FX.co ★ Belgium welcomes guests: main culinary festivals in Flanders in 2018

Gent Smaakt! (Gent, May 9-13, 2018)

In the capital and the largest city of East Flanders, in a month there will be a real gastronomic show, Gent Smaakt! For five days guests of the culinary show will try the best dishes and drinks from dozens of local cafes and restaurants, rest under luxurious dining tents and walk on cozy terraces. The site for the festival will be the town hall on the square Emile Braunplein.

Antwerpen Proeft (Antwerpen, May 10-13, 2018)

Feel the "taste of Antwerpen" at the largest local culinary festival which will also begin very soon.

Guests of Antwerpen Proeft will be presented a huge selection of chic restaurants some of which are located on the picturesque bank of the Scheldt river. Creative ideas for decorating restaurants and the festival itself also deserve attention.

Dinner in the Sky (Brussels, June 9-24, 2018)

This year one of the most unusual restaurants, Dinner in the Sky, will prepare a lunch and two dinners for two dozen guests. The organizers of the festival offer culinary masterpieces made by the best chefs of the planet (Joël Robuchon, Pierre Gagnaire, Alain Passard) at an altitude of 50 meters where the hanging open platform rises.

Hapje-Tapje (Leuven, August 5, 2018)

During Hapje-Tapje, many stalls are installed on the market square of Leuven which makes it look like a gastronomic camp. The routes that guests make during the day from one stall to the next, tasting various dishes and drinks, resemble real culinary trails.

During the competitive part, it is possible to carry a tray with an order only through the crowds gathered on the market square, as there are no separate roads for the waiters. A pleasant addition to the holiday is festive events which include contests, concerts, and performances by street artists.

Bollekesfeest (Antwerpen, August 18-19, 2018)

Another festival, which will be held this year in Antwerp, is called Bollekesfeest. It will take place in the historic center of Antwerp, the Grote Markt square. Directly in front of the audience, the best chefs of the city will prepare national dishes, and guests of the festival will be able to enjoy performances of various artists and music bands while sampling local beers.

EAT! Brussels, drink! Bordeaux (Brussels, September 13-16, 2018)

Festival of street food EAT! Brussels, drink! Bordeaux takes place annually in the central park of Brussels, where, under the guidance of experienced culinary masters a variety of treats are cooked on the specially prepared street kitchens. You will be able to try it for a fixed fee.

For the duration of the festival, visitors can purchase a wine pass with coupons and feel like real sommeliers having tasted wines in any pavilion.

Kookeet (Bruges, September 29 - October 1, 2018)

The eighth season of the Kookeet Culinary Festival will take place in Bruges, Flanders gastronomic capital. It will gather under one roof more than thirty famous chefs who will compete during the five-minute culinary fights of En garde. The organizer of this festival is the chef Geert Van Hecke who received his Michelin star in 1985!

Viewers are guaranteed the pleasure not only to experience the thrill of the battle of "culinary titans" but also to create their own menu from a wide range of dishes.

Tram Experience (Brussels, whole year)

For five years in a row, the famous Tram Experience restaurant has been offering passengers to plunge into the atmosphere of a romantic two-hour journey through the most beautiful streets of Brussels and taste a menu of national dishes from prestigious Belgian chefs. Lionel Rigolet, the author of this project, heads one of the most prestigious culinary establishments, Comme Chez Soi.