Reinventing the gracious setting and renowned gastronomic cuisine of Clos St. Denis Domain for contemporary, exclusive parties and corporate events: that is the mission that Kachet, the event group of Nele Gommers, is embarking on. The iconic two-star restaurant of yesteryear underwent a thorough renovation after ten years of vacancy to reopen its doors mid anno 2023. With the arrival of celebrated chef duo Anne-Sophie Breysem and Jaume Soler, the culinary history will now be continued, also in a contemporary setting.
An ode to history
Domein Clos St. Denis in Kortessem has a rich history. For 30 years, since the 1980s, the Denis family charmed local and international audiences with their iconic two-star restaurant in its majestic 17th-century ‘little castle of Grimmertingen’. When Kachet embarked on the thorough renovation works, she had a clear vision in mind: restore the building after years of vacancy and preserve the restaurant experience. Unlike at usual party venues, dining here takes place in the estate’s charming living rooms, intimate and elaborate culinary dining takes centre stage and is served at the table according to the rules of the art.
A year ago, after Hangar58 (Bokrijk), the Tiendschuur Herkenrode (Hasselt), Cachecour (Houthalen) and Goed van Gothem (Heers), Domain Clos St. Denis reopened its doors as Kachet’s fifth event location. The opening attracted a lot of attention from press and public, resulting in a well-filled start-up season of exclusive parties and events. “The restaurant experience proved to be a hit,” says Nele Gommers, director of Kachet. To further distinguish itself on the plate as well, Kachet started looking for resounding names in the culinary world. “Soon I ended up with former classmate Anne-Sophie. Besides her fresh and creative cuisine, I admire her drive to constantly reinvent herself. I am convinced that together with her and Jaume we can create something unique in the event world.” The arrival of this new duo now gives Chef Mario Holtzem, a regular at Kachet over the years, the space to fully devote himself to his passion, cooking at home for select groups.
LadyChef Anne-Sophie Breysem & Spanish Chef Jaume Soler, a proven Belgian-Spanish chef duo.
A sense of wonder, that’s what chef Anne-Sophie Breysem and Jaume Soler want to achieve with their dishes.
Their recipe for success? A creative menu in which fresh seasonal ingredients, personal stories, humour and passion for local produce are woven into their mix of Flemish-Spanish roots. Together, they have spent years wowing the taste buds of Hasselers and the surrounding area in their restaurant Ansoler. Six years and a mention in the Gault Milliau and Michelin guide later, Anne-Sophie and Jaume decided to put an end to this story this summer, closing the doors of their restaurant for good on 15 July.
Despite her young age, Anne-Sophie was already shining in the Belgian culinary world: she was crowned ‘Ladychef of the Year’ in 2015 as the youngest female chef ever and garnered much praise for her creations as
chef at gourmet restaurants De Kwizien and Ansoler. She is Hasselt’s gin ambassador, Ambassador of GOESTING for Visit Flanders, managed to win a final place in the VTM programme ‘Snackmasters’ and regularly stars on Njam-TV. Jaume gained experience in world-class restaurants such as Celler de can Roca, Eleven Madison Park, L’air du temps, Luc Bellings,…
When Nele, director of Kachet, contacted them for a collaboration, they couldn’t pass up this opportunity. “Standing behind the cooker at Domain Clos St.Denis, those are big shoes to fill, but at the same time the beautifully renovated interior also calls for a contemporary reinvented kitchen.
Working with host Erik and the rest of the team also feels like a very good match in terms of customer focus with a playful, personal touch. As passionate chefs, we can now focus on what we love most: spoiling guests with surprising creations on the plate. And, not unimportantly, we will be given complete freedom to pursue our vision: we will also strictly follow the rhythm of the seasons in the kitchen of Domein Clos St.Denis and collaborate with local farmers.”
Events and restaurant days with Anne-Sophie & Jaume from autumn 2024 onwards
After a transitional phase during the summer months, Anne-Sophie and Jaume will permanently move to the cookers of Domain Clos St.Denis from 1 September for the culinary interpretation of parties and events. Those who cannot miss Ansoler’s restaurant experience, do not fret: Domain Clos St. Denis also opens its doors for public restaurant days on a regular basis. The first edition of these ‘Fine Dining Days’ with five-course menus will take place on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 September, the second is scheduled for Friday 25 October and Saturday 26 October 2024. For wedding and corporate event bookings or restaurant day registrations, please contact Host Erik Notelaers at any time, or visit the website www.domeinclosstdenis.be.
Contact for more information:
Nele Gommers – Director Kachet
+32 498 333 717 or nele@kachet.be
Contact for bookings:
Erik Notelaers – Host & Venue Manager Domain Clos St.Denis
+32 470 01 15 35
Company party on a historic rural estate near Hasselt – Clos St. Denis in Kortessem
