Kobe Desramault named Chef of the Year

Kobe Desramault of the restaurant ‘In de Wulf’ in Dranouter has been named Chef of the Year by Gault&Millau. The organisation awards in this way a rebellious talent who “simply does what he likes to do”. “Eating culture is found in the little things and is in all of us. I couldn’t give a damn about the prestige,” said the 32-year-old Desramault about his new title. This sums up the young talent who is loved by gourmands and the media for his passionate, stubborn and rebellious attitude.
Desramault grew up in his mother’s brasserie in Dranouter in the Westhoek close to France. He started his training rather reluctantly at Picasso in Westouter, but it was not long before the spark kindled the fire. He then did stints at ‘Oud Sluis’ and at ‘Comerç 24’ in Barcelona before taking over his parents’ business at the age of 23. The hardheaded chef stuck to his guns and introduced his concept of regional dishes with a personal touch. His restaurant has no menu card except for a digestive menu which is ‘directed’ by the chef. The 11-strong kitchen team set off each morning to find fresh ingredients from the polder soil, which means that caviar and truffles have to make way for celeriac in a salted crust or sea snails with a whey cheese sauce. His perseverance has finally paid off. After a number of good reviews and positive blogs foodies in Flanders have grown to love this young talent. And with his concept so in keeping with the general trend towards pure and regional cooking, the rest of the world soon followed suit. After only two years at his restaurant he has become the youngest star chef in Flanders, with ‘Vitrine’, the brasserie in Ghent which he opened last year, well on track.  
He also stole the heart of the Flemish media, who saw his potential and staged him with his fellow chefs Jason Blanckaert and Olly Ceulenaer – better known as the Flemish Foodies – in popular TV programmes such as ‘Man bijt hond’, ‘Mijn restaurant’, ‘Duizend zonnen’ and ‘Tournée générale’.