MEDIA INFORMATION | 20 November 2017

SECOND MICHELIN STAR FOR RESTAURANT LA SOURCE AND FINE DINING CHEF RALF BERENDSEN

The 2018 edition of the Michelin Guide for Belgium and Luxembourg was presented at Flanders Expo in Gent on Monday 20 November 2017. The award of a second star for the fine dining Restaurant La Source in Lanaken elevates Chef Ralf Berendsen into the elite circle of two-star chefs and places La Source at Domaine La Butte aux Bois among the best restaurants in the country.

Domaine La Butte aux Bois Lanaken België Guide Michelin Gids Belgique Luxembourg La Source Michelin sterren fine dining

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Marc Alofs, General Manager at Domaine La Butte aux Bois said: ‘This is great news. We are overjoyed that two stars now shine over La Source. The second star recognises the extraordinary performance of Ralf Berendsen and his team.’

A BORN PERFECTIONIST – RALF BERENDSEN’S STAR-STUDDED CAREER

The driving force behind La Source is Dutchman Ralf Berendsen. He arrived at Restaurant La Source in 2011, and was awarded his first Michelin star just two years later: a reward for being a perfectionist, as he likes to call himself. ‘Nothing is so good that it cannot be improved. That must be the starting point,’ is the premise of Berendsen’s work, allowing him to evolve constantly. The second Michelin star means he’s reached another milestone.

Two-star chef Ralf Berendsen commented: ‘Right from the beginning I have been given the freedom to go my own way. Once you reach a certain level, it is important to give your own signature to every dish. This is painstaking work, a never-ending story. In the process you acquire new insights, learn new methods of preparation and discover new products to experiment with. I have reached a point where authenticity prevails. Cooking is not only an art but also a quest for perfection that never stops.’

‘Being a chef is, for me, the most beautiful job in the world – providing you are in an environment that allows you to turn your knowledge and creativity into dishes that bring your customers the ultimate pleasure. At La Source, the owner, Eric Bullens, and the General Manager, Marc Alofs, give me every opportunity to make it happen and for that I am truly grateful.’

GOURMET DESTINATION LA BUTTE AUX BOIS

Domaine La Butte aux Bois in Lanaken opened in 1986 as a Hostellerie. As a member of the Relais & Châteaux hotel and restaurant association, it has become a global benchmark for excellence in cuisine and hospitality. In 2016, the hotel embarked on a major extension project, and in May 2017 the eco-chic Spa Retreat La Forêt opened. The unique annexe comprises the 1,350sqm Le Spa, a private fitness club Le Gym, Dr Bullens-Goessens’ dermatology clinic, 20 luxurious new rooms in two styles – La Forêt Ambiance and La Forêt Expérience – and two seminar rooms. Furthermore, the interior of the award-winning Restaurant La Source was refurbished combining elegance and luxury. With another 40 Michelin star-rated establishments within a 100-kilometre radius – a concentration of stars matched only by Alsace – fine dining Restaurant La Source is a leading light in a region at the forefront of European gastronomy.

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