Radilicious 2

Arabelle Meirlaen

16

Basiliek

36

De Librije

56

D’Errico Ristorante at La Madernassa

76

De Tuinkamer

98

Entropy

118

Fierro

138

Forest Side

158

Hofke van Bazel

180

Kook Atelier op Oost

200

Ma Langue Sourit

220

Menssa

240

Neon

262

ONE

282

Patrick Devos

302

Piazza Duomo

322

Plates

344

Tony García Espacio Gastronómico

364

’t Vijfde Seizoen

384

We’re Smart World

404

Arabelle Meirlaen

16

Basiliek

36

De Librije

56

D’Errico Ristorante at La Madernassa

76

De Tuinkamer

98

Entropy

118

Fierro

138

Forest Side

158

Hofke van Bazel

180

Kook Atelier op Oost

200

Ma Langue Sourit

220

Menssa

240

Neon

262

ONE

282

Patrick Devos

302

Piazza Duomo

322

Plates

344

Tony García Espacio Gastronómico

364

’t Vijfde Seizoen

384

We’re Smart World

404

Arabelle Meirlaen

“I imagine food the same way I do life: beautiful, flavourful, crisp, drenched in love and emotion.” Arabelle Meirlaen has an infectious sparkle in her eyes.

Whenever she speaks, you intuitively hang on her every word. What a woman. What a cuisine! Infused with the refined intuition with which she expresses the free play of nature. An extra serve of happiness and healthy energy on the plate.

Overlooking the immense vegetable garden, you can enjoy dishes that are as light as a feather but no less full of life and intense in flavour. All served with a masterful sense for aesthetics and nuance. Making people happy, that is what she does (and enjoys doing) best.

Arabelle offers soulful cuisine that goes so much further than albeit sublime gastronomy. With a meticulous attention to detail, she deliciously weaves her natural wisdom into every recipe. Everything she knows and experiences is served thoughtfully and generously at the table. She invites your senses to a dance and lets your organs sing to the beat of the seasons. Intuitively, you experience how wholesome the heavenly flavours are and how light and cheerful you feel even as the final course is served. Here something unfolds of which most can only dream: nature in all its purity and harmony. A smile infused in every fibre.

What is most striking, perhaps, is that Arabelle never had any desire to become a chef. Fashion designer, that was more her thing. Moving house, however, brought the Libramont hotel management school a little closer. Arabelle’s parents convinced her to give it a try. She got on well with people and thus specialised in service. And was very good at it. She was immediately hired after completing her traineeship at the restaurant of the world-famous crystal manufacturer, Val-Saint-Lambert. Not long after, she rose through the ranks to the position of restaurant manager. For the amount of work she put in, however, Arabelle earned precious little in return. In her view, she could just as well open her own restaurant. But her standards were high, which made the search for a suitable chef more difficult than expected. There was no other alternative than to go into the kitchen herself. And there, Arabelle came to feel more and more in her element. In fact, the kitchen proved to be the ideal place for her to do what she loves most: creating dishes that make people happy. The chef in her was finally born.

18

“I imagine food

the same way I do life: beautiful, flavourful, crisp, drenched in love and emotion.

”

Arabelle Meirlaen

“I imagine food the same way I do life: beautiful, flavourful, crisp, drenched in love and emotion.” Arabelle Meirlaen has an infectious sparkle in her eyes.

Whenever she speaks, you intuitively hang on her every word. What a woman. What a cuisine! Infused with the refined intuition with which she expresses the free play of nature. An extra serve of happiness and healthy energy on the plate.

Overlooking the immense vegetable garden, you can enjoy dishes that are as light as a feather but no less full of life and intense in flavour. All served with a masterful sense for aesthetics and nuance. Making people happy, that is what she does (and enjoys doing) best.

Arabelle offers soulful cuisine that goes so much further than albeit sublime gastronomy. With a meticulous attention to detail, she deliciously weaves her natural wisdom into every recipe. Everything she knows and experiences is served thoughtfully and generously at the table. She invites your senses to a dance and lets your organs sing to the beat of the seasons. Intuitively, you experience how wholesome the heavenly flavours are and how light and cheerful you feel even as the final course is served. Here something unfolds of which most can only dream: nature in all its purity and harmony. A smile infused in every fibre.

What is most striking, perhaps, is that Arabelle never had any desire to become a chef. Fashion designer, that was more her thing. Moving house, however, brought the Libramont hotel management school a little closer. Arabelle’s parents convinced her to give it a try. She got on well with people and thus specialised in service. And was very good at it. She was immediately hired after completing her traineeship at the restaurant of the world-famous crystal manufacturer, Val-Saint-Lambert. Not long after, she rose through the ranks to the position of restaurant manager. For the amount of work she put in, however, Arabelle earned precious little in return. In her view, she could just as well open her own restaurant. But her standards were high, which made the search for a suitable chef more difficult than expected. There was no other alternative than to go into the kitchen herself. And there, Arabelle came to feel more and more in her element. In fact, the kitchen proved to be the ideal place for her to do what she loves most: creating dishes that make people happy. The chef in her was finally born.

18

“I imagine food

the same way I do life: beautiful, flavourful, crisp, drenched in love and emotion.

”

Arabelle Meirlaen

Peace & Love 4 PERSONS

Almond mayonnaise 100g white almond purée (Monki) 50ml clear iodised soy sauce with sea water (Smolarek)

Chlorophyll Angel Face 100g carrot tops 100g rucola 1 shallot

50ml soybean oil

1/2 bird’s eye chilli

•

50ml olive oil

Blend all ingredients together in a blender

Vegetable crab 600g parsley root •

300ml orange juice 20ml apple cider vinegar 1 whole ginger root 5g coriander Salt and pepper

Grate the roots (2mm). Combine with 4-6 tablespoons of the almond mayonnaise

•

Blend everything in a blender and strain to obtain 500ml of juice.

Kohlrabi slices

•

Bring half of the juice to the boil. Remove from heat and add the other half of the juice,

750g kohlrabi

along with 4g agar agar.

•

Cut the kohlrabi into 2cm wide and 15cm long slices. Save the leftovers for the tartare.

Apple and pear tartare 1 green apple 1 pear

•

Pour the mixture into moulds while still warm.

Nori 50g nori sheets 1L water 12g agar agar

150g kohlrabi trimmings Lemon juice

•

Bring the water and agar agar to the boil.

25g wakame (rehydrated)

Add the nori. Pour onto a flat dish to form

2T almond mayonnaise

a thin layer.

Fleur de sel and 5-pepper mix

•

Reinforce with the kohlrabi slices and cut into pieces.

•

Finely dice all ingredients. Beat into the almond mayonnaise and season with lemon juice, fleur de sel and 5-pepper mix.

Finishing •

Use a ring (8cm) to arrange seaweed/

kohlrabi on the plate. Place the tartare on top and then the crab filling. Garnish with a cannabis leaf and nori powder.

30

Arabelle Meirlaen

Peace & Love 4 PERSONS

Almond mayonnaise 100g white almond purée (Monki) 50ml clear iodised soy sauce with sea water (Smolarek)

Chlorophyll Angel Face 100g carrot tops 100g rucola 1 shallot

50ml soybean oil

1/2 bird’s eye chilli

•

50ml olive oil

Blend all ingredients together in a blender

Vegetable crab 600g parsley root •

300ml orange juice 20ml apple cider vinegar 1 whole ginger root 5g coriander Salt and pepper

Grate the roots (2mm). Combine with 4-6 tablespoons of the almond mayonnaise

•

Blend everything in a blender and strain to obtain 500ml of juice.

Kohlrabi slices

•

Bring half of the juice to the boil. Remove from heat and add the other half of the juice,

750g kohlrabi

along with 4g agar agar.

•

Cut the kohlrabi into 2cm wide and 15cm long slices. Save the leftovers for the tartare.

Apple and pear tartare 1 green apple 1 pear

•

Pour the mixture into moulds while still warm.

Nori 50g nori sheets 1L water 12g agar agar

150g kohlrabi trimmings Lemon juice

•

Bring the water and agar agar to the boil.

25g wakame (rehydrated)

Add the nori. Pour onto a flat dish to form

2T almond mayonnaise

a thin layer.

Fleur de sel and 5-pepper mix

•

Reinforce with the kohlrabi slices and cut into pieces.

•

Finely dice all ingredients. Beat into the almond mayonnaise and season with lemon juice, fleur de sel and 5-pepper mix.

Finishing •

Use a ring (8cm) to arrange seaweed/

kohlrabi on the plate. Place the tartare on top and then the crab filling. Garnish with a cannabis leaf and nori powder.

30

De Librije

Wasabi 4 PERSONS

Pointed cabbage

Juice

200g pointed cabbage

200ml Riesling juice

10g shallot

20ml lime leaf oil

10 seedless grapes

100g lemongrass

100g Madras curry oil 10g ginger

•

Cook the chopped lemongrass in Riesling juice.

10g lemongrass

Leave to infuse for as long as possible and

10g red pepper

then leave to cool.

Salt

•

Mix with lime leaf oil.

Wasabi paste

Leaf • • •

Fry the grapes in Madras curry oil

1 wasabi leaf

and fry gently.

1 marigold

Cut the pointed cabbage into strips and chop the rest as finely as possible.

•

Tear the wasabi leaf into small pieces.

Crush the grapes and add all

•

Separate the marigold petals.

the ingredients. Simmer.

•

Season to taste with salt and wasabi paste.

Seeds 200g water 200g sugar 600g sunflower oil Salt Citric acid powder 200g sunflower seeds •

Boil the sunflower seeds with sugar and water.

Strain and fry in hot sunflower oil. Drain and leave to dry under a heat lamp.

•

66

Season to taste with salt and citric acid powder.

De Librije

Wasabi 4 PERSONS

Pointed cabbage

Juice

200g pointed cabbage

200ml Riesling juice

10g shallot

20ml lime leaf oil

10 seedless grapes

100g lemongrass

100g Madras curry oil 10g ginger

•

Cook the chopped lemongrass in Riesling juice.

10g lemongrass

Leave to infuse for as long as possible and

10g red pepper

then leave to cool.

Salt

•

Mix with lime leaf oil.

Wasabi paste

Leaf • • •

Fry the grapes in Madras curry oil

1 wasabi leaf

and fry gently.

1 marigold

Cut the pointed cabbage into strips and chop the rest as finely as possible.

•

Tear the wasabi leaf into small pieces.

Crush the grapes and add all

•

Separate the marigold petals.

the ingredients. Simmer.

•

Season to taste with salt and wasabi paste.

Seeds 200g water 200g sugar 600g sunflower oil Salt Citric acid powder 200g sunflower seeds •

Boil the sunflower seeds with sugar and water.

Strain and fry in hot sunflower oil. Drain and leave to dry under a heat lamp.

•

66

Season to taste with salt and citric acid powder.

D’Errico Ristorante at La Madernassa

Evergreen 4 PERSONS

Apple jelly

•

Blanch the broad beans, peas, agretti and

100g green apple water

artichoke in boiling salted water. Cool imme-

1g agar agar

diately in ice water. Season with lemon oil and salt. Singe the skin of the green capsicum with

•

Mix the green apple water with the agar agar

a blowtorch. Remove the skin and cut into

in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then allow

small cubes.

to cool slightly. Pour 25g of the mixture into a deep plate and place in the refrigerator to set.

•

Clean all the fresh herbs, lettuce and aromatic herbs.

Origami 1 avocado

Cucumber sorbet

1 kiwi

1kg cucumbers

20g broad beans

250g cucumber water

20g peas

50g lime juice

1 artichoke

3g fresh coriander leaves

20g lemon oil

20g dill oil

1 green capsicum

250g 36 BRIX syrup (2g sorbet stabiliser)

50g agretti (sea salt herb)

(150g cucumber water, 62g trehalose,

20g young lettuce leaves

30g dextrose)

20g spinach sprouts

2g sorbet stabiliser

5g fresh dill

5g lime zest

5g Greek basil 20g pimpinella

•

Peel the cucumbers and purée. Place in a fine sieve in the refrigerator and leave to strain

20g nasturtium

overnight. Make the 36 BRIX syrup by mixing •

•

Peel the avocado and press through a fine

some of the cucumber water with the sugars

sieve to create a smooth purée. Season to

and stabiliser. Heat to 85°C. Leave the syrup

taste with salt and lime juice. Set aside.

to cool completely.

Cut the kiwi into thin slices with a sharp knife or a Japanese mandoline. Place a spoonful of guacamole in the centre of the slices and fold them over to form origami-like parcels.

90

•

Add the remaining ingredients and churn in an ice cream maker.

D’Errico Ristorante at La Madernassa

Evergreen 4 PERSONS

Apple jelly

•

Blanch the broad beans, peas, agretti and

100g green apple water

artichoke in boiling salted water. Cool imme-

1g agar agar

diately in ice water. Season with lemon oil and salt. Singe the skin of the green capsicum with

•

Mix the green apple water with the agar agar

a blowtorch. Remove the skin and cut into

in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and then allow

small cubes.

to cool slightly. Pour 25g of the mixture into a deep plate and place in the refrigerator to set.

•

Clean all the fresh herbs, lettuce and aromatic herbs.

Origami 1 avocado

Cucumber sorbet

1 kiwi

1kg cucumbers

20g broad beans

250g cucumber water

20g peas

50g lime juice

1 artichoke

3g fresh coriander leaves

20g lemon oil

20g dill oil

1 green capsicum

250g 36 BRIX syrup (2g sorbet stabiliser)

50g agretti (sea salt herb)

(150g cucumber water, 62g trehalose,

20g young lettuce leaves

30g dextrose)

20g spinach sprouts

2g sorbet stabiliser

5g fresh dill

5g lime zest

5g Greek basil 20g pimpinella

•

Peel the cucumbers and purée. Place in a fine sieve in the refrigerator and leave to strain

20g nasturtium

overnight. Make the 36 BRIX syrup by mixing •

•

Peel the avocado and press through a fine

some of the cucumber water with the sugars

sieve to create a smooth purée. Season to

and stabiliser. Heat to 85°C. Leave the syrup

taste with salt and lime juice. Set aside.

to cool completely.

Cut the kiwi into thin slices with a sharp knife or a Japanese mandoline. Place a spoonful of guacamole in the centre of the slices and fold them over to form origami-like parcels.

90

•

Add the remaining ingredients and churn in an ice cream maker.

Forest Side In the breathtaking landscape of England’s Lake District, nestled within a verdant oasis, lies Forest Side. There, an historic mansion is home to both dreams and their fulfilment, brought to life on the plate by chef Paul Leonard.

Here you can experience honest and authentic cuisine made with everything the impressive vegetable garden and adjacent forests have to offer. Mother nature at her very best.

Keswick Road LA22 9RN Grasmere, Cumbria United Kingdom theforestside.com

158

Forest Side In the breathtaking landscape of England’s Lake District, nestled within a verdant oasis, lies Forest Side. There, an historic mansion is home to both dreams and their fulfilment, brought to life on the plate by chef Paul Leonard.

Here you can experience honest and authentic cuisine made with everything the impressive vegetable garden and adjacent forests have to offer. Mother nature at her very best.

Keswick Road LA22 9RN Grasmere, Cumbria United Kingdom theforestside.com

158

Kook Atelier op Oost

From the mudflats

Oyster shell of seaweed with briny vegetables 4 PERSONS

4 oyster shells

Seaweed shell

Finishing •

Place an oyster leaf in the crispy oyster shell.

Pipe a generous dollop of seaweed cream

22g cassava flour

onto the oyster leaf. Now, insert the remaining

100g water

vegetables upright into the seaweed cream to

4g seaweed powder

form a bouquet. Garnish with the sea kale and borage flowers.

•

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Add water,

TIP

cassava flour, seaweed and salt and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and blend into a batter in a blender. Brush the oyster shells lightly with a little of the seaweed batter. Bake the shells for 3 minutes, then brush with more batter. Repeat the process 7 times. Then bake the shells for a further 30 minutes.

Seaweed cream 100g plantbased mayonnaise 4g seaweed powder •

Fold the seaweed powder into the mayonnaise and place in a piping bag.

Briny vegetables 4 oyster leaves 4 sea bananas 8 samphire leaves 4 sea fennel 4 fennel tips 4 sea kale flowers 4 borage flowers •

210

Wash the vegetables and prepare for finishing.

•

When finishing the oyster shell, place it on an egg rack to keep it stable.

Kook Atelier op Oost

From the mudflats

Oyster shell of seaweed with briny vegetables 4 PERSONS

4 oyster shells

Seaweed shell

Finishing •

Place an oyster leaf in the crispy oyster shell.

Pipe a generous dollop of seaweed cream

22g cassava flour

onto the oyster leaf. Now, insert the remaining

100g water

vegetables upright into the seaweed cream to

4g seaweed powder

form a bouquet. Garnish with the sea kale and borage flowers.

•

Preheat the oven to 170°C. Add water,

TIP

cassava flour, seaweed and salt and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and blend into a batter in a blender. Brush the oyster shells lightly with a little of the seaweed batter. Bake the shells for 3 minutes, then brush with more batter. Repeat the process 7 times. Then bake the shells for a further 30 minutes.

Seaweed cream 100g plantbased mayonnaise 4g seaweed powder •

Fold the seaweed powder into the mayonnaise and place in a piping bag.

Briny vegetables 4 oyster leaves 4 sea bananas 8 samphire leaves 4 sea fennel 4 fennel tips 4 sea kale flowers 4 borage flowers •

210

Wash the vegetables and prepare for finishing.

•

When finishing the oyster shell, place it on an egg rack to keep it stable.

Neon

Mix of pickled and marinated vegetables 4 PERSONS

Pickled vegetables and flowers

Smoked celeriac with cassis leaf pesto

Shiitake mushrooms

1 celeriac

Gherkins

1 handful hazelnuts

Elderflower clusters

1 handful cassis leaves

20 asparagus tips

Apple wood chips

Sweet and sour

•

Place the blackcurrant leaves and hazelnuts

350ml cider vinegar

in a blender. Add canola oil drop by drop until

50g sugar

you achieve a pesto-like consistency. Season

50g salt

to taste with salt and pepper. Roast the

500ml water

celeriac for 1.5h at 180°C. Allow the celeriac to cool and peel off the skin. Smoke the

•

Bring the ingredients for the sweet-and-sour

celeriac on the barbecue for 1h with apple

marinade to the boil. Once boiling, pour over

wood chips. Cut into thin slices and brush

the asparagus tips. After 3 months in a pre-

with the blackcurrant leaf pesto.

serving jar, they are ready to use. Store in a cool, dark place. Repeat this process with

Fresh vegetables

the gherkins, elderflowers and shiitake mush-

4 radishes

rooms. Feel free to add a few seasonings to the

2 young zucchini with flowers

marinade, such as rosemary, chilli or thyme.

4 nasturtium flowers

Cut the vegetables into thin slices.

4 nasturtium leaves Pepper and sea salt

Palm kale crisps Palm kale leaves

Finishing

Canola oil

•

•

Be inspired by whatever is growing in your

Wash the palm kale and tear it into equal

garden at the moment. Sprinkle with a little

pieces. Drizzle with canola oil and sea salt.

sea salt.

Roast on baking paper at 180°C for 15 min.

TIP

until crispy.

•

You can find organically produced canola oil at Hof ter Vrijlegem in Asse.

•

Let your creativity run wild and pickle any surplus vegetables you have. That way, you’ll always have variety and a well-stocked kitchen cupboard.

274

Neon

Mix of pickled and marinated vegetables 4 PERSONS

Pickled vegetables and flowers

Smoked celeriac with cassis leaf pesto

Shiitake mushrooms

1 celeriac

Gherkins

1 handful hazelnuts

Elderflower clusters

1 handful cassis leaves

20 asparagus tips

Apple wood chips

Sweet and sour

•

Place the blackcurrant leaves and hazelnuts

350ml cider vinegar

in a blender. Add canola oil drop by drop until

50g sugar

you achieve a pesto-like consistency. Season

50g salt

to taste with salt and pepper. Roast the

500ml water

celeriac for 1.5h at 180°C. Allow the celeriac to cool and peel off the skin. Smoke the

•

Bring the ingredients for the sweet-and-sour

celeriac on the barbecue for 1h with apple

marinade to the boil. Once boiling, pour over

wood chips. Cut into thin slices and brush

the asparagus tips. After 3 months in a pre-

with the blackcurrant leaf pesto.

serving jar, they are ready to use. Store in a cool, dark place. Repeat this process with

Fresh vegetables

the gherkins, elderflowers and shiitake mush-

4 radishes

rooms. Feel free to add a few seasonings to the

2 young zucchini with flowers

marinade, such as rosemary, chilli or thyme.

4 nasturtium flowers

Cut the vegetables into thin slices.

4 nasturtium leaves Pepper and sea salt

Palm kale crisps Palm kale leaves

Finishing

Canola oil

•

•

Be inspired by whatever is growing in your

Wash the palm kale and tear it into equal

garden at the moment. Sprinkle with a little

pieces. Drizzle with canola oil and sea salt.

sea salt.

Roast on baking paper at 180°C for 15 min.

TIP

until crispy.

•

You can find organically produced canola oil at Hof ter Vrijlegem in Asse.

•

Let your creativity run wild and pickle any surplus vegetables you have. That way, you’ll always have variety and a well-stocked kitchen cupboard.

274

Plates

Rice pudding ice cream, chewy beetroot and mulberries, toasted Poha rice 4 PERSONS

Rice pudding ice cream

Soft beetroot

400g cashews

1kg red beetroot

700ml water

500g redcurrant purée

150g pudding rice 600ml coconut milk

•

Steam for 1h at 100°C or until tender. Dry the

250ml oat milk

beetroot for 4-5h at 21°C. Dip in the redcur-

750g cashew milk

rant purée and dry again. Repeat this 4 times.

220ml maple syrup

Cut the beetroot into small cubes.

2 vanilla pods 18g white miso

Garnish 25g organic soft mulberries

• •

Mix the cashews and water until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve.

Finishing

Put the pudding rice in a pan with the oat and

•

coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla and

with 4 pieces of beetroot and mulberries and

cook the rice until very soft. After cooking,

pipe the rice pudding ice cream and roasted

add all the remaining ingredients and mix until

rice on top using a piping bag.

smooth. Freeze. Turn in a Pacojet.

Poha rice 100g Poha (rice flakes) Pinch of salt •

Roast the Poha for 8 min. at 170°C. Sprinkle with salt and leave to cool.

Mixed berry compote 1kg mixed berries 50g maple syrup •

Cook the berries in maple syrup for 2-3h until it reaches a jam-like consistency.

360

Place 20g of the compote in a small bowl, top

Plates

Rice pudding ice cream, chewy beetroot and mulberries, toasted Poha rice 4 PERSONS

Rice pudding ice cream

Soft beetroot

400g cashews

1kg red beetroot

700ml water

500g redcurrant purée

150g pudding rice 600ml coconut milk

•

Steam for 1h at 100°C or until tender. Dry the

250ml oat milk

beetroot for 4-5h at 21°C. Dip in the redcur-

750g cashew milk

rant purée and dry again. Repeat this 4 times.

220ml maple syrup

Cut the beetroot into small cubes.

2 vanilla pods 18g white miso

Garnish 25g organic soft mulberries

• •

Mix the cashews and water until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve.

Finishing

Put the pudding rice in a pan with the oat and

•

coconut milk, maple syrup and vanilla and

with 4 pieces of beetroot and mulberries and

cook the rice until very soft. After cooking,

pipe the rice pudding ice cream and roasted

add all the remaining ingredients and mix until

rice on top using a piping bag.

smooth. Freeze. Turn in a Pacojet.

Poha rice 100g Poha (rice flakes) Pinch of salt •

Roast the Poha for 8 min. at 170°C. Sprinkle with salt and leave to cool.

Mixed berry compote 1kg mixed berries 50g maple syrup •

Cook the berries in maple syrup for 2-3h until it reaches a jam-like consistency.

360

Place 20g of the compote in a small bowl, top

Colophon Untold was introduced to a world of masterful vegetables chefs through the initiative and infectious enthusiasm of Frank Fol (We’re Smart). A unique collaboration that has given rise to this book, infused with passion, vision and future.

Creative Director: Wim Demessemaekers Stories: Mieke De Vylder Recipes: Annemiek van Leeuwen Photographs: Wim Demessemaekers Design: David Boon and Paul Popelier Editing and production control: Bruno Devos Translation: Jeremy McKenna ISBN 9789464002751 NUR 444 D2025/162533/2 © 2025, Untold Books First edition September 2025 Produced in Belgium untold-books.com No part of this publication may be reproduced and/or published via printing, photocopying, electronic media or any other means, without the prior written consent of the publisher.