Portrait of Filip Claeys
i. Biography
At De Jonkman in Sint-Kruis, Belgium, Filip Claeys works from a kitchen standard built on precision and purpose. That same logic carries into North Sea Chefs, which he founded around a simple trade argument: waste is not only an environmental issue, but also lost value, especially where fish is concerned and too much never makes it to the plate.
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Filip Claeys in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.
Where They Are Now
At De Jonkman in Sint-Kruis, Belgium, Claeys keeps the work moving through renewal as well as continuity. North Sea Chefs extends that approach beyond the restaurant, taking the question of what the sea provides into wider use, with more care around what is kept, what is discarded, and what merits attention. “It's not an option to stand still. New crockery, a new interior, new dishes, they all inject oxygen.” For Claeys, change is part of kitchen discipline rather than a decorative extra. Updates to the room, the table, and the menu all serve the same practical end: keeping a restaurant alert, current, and able to respond.
Signature
Message in a Bottle from the North Sea, Tribute to my father, and Filip is the cigar are among Filip Claeys' signature dishes. The titles show a kitchen that uses naming as part of the work, giving each plate a point of reference that can signal place, memory, or wit without separating the idea from the food itself.
In Their Words “We founded the North Sea Chefs because an enormous amount of fish was thrown away. An awful shame, since those unfamiliar fish are just as tasty.” “It's not an option to stand still. New crockery, a new interior, new dishes, they all inject oxygen.” Created in 2011. He is a founder of NorthSeaChefs, created in 2011,.
FAQ
Asked of Filip
What is Filip Claeys's current role?
Filip Claeys is Chef patron.
What recognition has Filip Claeys received?
Michelin Guide, two stars (2024).
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Filip Claeys in the Sunday email.
Every Sunday we send a lead story and up to four more about the chefs, winemakers, sommeliers and hoteliers behind the restaurants, bars, wineries and hotels we cover.
Recent stories
Free. One email a week, and you can unsubscribe from any issue.