tasty Belgian vegetables, accompanied by some East Flemish regional beers and cheeses from cheese refiner Van Tricht."
After Peter Goossens, Michaël Vrijmoed is the second East Flanders chef to collaborate with Brussels Airlines. Vrijmoed's journey to gastronomic fame began as a sous-chef at Hof van Cleve, where he worked alongside top chef Peter Goossens. In 2013, he ventured into his own establishment in Ghent, which has since earned a reputation as one of the world's premier vegetable restaurants.
The best of Belgium
Philip Mortier, Inflight Product Manager at Brussels Airlines, emphasised the airline's commitment to showcasing the best of Belgium: "Brussels Airlines is the flying ambassador of the best Belgium has to offer," he told Aviation 24. "As an airline, we introduce the world to delicacies originating from our country. We are happy that with Michaël Vrijmoed, we can again put our local products and recipes in the spotlight."
