Diplomatic World_69

MY GUESTS ARE SO ATTACHED
TO CERTAIN DISHES THAT THEY WILL
NOT TOLERATE ANY CHANGES
Frederik Deceuninck, Sel Gris
Despite only having 33,000 inhabitants spread over an area of
56 km², the Flemish seaside resort of Knokke-Heist is a top gastronomic
hotspot, boasting 5-star establishments and numerous
recommendations in both the Michelin and Gault&Millau guides.
Sel Gris is one of these culinary high-flyers. Since 2008, chef
Frederik Deceuninck and his team have been awarded a Michelin
star every year without fail. So where does this relationship
between gastronomic indulgence and Knokke-Heist come from?
Frederic Deceuninck takes us on a tour of his restaurant, his local
area and his passion for high-quality produce.
The pigeon was cooked ‘bleu chaud’. My dad was not a fan at
the time, but as for me... well, I’m still talking about it now!
And then there’s the best dessert ever.... My mum will confirm
this, too. We were on our way to Futuroscope in France with
a friend. Two hours from Poitiers, we sat down in a restaurant,
situated in an idyllic little square. I can still vividly remember that
the dessert was based around apricots, and that it was the best
I had ever eaten. That dessert has always stayed with me. We
have searched for the restaurant many times since then, but
unfortunately never managed to find it again.
HI FREDERIK! WHY DON’T YOU START OFF BY
TELLING US SOMETHING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My name is Frederik Deceuninck. I was born in 1982, and I’ve
wanted to be a chef for as long as I can remember. The first
photo of me wearing a chef’s hat dates back to my second year
of kindergarten. I learned how to cook as I was growing up,
because my grandmothers on both sides were both amazing
cooks. By extension, both my parents are also real gourmets!
We always took our red Michelin Guide with us when we went
travelling, and I also knew how it worked from an early age.
DOES THAT MEAN YOU WERE ALLOWED TO
CHOOSE WHICH RESTAURANT YOU WENT TO?
Yes, and there was nothing I liked more. My parents would say
“you can choose a restaurant with one star or less”. Of course,
I quickly realised that the ones with the star were the best and
was quick to point them out. As I got older, I would also call the
restaurants myself to book the table.
ARE THERE ANY DISHES FROM YOUR
CHILDHOOD THAT HAVE STAYED WITH YOU?
The first dish I remember was pigeon with gingerbread and chocolate
in a Michelin-starred restaurant in Chablis. Although I was
only seven at the time, the taste is still engraved in my memory.
IN OTHER WORDS, A CHEF BORN AND BRED. WAS
CULINARY SCHOOL THEREFORE AN OBVIOUS
PATH?
Indeed it was. I started learning the trade in Spermalie around
the age of 14, before going to Ter Groene Poorte at the age of
16 (both vocational schools for food-oriented studies). I then did
internships, both at home and abroad, where I gained a great
deal of inspiration. I gained experience in the Michelin-starred
establishments of De Karmeliet***, Le Jardin Tropical* and
Pastorale**. I was voted Fish Cook of the Year in 2003 and Best
Emerging Talent in 2007.
AND THEN IT WAS YOUR TURN TO OWN YOUR
OWN RESTAURANT?
I had always said that when I start my own business, it has to be
in Knokke-Heist. My parents ran a real estate agency and, one
day, they called me to say that they had spotted a property in
Knokke-Heist. After some persuading on their part, I went to take
a look at it. I was sold right away. And so, Sel Gris was born.
I had fulfilled my dream of owning my own restaurant at the age
of 24. My maître d’ was 18 when he started working here.
And now, 15 years later...
In 2019, we explored a new concept with our new restaurant
Caillou, placed in the capable hands of Sander and Camille.
WHERE DOES THE NAME SEL GRIS COME FROM?
That is a great story. We were on a trip to Guérande and decided
to go out for dinner. The restaurant had Fleur de sel – a special
type of sea salt with a fine crystal-like structure – on its more
high-end menu, as the antithesis of Sel gris, or normal coarse
salt. It was there and then I decided that my restaurant would be
called Sel Gris, as I am just a normal guy. I dreamt that Sel Gris
would become a household name in no time.
DOES THE NAME CAILLOU ALSO HAVE AN
INTERESTING ORIGIN STORY?
With Caillou, we had already been looking for a name for a long
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