Michael Vanderhaeghe

The Path

Technique is built in stages, and Michael Vanderhaeghe’s training shows the usual trade sequence: school, stage work, then responsibility in service. Hotelschool Ter Duinen, Koksijde supplied the base. From there, his resume moved through kitchens in Belgium and beyond, with each post adding pressure, repetition, and a wider frame of reference. Early work came through stage placements and chef roles that established continuity rather than sudden leaps. At Restaurant De Pagasus in Poperinge (2009), Vanderhaeghe worked as stage. In the same period, he was chef at Restaurant Hostellerie St.-Nicolas in Elverdinge-Ieper (2009–2012), beginning a long professional thread with a house that would recur across his career. Breadth came next through a run of placements in kitchens with different demands. He was stage at Restaurant De Karmeliet in Brugge (2011), then stage at Restaurant La Trattoria, Alain Ducasse in Monaco (2012). In that same period, he also held chef positions at Restaurant L’Air du Temps in Liernu (2012–2013), Restaurant De Jonkman in Brugge (2012–2013), and Restaurant Sea Grill in Brussel (2012–2013). The sequence points to a period of sustained professional load, with multiple rooms and expectations shaping the work in close succession. Further stages at Restaurant De Librije in Nederland (2013) and Restaurant Bras in Frankrijk (2014) extended that range. Vanderhaeghe then moved into chef at Restaurant Boury in Roeselare (2014–2015), followed by chef at Restaurant Castor in Beveren-Leie (2016–2018). Those years mark the transition from accumulating references to holding them in one’s own hand on a daily basis. Since 2018, he has been chef at Hostellerie Saint Nicolas in Elverdinge, Belgium. The address matters here because it closes the loop: the same house appears earlier in his record, and the present role sits inside that continuity rather than outside it. For another working chef, the lesson is plain: the line from stage to chef is less about spectacle than about repetition, placement, and the ability to stay useful across different kitchens.

The Work Today

Since 2018, Michael Vanderhaeghe has been chef at Hostellerie Saint Nicolas in Elverdinge, Belgium. The role reflects a career shaped by stage work and chef posts across Belgium, Monaco, Nederland, and Frankrijk, with the current kitchen carrying the weight of that accumulated practice.

Career - Chef — Restaurant Hostellerie St.-Nicolas, Elverdinge-Ieper (2018–present) - Stage — Restaurant De Pagasus, Poperinge (2009) - Chef — Restaurant Hostellerie St.-Nicolas, Elverdinge-Ieper (2009–2012) - Stage — Restaurant De Karmeliet, Brugge (2011) - Stage — Restaurant La Trattoria, Alain Ducasse, Monaco (2012) - Chef — Restaurant L’Air du Temps, Liernu (2012–2013) - Chef — Restaurant De Jonkman, Brugge (2012–2013) - Chef — Restaurant Sea Grill, Brussel (2012–2013) - Stage — Restaurant De Librije, Nederland (2013) Education: Hotelschool Ter Duinen, Koksijde

FAQ Where did Michael Vanderhaeghe train or study? Michael Vanderhaeghe trained at Hotelschool Ter Duinen, Koksijde. What recognition has Michael Vanderhaeghe received? Ambassadeur Vlaams Culinair Erfgoed (2022).