Belgian astronaut Raphaël Liégeois has chosen two Belgian dishes to take with him during his stay on the International Space Station (ISS). He opted for chicory with ham and cheese sauce, and Liège meatballs, the European Space Agency (ESA) announced on Friday.
The days when astronauts in space had to eat food from tubes are long gone. Nowadays, they can choose from around 200 dishes. On top of that, there is a tradition allowing each astronaut to also choose 'bonus food', which are "special dishes that give a taste of their cultural and personal preferences," said ESA.
These dishes are often shared with the other astronauts on the ISS on special occasions, such as a "Belgian evening." Liégeois has chosen two culinary treasures that reflect his roots and regional pride: Belgian endive with ham gratin, and boulets à la Liégeoise.
Symbolic dishes
Liégeois, a biomedical engineer and neuroscientist, developed the Flemish classic chicory with ham and cheese sauce together with chef Wouter Keersmaekers from the restaurant “De Schone van Boskoop” in the Antwerp municipality of Boechout. The cheese sauce is made with Orval cheese, a reference to Liégeois' family ties with the region.
"Raphaël wanted to bring an authentic Belgian dish with him to space, and this one, a favourite of his mother’s, felt like the perfect choice," said Keersmaekers.
The dish is also very symbolic, with ingredients sourced locally from all three regions of Belgium – meat from Flanders, endive from Brussels and cheese from Wallonia – it is a "culinary tribute to national unity and sustainability," said Liégeios.
Raphaël Liégeois. Credit: ESA
For his second dish of choice, the Liège meatballs, he enlisted the help of chef Frédéric Lambert from the restaurant "L'Amirauté" in Esneux, near Liège. The space version of the sauce, which includes Liège syrup (made from apples and pears), does not contain beer, and the traditional chips will not be served with it either.
"These aren't just meatballs," said Lambert. "They are a taste of Walloon tradition, dating back centuries. We have adapted the recipe to be non-alcoholic and space-friendly, while preserving the rich, velvety flavour that makes this dish so beloved."
The iconic Liège-style meatballs are known for their sweet-and-sour sauce made with onions, vinegar, brown sugar and the essential Sirop de Liège.
'At home in space'
"By choosing these two dishes, I wanted to highlight local products: apples from the Pays d'Aubel region, Flemish chicory and Orval cheese," Liégeois said in the press release. "They are simple dishes that I know well, interpreted by two Belgian chefs from Antwerp and Liège, which will make me feel a little bit at home in the space station."
The dishes will be transported to the ISS in cans. Once there, they can be reheated in an oven, according to Hannelise Boerjan, spokesperson for the Federal Science Policy Office (Belspo), which is helping to shape the mission from Belgium.
Liégeois' trip to the space station is planned for the second half of 2026 – making him the third Belgian in space. He will stay there for six months.
It had already been announced that Liégeois would also be taking three Belgian experiments to the ISS. For this, he will be taking corn, slime moulds and a quantum sensor.
