A Belgian private chef in the World Cup semi-final
From my first tables in 2020 to a semi-final in Paris: a story of cooking, meaningful encounters and Belgian pride.
Some milestones make you pause and look back. Taking part in the Private Chef World Cup in Paris and reaching the semi-final was one of them. An experience I want to share with you, beyond the competition itself.
A different way of cooking
I started my business in 2020, after training at the hotel school in Namur and then at UFB in Brussels. When Covid closed dining rooms, I had to rethink what came next. I chose to become a private chef. It began as a leap of faith; it became my way of cooking.
Since then, I have cooked for very different clients across Europe. These demanding, rewarding years have helped me build a loyal clientele and grow Ethny, one table at a time.
From Belgium to the semi-final in Paris
That journey gave me the confidence to enter the Private Chef World Cup. Years of work took me to the semi-final. I came home with a book by the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France, an exceptional apron and, above all, lasting memories.
What stays with me most is the people: talented chefs, generous conversations and encounters that could only happen there. And the particular pride of representing Belgium.
Private chefs often work out of the spotlight. Yet cooking in someone else’s home calls for care and versatility: adapting to a place, a table and different wishes while keeping your own culinary voice. Seeing our profession celebrated on this stage meant a great deal.
Coming full circle
Much of this experience is thanks to the organising committee, especially Cyril Rouquet-Prévost, who leads the competition. I first discovered him on MasterChef, a programme that inspired me when I was younger. Years later, cooking in a competition he organises felt like coming full circle.
The event took place at the Village International de la Gastronomie, on Place de la Concorde. Food from dozens of countries, stories and cultural exchanges: exactly what feeds my cooking every day.
The next chapter is at your table
Here are a few images from the experience. I already look forward to finding that energy again at a future edition.
Meanwhile, I am available again for private dinners, events and receptions, with a few more ideas in my suitcase. Based in Huldenberg, I travel to you within approximately 300 km to create a dining experience that feels like yours.
ETHNY · NOMAD CUISINE