i. Biography
The Path
At Ter Groene Poorte, the training ground is practical: hospitality, timing, cellar work, and the discipline of service. For Kenny Burssens, that foundation led into InVINcible in Antwerp, where the room initially defined the work as much as the stove did. He spent his early years there as maître-sommelier, handling the dining-room side of the operation until 2011, when he moved across to the open kitchen and took on the pace, heat, and structure of the pass from the other side.
The Work Today
Since 2011, InVINcible has been the place where Kenny Burssens’s kitchen knowledge and wine-service background meet in one line of work. The cooking is shaped by a nose-to-tail approach — “We work nose to tail.” — which puts use, economy, and ingredient range at the center of the plate. The style relies on exact handling rather than decoration: a simple garnish to clarify the dish, then an intense sauce to concentrate it. In the open kitchen, that method stays visible. The room sees the work as it happens, and the food carries that same directness.
In Their Words “When I started there as a maître-sommelier, the emphasis was already on innovative wines.”
Career - Chef — InVINcible, Antwerp (2011–present) - Executive Chef — InVINcible, Antwerp - Chef-eigenaar — InVINcible, Antwerp - Maître-sommelier — InVINcible, Antwerp (until 2011) Education: Ter Groene Poorte
Acclaim
The defining marker in this profile is the 2011 shift from maître-sommelier to kitchen leadership at InVINcible. It changed the register of the work: from reading the dining room, cellar, and pacing of service to setting the rhythm of the plate itself. In Kenny Burssens’s case, the restaurant became a place where both sides of the pass informed the same craft.
FAQ Where did Kenny Burssens train or study? Kenny Burssens trained at Ter Groene Poorte. What is Kenny Burssens known for? Nose-to-tail cooking; dishes are upgraded with a simple garnish and an intense sauce.
