Making a positive and lasting impact, on both the guest’s experience and the estate's environment
Not a fireman, a police officer, or pilot, but a chef. For Guido Le Bron de Vexela it has always been clear what he wanted to do in life: cook. For him, becoming Chef de Cuisine at Château St. Gerlach’s Les Salons is a calling rather than a career. Dishes in which homegrown, seasonal vegetables play the lead are his signature. “My goal? Making a positive and lasting impact, on both the guest’s experience and the estate's environment.”
Article by:
Words - Renée Schmeetz
Images - Chantal Arnts & Guy Houben
FOCUS ON THE FUTURE
“For me, cooking ethically means focusing on the future. Preserving our environment for generations to come. Ironically, this involves working in the way we used to in the past. Instead of ordering ingredients from all over the world to create the dishes, I work with local products available at that particular moment. Not flying in a steak from South America or shipping beans from Kenya - I believe we have wonderful products in this region too.”
ESTATE GARDEN
“That is why at Les Salons, we work with what nature gives us. The results are fresh and flavourful, for example, harvesting a beetroot from our estate garden, WIJland, in the morning and serving it at dinner that same day. This approach requires some flexibility too. For instance, due to weather conditions, the carrots we planted last spring were sadly lost. That meant I had to rethink recipes. Growing vegetables is not maths, we always have to anticipate when and which products are available at any given time.”
PERFECT PRODUCTS
“To me, these homegrown vegetables are a perfect product. Flavour wise, there’s a world of difference between a parsnip from our kitchen garden versus one bought from a wholesaler. Our vegetables are so pure and powerful, they hardly need anything added. Supermarkets have taught us to believe that tomatoes are all perfectly identical in colour, shape and size. But that’s not how tomatoes naturally grow. Shouldn’t a vegetable be considered perfect for its flavour alone, despite possible dents or marks?”
A SUSTAINABLE PRACTICE
“The provenance of our ingredients is incredibly important. But a sustainable practice goes beyond products. It also involves food waste management and durable use of equipment. That is why we reuse all vegetable waste to make a rich stock and always repair broken ceramic tableware. Instead of replacing a plate or bowl, we apply the technique of kintsugi: mending cracks with gold lacquer. We aim for an eco-friendly operation on all levels.”
GREEN STAR
“Holding yourself accountable for both your ethical and environmental standards is also what the Michelin Green Star stands for. Being recognised in this way would be the crowning achievement of our work. A confirmation that what we do is contributing to a better world and wellbeing. However, Michelin doesn’t have a bullet point list we can tick off. Culinary excellence combined with outstanding climate commitments is what we strive for every day.”
FARM-TO-TABLE
“If we were to receive recognition for sustainability by Michelin, I would be so honoured. Although, what really matters most is the appreciation of our guests. Creating a new dish that wins people’s hearts is the biggest compliment for our entire team. I want to make guests aware of where the food they enjoy comes from. Recently we held dinners right in the middle of WIJland, where visitors dined next to our fennel and courgette plants. I don’t think it gets more farm-to-table than that.”
a quick peek
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