The tenth Ostendaise - North Sea Food Fest will take place on 22 and 23 June, with renowned chefs from the region showcasing the star of the event: fresh fish from the sea.
The festival, an initiative of Toerisme Ostende, will be held on Ostend's Zeeheldenplein, the seaside promenade. Supported by the North Sea Chefs collective, it places emphasis on promoting lesser-known and often underappreciated fish species.
Some of these species are deliberately caught by Belgian fishermen while others are part of their bycatch.
"Fish such as the skate, the gurnard, or the weever have so much more to offer than most people realise," a spokesperson for North Sea Chefs remarked.
The festival will see 24 chefs serve up fish dishes on the Zeeheldenplein, against the backdrop of the Beaufort park's bright orange sculptures called 'Rock Strangers,' created by sculptor Arne Quinze for the city of Ostend.
The organisers highlight that many of the dishes will be creatively presented with sea vegetables and seaweed. There will also be dessert options provided by three other chefs: two vegetarian creations and three vegan options.
Among the dishes available, for €8, are notable offerings such as red gurnard tempuras by Daorung Kaenphutsa, skate in yellow wine and fermented porcini mushrooms by Dimitri Proost, a 'Lotte'n roll' by Sebastien Vandenbussche and Sander Bautmans, and a prawn aguachile by Terence McGarrity.
