As one door closes, another opens – a mantra that has been realised by Belgian culinary duo Gert De Mangeleer and Joachim Boudens with their new space in Bruges, following the closure of their three-star restaurant Hertog Jan last year.
L.E.S.S. by Hertog Jan (an acronym for ‘Love. Eat. Share. Smile.’) is a modern interpretation of the duo’s work at their now shuttered eatery, combined with the concept of their sharing restaurant L.E.S.S.. Here, a menu devised by Michelin star-awarded chef De Mangeleer traipses the world to present dishes that cross Hong Kong for dim sum, Peru for ceviche and France for canales, all served up on speckled ceramic tableware by Belgian brand L’Audriane and rounded off with an expert wine and beer selection by sommelier Boudens.
Setting the scene are interiors created in collaboration with Tommy Van den Brandt of Another Office, whose vision of a warm, yet brutalist space has drawn together textures by Nathalie Van der Massen, worn wooden tables, and Christophe Gevers’ iconic 1959 ‘TBA’ chair, exclusively reproduced for the restaurant. Walls coated in mellow neutral tones applied in large swooping brushstrokes pair seamlessly with patinated metals and an oxblood-coloured cement floor, which together harmonise to create a room that is gentle enough to let the food do all the talking.
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