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The Michelin Guide’s list of winners has been released. No disappointments this year, but one good surprise: the young Pavillon Eden Rose has received its first star.
The award ceremony for the new stars of the Michelin Guide Belgium and Luxembourg took place at the Théâtre Royal in Mons, and a new star shines over Luxembourg! A first star for the Pavillon Eden Rose in Kayl, owned by chefs Caroline Esch and Valérian Prade.
The ceremony was marked by a number of new entries in the Guide, with a total of 15 new stars in Belgium and one in the Grand Duchy, rewarding a cuisine led by young chefs who highlight current priorities and issues, serving an ever-increasing creativity. The 2023 Belgium-Luxembourg selection includes no new 3-star restaurants, one new 2-star restaurant, 16 new 1-star restaurants, 4 new Michelin Green Stars and 22 new Bib Gourmand restaurants, including the Bazaar in Luxembourg city centre.
A first star in Kayl
In an interview with KACHEN in 2021, the young chef Caroline Esch said: “Starred? Of course, everyone dreams of that.” Today, the dream has become reality. “We are on cloud nine,” she confides on Monday. “At 26 and 27, we didn’t expect to get this award so quickly! We mustn’t forget that Valérian (Prade, editor’s note) and I have only been working together since 2021, so it was very quick”, Caroline Esch, whose restaurant has already been awarded the Gault&Millau “Discovery of the Year” award in 2022 and the “Young Chef of the Year” award in 2023 for Valérian Prade, exults in Brussels.
Gluten-free and waiter-free
A superb consecration for this passionate young couple, who were the first to dare to open a gluten-free restaurant in Luxembourg, and “without waiters”, says the young chef. “We were criticised a lot for that, but you see, that doesn’t prevent us from having a Michelin star!” Without waiters…? “We had a lot of trouble finding staff. So as our restaurant has a completely open kitchen, we take it in turns to serve the customers. Our kitchen team plays the game and it’s the one who wants to take advantage of the moment who goes out into the field. We wanted to break the codes, to offer a relaxed atmosphere.”
Eden Rose, “a lady full of elegance”, supported by a “carefully crafted kitchen with great attention to detail” according to the Red Guide inspectors who were charmed by the atmosphere of the place.
Cyril Molard still at the top
As far as two stars are concerned, Ma Langue Sourit is still the most awarded restaurant in the Grand Duchy. “We are aware of this position and we are very respectful of others. We have not usurped it, we have worked hard for it and we are very motivated to keep it”, explains its chef, Cyril Molard. During the ceremony, he went to congratulate Valérian Prade who worked in his kitchens. “He is extremely talented, and I know that it was a dream for him. I am very proud of him and very happy for Luxembourg”, commented the chef, who nevertheless regrets some absentees. “A restaurant like Apdikt, for example, would have a great place here…”.
Another emotion for the chef: “Manon (Schenk, editor’s note) also received a star. She also worked with me and I am really moved.”
So, was he expecting a third star? “Some people have put us in line for three stars… But I prefer not to even imagine that. We try to raise the level of our work all the time, but I’ve never been the type to try to play up to the Michelin Guide. No two 3-star restaurants are alike. You have to stop thinking that you need exceptional managers. What counts is the plate.”
1 star (Luxembourg)
La Distillerie (Bourglinster)
Léa Linster (Frisange)
Mosconi (Luxembourg)
Ryôdô (Luxembourg)
La Villa de Camille et Julien (Luxembourg)
Fani (Roeser)
Guillou Campagne (Schouweiler)
Eden Rose (Kayl)
2 stars (Luxembourg)
Ma Langue Sourit (Moutfort)
Find the complete list of all the new starred chefs here.
Green Star in Arlon
The Michelin Green Star, which highlights chefs at the forefront of a more sustainable approach to gastronomy, has been awarded to four new establishments, including La Grappe d’Or in Arlon. Chef Clément Petitjean also regained his first star, which was lost when the restaurant moved from Torgny to Arlon. La Distillerie of Chef René Mathieu, a restaurant consecrated in 2021, is still holding on to its green star and its “normal” star this year.
Other awards
Mathieu Vande de Velde (Roannay in Francorchamps), 24 years old, was crowned Young Chef of the Year. His restaurant also won its first star. In the province of Luxembourg, La Table de Manon (chef Manon Schenck) and Le Grand Verre (chef Wout Bru) in Durbuy were also awarded a star.
In Mons, Bozar Restaurant was awarded a second star in a burst of joy! You could hear him shouting these words: “We restaurant owners do the most beautiful job in the world, I feel sorry for the others. Dream and everything is possible.”
Congratulations to the winning chefs, and see you next year!