Is this what a pirate looks like? Mathieu Van Wetteren, 31, is friendly, courteous and cheerful. And with his restaurant “Apdikt”, formerly a pharmacy in Steinfort, he is more successful that he had ever dared to dream. Gault & Millau named him “Discovery of the Year” in 2018, and other awards are sure to follow.
(This article was originally published in Kachen Magazine Winter 2018)
But Mathieu likes to entertain the idea of being like a pirate on the high seas in his kitchen. He sees the culinary world as “a microcosm that functions according to its own laws.” What he particularly likes about gastronomy is “the insanity, the freedom, the creativity and the especially high level of solidarity amongst the crew”.
Full steam ahead!
He’s been his own boss at Apdikt since April 2017. “This liberty is wonderful, and very important for me personally”, he says, looking over his small, 24-seat empire. All beginnings are difficult, and so Mathieu is not adverse to even washing the dishes himself. It might help to motivate the team. He keeps an eye on what’s important, however: the creativity – and the creations – in the kitchen. He started at Apdikt together with Louise Burton, preparing six courses. “That was a small master achievement, every day was a race.”
There are now three working in the kitchen with Alice Meyer in the dining room as maître d’hôtel, which helps things run smoothly. “I quickly recognised that my creativity can only emerge through calm and focus. I now have the great fortune of being able to rely blindly on my crew.” Cooking is done only in the evening, and only for one set menu. “Everyone said, you’ll never succeed. One set menu, only in the evenings, and in Steinfort. Never!” Mathieu, however, was convinced that his concept was the right one, and took the plunge. Only two guests have refrained from ordering his special set menu since the restaurant opened in 2017. “My guests are very open-minded, and often return to discover new, sometimes crazy menu variations. That’s why I feel just like a pirate here, one who can share my new achievements.” Vegetarians and allergy sufferers are always welcome. “Everything is possible, I just need to know in advance.”
This season, Mathieu is serving the following set menu: to start, sardines with mussels and Ocho Blanco, followed by ceviche and turbot with Luxembourg purée with caviar. Then entrecôte with butter beans and zucchini. For dessert, avocado with raspberries and artichokes. 75 euros for the entire meal. Van Wetteren offers a set menu for seven weeks, possibly with small changes made over time.
From family cooker to head chef
Mathieu grew up in Diekirch, as the eldest son of a mother from Luxembourg and a father from Belgium. Even as a young child he was regularly in the kitchen at his mother’s restaurant, earning pocket money. His fascination for cookery was so great that when he left school he decided to pursue it as a profession, instead of carpentry as he’d previously planned. After three years of hotel management schooling in Diekirch and two somewhat rocky years, Mathieu attended the hotel school in Namur, where he graduated with flying colours. “I quickly understood that I had to pull myself together if I wanted a chance in this competitive world.” After graduation he worked for two years at the one-star restaurant Héliport in Lüttich. Ambitiously looking for the chance to learn from gastronomy’s elite, Mathieu applied to work under Harald Wohlfahrt at the Schwarzwaldstube, in Baiersbronn. “Harald Wohlfahrt is the greatest chef I’ve ever worked for. The man is a phenomenon, both inspiring and fascinating at once.” Here is where he learned the classics in cuisine. “Technical clarity, organisation, and love for my work” are what helped Mathieu advance in the search for his own culinary style.
He eventually moved on to the Seagrill (two stars) in Brussels, where he was able to work his way up from commis to sous-chef in less than three years. This was followed by a period in his mother’s business in the Pall Center in Luxembourg, before he moved on to further hone his skills under Sergio Herman and Nick Brill at “The Jane” (two stars) in Antwerp.
Then he came across the old pharmacy in Steinfort. “I am not driven by money. I do what brings me pleasure: cooking and conveying love and emotion to people.”
Hard work and long days are part of the job. “It’s what keeps me in balance, and what spurs me on to try new things every day.” An especially important source of inspiration for Mathieu is travel. He sees creative downtime as an important aspect of his artistic activity. “I am always looking for new flavours, new products and their producers, and exotic combinations.” He is currently interested in Asian cuisine. “I see Japan as one of the gates to heaven.” He is effusive about “subtlety and simplicity, focus, precision and attention to detail.”
Reserving a table at Mathieu’s restaurant requires considerable advance planning, as waiting times can be up to three months, depending on the day of the week. “I am very surprised and grateful that my guests have such confidence in me.”