PHOTO: © BRUSSELS AIRLINES
Each year, Brussels Airlines invites a Belgian star chef to design a three-course business-class menu for its long-haul flights. In October 2023, Michelin-starred chef Michaël Vrijmoed joined the airline as its year-long Belgian Star Chef.
Vrijmoed is the chef-owner of his eponymous restaurant Vrijmoed in Ghent and is the 14th Michelin-starred chef to participate in the program, which celebrates Belgian recipes and ingredients. Renowned for leading one of the world’s top vegetable-focused restaurants, he will refresh the business-class menus every three months to showcase the best seasonal produce.
“As a Michelin-starred chef, it is a privilege to be allowed to cook for Brussels Airlines’ business-class travelers. I am following in the footsteps of Peter Goossens, who was one of my mentors and served as the airline’s star chef in 2015. Through my creations for Brussels Airlines, I will introduce the world to flavorful Belgian vegetables paired with East Flemish regional beers and cheeses from cheese refiner Van Tricht,” Vrijmoed said.
Guilty pleasures and aversions
When asked about guilty pleasures, Vrijmoed admits he enjoys breakfast—both sweet and savory. In Belgium, a puff pastry filled with pudding is a simple delight. He also finds comfort in brioche or a well-made baguette. Conveniently, a bakery sits next to his restaurant; the baker, his friend Joost Arijs, is someone Vrijmoed calls an artist for his bread-making.
Despite his pride in working with Belgian vegetables, Vrijmoed dislikes red cabbage. He can’t quite put his finger on it, but the flavor and aroma put him off.
Cooking for friends
For private dinner parties, Vrijmoed favors relaxed, unfussy food. After long hours in a professional kitchen, he prefers to spend time with guests rather than being stuck preparing elaborate plates. Practical choices include a homemade pizza baked in a green egg or a braised lamb shoulder. He starts the evening with a generous aperitif—drinks and snacks to set the tone—and lets the menu evolve naturally from there.
Even at home he enjoys surprising guests with seasonal vegetarian dishes, reflecting the same vegetable-focused philosophy of his restaurant.
Origins and influences
Vrijmoed’s earliest culinary memories are rooted in baking. As a child he loved making breads and pastries—raisin bread and vanilla flan were early favorites. At 14 he wanted to train as a baker, but his parents encouraged catering school, arguing it offered broader opportunities while still keeping the option to bake. He appreciates that guidance now, as his career moved in a different but rewarding direction.
A dish that defines his style
When asked to sum up his personal style in one dish, Vrijmoed emphasizes taste above all. Texture, flavor and aroma guide his choices before presentation. He avoids creating dishes that merely photograph well but lack substance. One signature dish that encapsulates his approach is a crayfish tartare with dashi and Belgian caviar. Introduced early in his tasting menus, it remains popular with regulars and now appears on his à la carte menu.
On trends he’d like to see fade
Vrijmoed is critical of trends that favor excess—kitchens filled with jellies and mousses made for show rather than flavor. His motto is “less is more.” He admires the honesty of traditional Japanese cuisine, where simplicity and high-quality ingredients create straightforward, satisfying dishes without unnecessary complexity.