THE INTRO

HAUTE CUISINE MEETS HAUTE COUTURE

Sergio Herman and Luc Dheedene find each other in conversations on food and fashion. They share an equal passion and ambition in their businesses. Sergio won worldwide acclaim as a three-Michelin-star chef and entrepreneur. He is the driving force behind Sergio Herman Group with 5 restaurants including Le Pristine, next-door to designer heaven Verso and Blueness Antwerp, which is housed in the same historic building as the iconic multi-brand store. Luc is the founder of Fashion Club 70 and their concept store Verso is the jewel in the crown of the family business. Both gentlemen, established in food and fashion, can go wild about the taste of a new dish or the release of a new sneaker. Passion is what brings them together and they love to share it with you.

SERGIO ON FASHION

Is fashion important to you? ‘I’m not the kind of guy to don a three-piece suit, but I appreciate a nice jacket or a beautiful pair of shoes. Clothing is definitely important to me.’ What do you wear in the kitchen? ‘The same thing I wear elsewhere: a T-shirt, a pair of low-crotch jeans or loose pants. Comfort is key.’ Have you ever made a fashion faux-pas? ‘I sometimes look at old pictures and go: Sergio, did you seriously think that was cool (laughs)?’

Do have any favourite designers? ‘At Verso, I love Valentino and Saint Laurent. I also admire the purity of Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto.’ Tie or no tie? ‘I haven’t worn a tie since my days at hotel school (laughs).’ Then what will you wear this holiday season? ‘A T-shirt and a jacket.’ Can a stylish look spark as much joy as a tasty dish? ‘I love it when people dress up to go dining as they used to do back in the day. There’s nothing like seeing a well-dressed couple enter a restaurant.’

LUC ON FOOD

Is food important to you? ‘It is. The first thing I do when I travel is look up great restaurants. I especially love seeing food and fashion combined. That’s what we aim to do with Sergio at Verso.’ Can you share any favourite hotspots abroad? ‘10 Corso Como in Milan was one of the first to combine fashion and food. Many have followed in their footsteps, from the Fondazione Prada to the Gucci Osteria by Michelin-star chef Massimo Bottura.’

Do you like cooking? ‘I can fry an egg and make toast, but that’s about it (laughs).’ So you’ve never asked Sergio for advice in the kitchen? ‘I haven’t, but I do call him for restaurants tips and we can talk about food for hours.’

What is your guilty pleasure? ‘Dessert. To me, it’s the perfect ending to any meal and I rarely skip it. I particularly love the patisserie at Le Pristine.’ Any legendary fashion parties you remember? ‘Fashion Club hosts a press dinner at Milan Fashion Week each season that always feels like a party.’

If you could invite three people, dead or alive, for dinner, who would they be? ‘Three would not suffice, but I would definitely invite Franco Moschino. He was my first designer and a very intriguing person.’ What about you, Sergio? ‘David Bowie, Keith Haring, Basquiat and Johan Cruijff.’