A passion for food

When people hear about the different things I have done (I am talking jobwise) over the past ten years, they probably classify me as 'crazy' or otherwise as a 'Jack of all trades'.

Yes, I have a wide area of interests. This is for instance reflected in my music collection: cantatas from Bach and sacred works of forgotton composers like Dietrich Buxtehude and Diego Melgaz are happily squeezed between limited edition records of The Sisters of Mercy and maybe the early works of Serge Gainsbourg.

I studied as a chef and obtained a graduatation in Hotel Management about twelve years ago. Yet, that part of me seems long gone since I find myself working now for one of the biggest IT companies in the world.

But the love for food has never been gone. And strangely enough, although I have not been working as a professional chef for the past years, this gave me different insights and a much clearer vision on some secrets of the industry. And the passion kept boiling under the surface. In fact, while I write this, there is a famous Flemish stew with dark beer (Stoofvlees op Vlaamse wijze) simmering on the stove.

For me, that is the true 'cuisine': the pure, untouched, old, slow-cooking recipes from our grandmothers' days. Or sharing a plate of Tapas and Manzanilla with some friends. Food is much more than nutrients. It is art. It is pleasure. It is history, culture, it lives. It brings out that smile on my sister's face. It defines us.

The famous chef Auguste Escoffier (†1935) who once cooked for the greatest kings and emperors, expressed the same love for the traditional, uncomplicated recipes that were passed on, generation by generation. Towards the end of his life, he published a book, somehow different than his previous, almost scientifically precise works: this last book he ever published, entitled 'Ma Cuisine' , unveiled his all-time favorite culinary creations. Auguste had undoubtedly written this book with all his heart.

Hence the title of this blog. It is a blog about the love for food and I want to invite you to share your favorite recipes, to ask me questions, to browse and enjoy.

Welcome to Ma Cuisine