At Les Eleveurs you will experience the ultimate culinary adventure! A restaurant full of character and a relaxing overnight stay in a rustic boutique hotel. Two in one. A unique combination of tradition, with a nod to today. Host and sommelier, Andy De Brouwer. Young, ambitious and driven. Pleased to meet you!
Andy, can you briefly explain the history of your case?
Les Eleveurs has existed for more than 120 years. Everything began in 1894. Jules Cezar De Brouwer came from Sint-Niklaas to Halle to work as a chemist for the sugar factory. He was responsible for the analyses of the sugar beet. For this, he went to beet growers to take a sample of their harvest. He soon became acquainted with the whole of Flemish and Walloon Brabant and thus came into contact with the horse breeders and stallion farmers of the region.
In 1897 the first Hotel des Eleveurs was located on the Vandenpeereboomstraat in Halle. Many horse breeders, buyers and sellers were at home there. In 1903 the first son Pierre Oscar De Brouwer was born and in 1907 a second son who would later become my grandfather, Jean Leon De Brouwer. Almost three decades later, in 1940, the war broke out… Bombings reduced Les Eleveurs by one floor and the beautiful turrets fell down. The adjoining corner house in particular fell victim to the jumping of the canal bridge, as a result of which the building promptly became the corner house. Even during the war, my grandfather started the rebuilding of the business and had a new façade built along the canal side with all the problems that entailed and with the scarcity of raw materials.
During the reconstruction, the scarce customers could walk along gangways through the yard to the 1st floor where a “clandestine” bodega was operated. The guest table was replaced by 12 restaurant tables with a modern countertop “dresser”. The daily menu was changed to an à la carte restaurant, the former café became a tavern with dining facilities and the evolution was unstoppable.
In 1972, my father took over Les Eleveurs from Leon and Germaine, but there was no question of buying it given the family of five children. That same year, my sister Amanda was born. After my grandmother passed away, my father was able to buy the hotel from my grandfather. We were in October 1989.
Andy, can you tell me how you experienced your personal course?
After I graduated as the best wine student at the Hotel School of Brussels, I followed a number of extra Sommelier courses. In 1992 I won the 3rd place for the best junior chef of Belgium. Since 1994, I work in the hotel-restaurant “Les Eleveurs” in Halle in my father’s business. During my school years, I was a commis in the kitchen. Afterwards I became head chef and later Maître d’hôtel. It was a dream! Later I took care of the sale and purchase of wines both for the restaurant and for the adjoining wine shop “Bodega”.
In October 2007, I took over my father’s business together with my girlfriend at the time, whom I had met at hotel school, namely Sofie Dumont. Looking back, I can’t say that the take-over was easy. You know, generational conflicts. Only two years after the takeover, Sofie won the title of “Lady Chef of the year”, which gave our business an enormous boost. A few golden years followed until the media slowly took over the importance of our restaurant for Sofie.In the summer of 2013, Sofie left the business and the restaurant was omoved to the bistronomy formulawith an adjoining wine bar. A choice we have not regretted to this day. At the time, sous-chef Nico Corbesier took over as chef.
During the summer of 2015 we made another heavy investment and made the kitchen, which had hardly been updated since the beginning of the business, run on induction and completely transformed into one of the most contemporary and advanced technologies. At the beginning of 2016 , our young talented chef turned out to be a bit too turbulent and our collaboration with him was ended, but we are still good friends. Our current chef Michel Borsy has taken his place and his years of experience give a new impetus to Les Eleveurs, in other words, our candle is still far from burning out. In 2019, Les Eleveurs has been awarded the BIB gourmand recognition by Michelin, which is fully in line with our bistronomy concept.
I have always continued to educate myself and have participated or co-organised several professional competitions. I am also an active member of the Belgian Sommelier Guild. Writing is my other passion. I used to be a columnist in the magazine De Muze, linked to the newspaper De Morgen. Currently, I still have a column in the HORECA Magazine and the COOK Magazine. As a surplus, I have written three books:“Message in a bottle”, “Croque a day” and “A cocktail a night”.
Another passion is the creation of drinks. I have already assembled several wines, for my own label, in collaboration with winemakers such as Antonio Maçanita in Portugal, Anne Gros in France and Thomas Glinavos in Greece. I also created the gueuze “Zenne y Frontera” in collaboration with Armand Debelder of 3 Fonteinen, but the drink I am most proud of is the“Meuzenne”a lambic wine with second fermentation in the bottle in collaboration with Vin de Liège.
Who or what have you learned the most from?
Professionally, I learned the most from my own father who was a real hall master before his career in the kitchen. His knowledge in restaurant life was also drawn from the old guard of Maîtres and chefs we have had throughout our lives.
What would you not do again?
Me associating in a restaurant with a friend or life partner.
What would you have done faster?
Above the traditional and follow my own path with fewer traditions and restrictions.
Andy, can you tell me which achievement you are most proud of?
My title of 1st Maître d’hôtel of Belgium 2019 Prosper Montagné.
A final question. What is your big next goal – business and/or private?
Our next goal is in the making, as this summer we will be starting a new wine/cocktail/beer/coffee bar on the Halle Grote Markt, called“VLOEI-BAR”.
Thank you Andy and good luck with everything!
PROCESSIONAL:
Les Eleveurs: Suikerkaai 1A (Station), 1500 Halle: -book here
Telephone: +32 (0) 2 361 13 40
E-mail: info@les-eleveurs.be
Website: les-eleveurs.be
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