Chef Peter Goossens – Took Hof Van Cleve to New Culinary Heights
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From last year’s 26th position in the S. Pellegrino’s top 50 World’s Best Restaurants to the 17th this year, credit and praise should be given to its head chef, Chef Peter Goossens for taking Hof Van Cleve to new culinary heights. It was through his dedication, hard work, and culinary talent that earned his restaurant the many prestigious awards that it received, including three Michelin stars.
Chef Goossens was born on 1964 in Borsbeke, a little village in East Flanders, Belgium. He grew up in a family that has made cooking a very integral part of their tradition, and the values and traditions instilled in him by his humble upbringing and his family are what shaped his culinary career. In fact, he has always placed emphasis on the use of fresh ingredients and seasonal produce and has made it a central factor in his cuisine.
It was in Koksijde that he received his formal training where he took up hotel management in Ter Duinen. After he finished his education, he then went to Paris to pursue his culinary career, and there, he found work at some of the finest restaurants in the city.
Three years after his stay in Paris, he went back to Belgium in 1987 where he started his own restaurant in Kruishoutem.  The restaurant was not serving gourmet dishes at that time, and, in fact, it was just a very simple restaurant offering simple dishes. This continued for about five years, and during that time, he could not fully express his culinary skills and offer gourmet food. However, in 1992, he finally had the opportunity to transform Hof van Cleve and create the dishes and cuisine that he wants to offer.
Two years after he turned Hof van Cleve into a gourmet restaurant, he earned his first Michelin star, and he received the second star for his restaurant in 1998. During those years up until the present, Chef Goossens has received numerous awards from some of the most prestigious awarding bodies not only in his country but internationally as well. He was even named Chef of the year in 2004.
Chef Goossens’ dishes speak of refined traditional Belgian cuisine with a flair, keeping with tradition and putting emphasis on the quality of the ingredients. His culinary skill in creating gourmet cuisine is known for its taste and the elegant way that he plates his dishes. He is also a master at working with seasonal produce and could create dishes that highlight the flavors of each seasonal ingredient.
His skills in the kitchen has earned him great praises nationally and internationally, and proof of this is being recognized as one of the top restaurants in the globe.
Chef Peter Goossens Baked Scallops with Salsify, Sauce and Sherry Mimolette
Ingredients:
- 12 scallops
- 36 sticks salsify
- 5 g grated mimolette cheese
- 2 tablespoons cream
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 20 g butter
- Salt and pepper
- Nutmeg
- 1 bone rocket salad
For the sauce:
- 3 tablespoons sherry
- 100 gr butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped chives
Directions:
Salsify:
1.     Peel the salsify and cut into strips about 8 cm.
2.     Boil the salsify until al dente in water with a little lemon and cool in cold water.
3.     Fry in butter until lightly colored, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
4.     Pour off excess fat, add mimolette cheese and cream and let boil briefly.
Scallops: Season the scallops with salt and pepper and fry in hot olive oil until golden brown.
Sauce: Let boil the sherry, bind with butter (with a mixer), season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped chives.
Plate Arrangement: Arrange the salsify in bars on the plate, top with the scallops and garnish with a sprig of rocket salad. Pull the front of the board dashes sherry sauce.
Serving: Serves 4.
Image Credit: weekvandesmaak.be
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