The renowned Brussels restaurant 'La Villa Lorraine' has announced the departure of its chef, Yves Mattagne, who will join Botanic Sanctuary, a luxury hotel in Antwerp, next Spring.
Mattagne, formerly the chef of the double-Michelin-starred 'Sea Grill,' which closed in 2019, will leave 'La Villa Lorraine' on 1 January.
He revealed on Facebook that, alongside chef Charles Broutard, he plans to open two restaurants and a bar in the hotel’s 15th-century monastery. He described the move to Antwerp as an opportunity to embrace creativity and bring fresh energy to the culinary scene.
'La Villa Lorraine,' located near Bois de la Cambre, was established in 1953 by Marcel Kreusch, and later acquired by businessman Serge Litvine in 2010. It was the first restaurant outside France to earn three Michelin stars.
Since its creation, seven chefs have held the reins at 'La Villa Lorraine,' including Yves Mattagne, who joined in 2021. Under his leadership, the restaurant regained its two Michelin stars in 2022 but lost one of them in the 2025 guide.
The restaurant is now preparing to unveil a new, contemporary culinary vision which, it promises, will offer a more modern, accessible experience with a youthful dynamic.
