Portrait of Mario Elias
i. Biography
The Path
Polish and precision are the through-line in Mario Elias’s training: Ecole Hôtelière de Spa, Le Château d’Hassonville, and Le Capucin Gourmand. Those houses set the technical base for a career that later moved from the dining room circuit into leadership, with Elias working as ambassador at Salon Horecatel from 2023, then taking on the chef-owner and Executive Chef roles at Le Cor de Chasse, while also serving as Star Chef of Brussels Airlines since 2022.
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The Work Today
The current brief is split between place and service. At Le Cor de Chasse, Mario Elias carries both the owner’s responsibility and the Executive Chef’s discipline, while his work as Star Chef of Brussels Airlines since 2022 brings the same standard into a different format. The role as ambassador at Salon Horecatel, begun in 2023, keeps him tied to the wider trade as a representative presence rather than a stage act.
Signature
The plate that carries Mario Elias’s name here is Chevreuil / Betterave, a pairing that signals game and root through a direct, regional register.
In Their Words “I don't content myself with 30 or 40 km; for me, an artisan who is in Bastogne or in Arlon, if they are a good artisan, that's interesting.” “What matters is the place in the Ardennes; we are in a sign that says Belgian, local only.”
Acclaim
Mario Elias’s recognition includes a Michelin star.
FAQ
Asked of Mario
What is Mario Elias's current role?
As of 2026, Mario Elias is Chef-owner.
Where did Mario Elias train or study?
Mario Elias trained at Ecole Hôtelière de Spa and Le Château d’Hassonville.
What recognition has Mario Elias received?
Michelin star (2024).
The Sunday email
Read about chefs like Mario Elias 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
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