Restaurant Cuchara is one of the most creative restaurants in the Benelux. Chef Patron Jan Tournier, member of the Flanders Kitchen Rebels, is a chef with a vision and a clear identity. His kitchen style is a special one that you won’t find anywhere else in Belgium. It is his artistic approach with an eye for presentation that makes this one of the country’s most interesting restaurants.
Cuchara is located in the city centre of Lommel, a small city in the north of Belgium. The modern restaurant creates a brand new restaurant experience. The interior brings synergy with the cooking style and gastronomic art of the chef. Warm materials, design furniture and an impressive glass sculpture create a unique and one of a kind interior. ‘Root’, a seven-metres glass tree, sheds a new light on Tournier’s ‘cooking’ and represents the glass blowing crafts from the city Lommel. The warm interior of the restaurant is emerging as a cleanly designed area with lot of space. Only round tables are used. The black wall on which artist Esther Barend made an artwork in four pieces in situ, enhances the intimate character.
Chef Patron Jan Tournier is known for his innovations, his modern cooking style, his creativity and artistic presentations. The chef gained experience at Roger Van Damme’s restaurant Het Gebaar in Antwerp, where he learned the essentials of modern dining. At Cuchara, he offers his guests an extensive dining journey with a tasting menu in twelve or fourteen servings. In contrast to Het Gebaar, where guests enjoy classic preparations with a modern twist, and exquisite desserts, at Cuchara Jan Tournier serves minimalistic, high flavoured dishes based on a molecular cooking style. The passion for creativity and uniqueness is reflected in snacks like frozen cloud of tomatoes and lime or sourdough bread crunch with a dip of mimolette cheese and jalapeno peppers. With his foam of bastardo grapes and ice powder of foie gras he plays with deceptive flavours, textures and temperatures. His interpretation of the slow cooked pigeon is stunningly delicious. The pigeon is served with Jerusalem artichoke, an airy cream of beurre noisette, crunch of potato and an intense pigeon jus.
Sommelier Jeffrey Snoeks is one of the biggest young talents in Belgium. He selects great pairing wines to accompany Jan’s menu or surprises guests with perfect choices from the very interesting wine list. The passionate sommelier impresses the most demanding wine connoisseurs and serves in a flamboyant, unique style. In his new wine cellar which is located at the back of the restaurant, he collected some special labels.
It is truly impressive to experience the journey throughout Jan Tournier’s kitchen and surprise after surprise, guests become more and more astonished. If you are in the north of Belgium, dining at Cuchara is a must. A restaurant that breaks away from the classical thinking of what defines fine dining.
Written by Sven & Frank
