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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Chef Sergio Herman Closes Antwerp Restaurants to Seek Simplicity

From VRT NWS · (10m ago) Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Michelin-starred chef Sergio Herman is closing his Antwerp restaurant, Le Pristine, and his 'private kitchen' concept, PrivéPrivée, at the end of the year.
  • Herman cited a desire to "return to nature, to myself, and to the pure love of cooking" as the reason for stepping back.
  • International locations of Le Pristine in Tokyo and Singapore will remain open, and his collaboration with Hyatt Hotels Corporation continues.

Renowned Belgian chef Sergio Herman has announced a significant shift in his culinary career, revealing plans to close his highly acclaimed Antwerp restaurant, Le Pristine, along with its associated 'private kitchen' concept, PrivéPrivée, by the end of 2024.

I feel a quiet call to take it easier, to return to nature, to myself, and to the pure love of cooking.

— Sergio HermanExplaining his decision to close his Antwerp restaurants.

Herman, who holds a Michelin star for Le Pristine, expressed a personal "quiet call" to slow down and reconnect with his roots. In a statement shared on social media, he articulated a desire to "return to nature, to myself, and to the pure love of cooking," signaling a move away from the high-pressure fine dining scene.

These have been intense, beautiful years. Antwerp embraced me, our guests inspired me, and together with a great team, we have built something I am deeply proud of.

— Sergio HermanReflecting on his time with Le Pristine in Antwerp.

While the Antwerp establishments will cease operations, Herman assured that his international ventures remain unaffected. Le Pristine's branches in Tokyo and Singapore will continue to operate, as will his ongoing partnership with Hyatt Hotels Corporation. This suggests a strategic refocusing rather than a complete withdrawal from the global culinary landscape.

With a heart full of gratitude, I want to share that I will be saying goodbye to Le Pristine Antwerp and PrivéPrivée Antwerp later this year.

— Sergio HermanAnnouncing the closure of his Antwerp establishments.

The closure marks the end of a celebrated chapter in Antwerp's gastronomic history. Le Pristine, known for its innovative cuisine and sophisticated ambiance, has been a significant fixture in the city's dining scene. Herman's decision reflects a growing trend among top chefs to prioritize well-being and a more grounded approach to their craft, even at the height of their careers. PrivéPrivée is expected to re-emerge later in a new format, described as an intimate pop-up experience in carefully selected global locations.

PrivéPrivée will return later, in my new home and in carefully selected locations around the world, as an intimate pop-up where art, gastronomy and hospitality meet at the rhythm of the seasons and the purity of nature.

— Sergio HermanDescribing the future plans for his 'private kitchen' concept.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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