Kris De Roy

Chef Kris De Roy, holder of both a coveted Red and a pioneering Green Michelin Star, champions a green, inventive, and profoundly sustainable culinary ethos. His philosophy is rooted in demonstrating the immense creativity achievable with vegetables, offering guests a gastronomic experience that is both light and conscious. Acknowledged as the "Best Vegetable Restaurant of Flanders" (2017-2018), Hofke van Bazel consistently serves 100% vegetarian amuse-bouches and at least one fully vegetarian dish on its menus, with a significant portion of guests opting for entirely plant-based journeys. This commitment reflects a vision where fine dining actively contributes to a better environment, challenging traditional perceptions of what constitutes haute cuisine. Central to this philosophy is an unparalleled dedication to ingredient sourcing, anchored by the restaurant’s expansive 6,000 m² private vegetable and herb garden, situated adjacent to the ecologically rich Polders of Kruibeke. Here, Chef De Roy meticulously cultivates approximately 50 varieties of vegetables, 120 edible flowers, and a vast array of herbs, all grown from seed to ensure optimal strength, aroma, and flavour. Daily harvesting guarantees peak freshness and quality. While half of the restaurant's produce comes from this living larder, other essential ingredients like flour (from a mill just 500 meters away) and dairy are sourced hyper-locally, underscoring a commitment to minimizing environmental impact. Furthermore, a circular economy is practiced, with kitchen waste composted and returned to the garden, and garden materials themselves crafted from recycled plastics. De Roy views sustainability as a continuous evolution, not a revolution, emphasizing that the pursuit of deliciousness and culinary pleasure must remain paramount. He firmly believes that any modern restaurant failing to offer thoughtful vegetarian options is "not of this time." Through innovations like "Gina's Choice"—an in-house label for adapted vegetable, fruit, and herb juice pairings—he actively seeks to broaden his guests' culinary horizons, inspiring them to embrace green gastronomy without compromise. His journey, marked by pioneering a restaurant garden as early as 2005, showcases a long-standing commitment to ecological responsibility and culinary foresight. Chef Kris De Roy’s culinary approach is a masterful fusion of a classical French foundation with a pioneering spirit dedicated to vegetable-centric gastronomy. His technical prowess, honed through six years at Hotel School Ter Groene Poorte and extensive experience across every kitchen station—from garde-manger and pastry to rôtisseur and poissonnier in Michelin-starred establishments—allows him to execute a remarkable array of techniques. He highlights the existence of at least 50 distinct methods for preparing vegetables, actively reintroducing traditional techniques such as pickling and fermenting, while simultaneously embracing the latest culinary innovations, all in pursuit of "pure flavour." His approach to flavour and plating is characterized by vibrant creativity and an obsessive focus on the inherent possibilities of each ingredient. De Roy delves into the multifaceted expressions of a single vegetable, showcasing, for instance, a tomato's diverse formats and tastes. Plating is inventive and green, designed to elevate vegetables from mere accompaniments to the stars of the dish. Hofke van Bazel consistently features 100% vegetarian amuse-bouches and ensures at least one fully vegetarian dish on every menu, complemented by thoughtful non-alcoholic pairings, underscoring his belief that plant-based cuisine can be both sophisticated and utterly delicious. While the text highlights numerous accolades for his vegetable-focused cuisine and sustainability practices, specific named "legendary signature dishes" are not explicitly mentioned.

Career

• Garde-manger at Restaurant De Paddock
• Garde-manger, Chef garde-manger, Pastry, Chef rôtisseur, Chef banquet, Chef poissonnier at Restaurant La Pérouse
• Garde-manger at Restaurant De Matelote
• Chef de cuisine at Restaurant De Halewijn
• Sous-chef at Restaurant Folliez
• Chef de cuisine & co-owner at Hofke van Bazel, Bazel